Things to Do in the Puy-de-Dôme with Kids: Family Activities by Age
Imagine… Your children going inside a volcano, hunting for dinosaur fossils, climbing through the trees or swimming in a crater lake. The Puy-de-Dôme is a huge playground! Here are our ideas for family activities, sorted by age, with the driving time from Camping de la Croze in Châtel-Guyon: most are less than 30 minutes away, and some only 5.
Our family activities by age
| Age | Activities | From the campsite |
|---|---|---|
| Little ones (0-5) | pony ride at the campsite, paddling pool, Parc Écureuil net course (age 3+), Vulcania, Lemptégy volcano by little train, walk around the Gour de Tazenat | on site to 30 min |
| Age 6+ | kids’ club (5-12), treetop adventure, Enval gorges, Paléopolis, Panoramique des Dômes | on site to 35 min |
| Age 8+ | Puy de Pariou, Chemin des Muletiers | 30 min |
At the campsite: kids’ club, pony rides and playground
In July and August, the kids’ club welcomes 5 to 12-year-olds in the mornings: treasure hunts, creative activities, mini-Olympics and board games. Your children quickly make friends, and you get some quiet time.
Pony rides start right from the campsite, with no minimum age: it is often the youngest campers’ favourite memory. Ask at reception for times.
The rest of the day, there is plenty to keep your children busy:
- a playground with swings, a trampoline and a slide;
- a football and volleyball pitch;
- a table-tennis table, with bats to borrow;
- a library with board games for family evenings;
- the heated swimming pool and its paddling pool, open from 15 June to 15 September, 10 am to 8 pm.
For the little ones, we also rent baby kits (bath, high chair, cot). Full details on our campsite services and activities.
5 minutes from the campsite: Parc Écureuil
In Châtel-Guyon itself, on the route de Chazeron, Parc Écureuil has 10 treetop adventure courses, from age 3 with a net course for little ones. Older children will find monkey bridges, a Tarzan swing and a giant zip line: thrills guaranteed! The park also offers geocaching with GPS and riddles, and a tablet treasure trail in the Sans-Souci valley. It is open from February to early November; book online in summer.
Must-dos with kids
Vulcania (30 min). The perfect park to understand volcanoes while having fun: rides, immersive films, earthquake simulations and the largest planetarium in France. Allow a full day: your children won’t want to leave! See our campsite near Vulcania.
The Lemptégy volcano (30 min). Your children really go inside a volcano: you go down about 80 metres below the old crater, among volcanic bombs. The visit takes 2 hours 30, on foot or by little train, so it is possible even with a pushchair. Everything about the Lemptégy volcano.
Paléopolis (35 min). In Gannat, this dinosaur hill has more than 300 fossils, including a T-Rex, life-size dinosaurs and workshops where children play at being palaeontologists. There is also a playground.
The Panoramique des Dômes (30 min). The top of the Puy de Dôme in 15 minutes by rack railway: children love the ride up, and the view over the volcanoes is well worth it. Our guide to the Panoramique des Dômes, and more ideas in our 10 activities in the Auvergne volcanoes.
Unusual outings and family entertainment
Some outings stay with children more than others. Going down to the bottom of a volcano at Lemptégy, walking round an almost perfect crater at Puy de Pariou, swimming in the round lake of the Gour de Tazenat or riding a rack railway to the top of the Puy de Dôme: experiences they won’t have anywhere else!
In summer, the days last longer: Vulcania puts on a sound and light show on some evenings, and the Lemptégy volcano offers a night descent into the volcano in July and August. At the campsite, the kids’ club livens up the mornings with treasure hunts and mini-Olympics.
Easy walks with kids
The Enval gorges (5 min). One of the Terra Volcana tourist office’s “Léa et Tino” family walks: a 3 km loop, about 1 hour 30, with a waterfall and a viewpoint over the plain. The path is not suitable for pushchairs: bring a baby carrier.
The Sans-Souci valley and the Écureuil waterfall. Starting from Châtel-Guyon, a shady walk along the stream to the waterfall, ideal on hot days. See our hikes between the volcanoes and Châtel-Guyon.
