Volcanoes and cows — Le Tour des Puys in France

Did you know that France is a country of volcanoes? It has more than 1,000 of them – extinct or dormant – located in the centre of the country in the Auvergne, an area where there are probably more cows than people. We set off with our bikes, cameras, a tent and a knife (an indispensable accessory for cutting Auvergne cheeses), to explore this magnificent landscape.

We based our route on the places we wanted to photograph and the friends we wanted to see. Overall, it’s 670 kilometres (416 mi) long with 10,440 metres (34,250 ft) of elevation gain. During our week-long adventure, we passed little but cattle and tractors – utter bliss.

The forests were enchanting with their firs, oaks and twisted trees. The transition from one region to another was evident in the different breeds of cows that grazed peacefully on the plateaus. On this trip, the first you encounter are the hazel Limousines, replaced by the hardy dark mahogany Salers in the Monts du Cantal. Finally, in the Cézallier, you find the Aubracs. They’re the most beautiful, with their large eyes ringed in black as if drawn with kohl and standing out against their fawn coat.

It was the beginning of August when we explored the region, but it felt like October: with rain and cold, even the locals found the weather unusual. In the small village of Marcenat, we found the only café for several dozen kilometres, still decorated as it would’ve been in the fifties. The owner predicted that with the new moon coming up, the temperature should rise again. Unfortunately, this prediction didn’t come true for us.

We didn’t mind the autumn weather though; there’s nothing worse for taking pictures than the big blue sky of midsummer. We were spoiled with grey clouds, wet roads, rain jackets flying in the wind to add an epic touch to every shot.