Orcival

Orcival sits in a steep wooded valley in the Monts Dore, and its basilica, built in the twelfth century from grey volcanic andesite, is one of the five major Romanesque churches of Auvergne. Its plan is the regional model: a stepped east end of radiating chapels, a raised choir, a tall crossing. Inside, the Virgin in Majesty is a twelfth-century wooden figure clad in silver plate, seated stiffly with the Child on her knees, and she is carried in procession on Ascension Day. Iron shackles hang on the outside wall, left by prisoners who came here to give thanks after release.

What you actually see

• The volcanic basilica - grey andesite Romanesque with a stepped east end.
• The silver Virgin - a twelfth-century wooden figure sheathed in metal.
• The prisoners' shackles - iron chains fixed to the church exterior.
• The valley setting - a tight wooded valley in the Monts Dore.

When to go

May to October; the Ascension Day procession is the village's main event. Winter brings snow and few open services. The church is open daily and free.

Honest expectations

The village is very small with limited facilities and parking. The interior is dim, which suits the building but makes detail hard to see. There is little else to do here beyond the church.

Nearby

Puy de Sancy lies south; Clermont-Ferrand is east.