The walk around the Gour de Tazenat (20 min). A flat one-hour path around a round lake set in a crater, where swimming is allowed (unsupervised).
Puy de Pariou, from about age 8 (30 min). Our favourite: the climb is easy-going, and the walk around the crater impresses children and parents alike. Set off early in summer. Our guide to Puy de Pariou.
Swimming as a family
The campsite’s heated pool and paddling pool are always a hit with little ones. For a change, Lake Aydat (40 min) and Lake Chambon (55 min) have lifeguarded beaches in summer, and the Gour de Tazenat (20 min) is wilder and quieter. All the best spots in our guide where to swim in the Puy-de-Dôme.
A rainy day with kids
Don’t panic: Vulcania is largely indoors, the Lemptégy visit works in the rain with good shoes, and Paléopolis has exhibition halls, a cinema and virtual reality. At the campsite, the library and its board games take over.
What about Clermont-Ferrand with kids?
Just 20 minutes from the campsite, Clermont-Ferrand is easy to add to your stay: L’Aventure Michelin, the Henri-Lecoq natural history museum or a break in the Jardin Lecoq are popular with children, especially when the weather is uncertain. Our campsite near Clermont-Ferrand lets you enjoy the city without giving up the peace of nature.
A family week in the Puy-de-Dôme
- Day 1: settle in, kids’ club and swimming pool.
- Day 2: Vulcania.
- Day 3: Parc Écureuil in the morning, the Gour de Tazenat in the afternoon.
- Day 4: Puy de Pariou in the morning, Lemptégy in the afternoon.
- Day 5: pony ride and swimming pool.
- Day 6: Paléopolis.
- Day 7: the Enval gorges, then the Puy de Dôme by train.
From our campsite in the Puy-de-Dôme, everything is less than 35 minutes away: less driving, more time to play.
A family holiday at Camping de la Croze means:
- a kids’ club for 5 to 12-year-olds in July and August;
- pony rides from the campsite;
- a heated pool with paddling pool and a playground;
- Vulcania, Lemptégy and the Puy de Dôme 30 minutes away.
Don’t wait any longer: book your family holiday in Châtel-Guyon today!
Frequently asked questions about the Puy-de-Dôme with kids
What are the must-dos with kids in the Puy-de-Dôme?
Vulcania, the Lemptégy volcano, the Panoramique des Dômes and Paléopolis, all 30 to 35 minutes from the campsite. Closer still, Parc Écureuil and the Enval gorges are 5 minutes away.
What unusual things can families do in the Puy-de-Dôme?
Go inside the Lemptégy volcano, walk around the crater of Puy de Pariou, swim in the crater lake of the Gour de Tazenat or ride the rack railway to the top of the Puy de Dôme.
What summer activities are there for children in the Puy-de-Dôme?
At the campsite, the kids’ club welcomes 5 to 12-year-olds in the mornings in July and August, and pony rides start from the campsite. Vulcania puts on a sound and light show on some summer evenings, and Lemptégy offers a night descent in July and August.
What can you do in the Puy-de-Dôme with a child under 5?
A pony ride and the paddling pool at the campsite, the Parc Écureuil net course from age 3, Vulcania, the Lemptégy volcano by little train and the flat walk around the Gour de Tazenat.
What can you do in the Puy-de-Dôme with kids when it rains?
Vulcania, the Lemptégy volcano and Paléopolis, or a game in the campsite library.
What free outings are there with kids in the Puy-de-Dôme?
The Enval gorges, the Sans-Souci valley, the walk around the Gour de Tazenat and climbing the Puy de Dôme on foot. At the campsite, the playground and library are free to use.
Where to stay with the family in the Puy-de-Dôme?
Camping de la Croze in Châtel-Guyon has a kids’ club in July and August, pony rides, a heated pool with a paddling pool, and mobile homes and chalets for up to 6 people, 30 minutes from Vulcania and the Puy de Dôme.
