Besse, a commune with the ‘Petites Cités de Caractère®’ label in the Puy-de-Dôme region.
The aim of this label is to highlight the authenticity and diversity of the heritage of certain small towns with high-quality, coherent architectural buildings.
Discover Besse :
The medieval town of Besse is characterized by(…)
Besse, a commune with the ‘Petites Cités de Caractère®’ label in the Puy-de-Dôme region.
The aim of this label is to highlight the authenticity and diversity of the heritage of certain small towns with high-quality, coherent architectural buildings.
Discover Besse :
The medieval town of Besse is characterized by a rich architectural heritage that blends perfectly into its surroundings. The church of Saint-André, the Château du Bailli, the Beffroy, the Renaissance fountains, the Manoir Sainte-Marie des Remparts and the cobbled streets lined with stalls are all made of lava stone. Linked to the history of France and royalty, the Bessard town was for a long time one of the strongholds of the Medici family.
The Church of Saint-André was built in the 12th century. The Romanesque nave with narrow side aisles and transept with cupola over the crossing remain. The side chapels date from the 17th and 18th centuries. The church features a series of remarkable capitals with vegetal or historiated motifs, as well as a set of stalls with misericords dating from the 16th century. The choir dates from this period, ending in an apse added in 1822 to accommodate the transhumant statue of the Black Madonna of Notre-Dame de Vassivière.
Le Château du Bailli : former home of the Bailli, the person in charge of enforcing order and justice for the Lords of La Tour d’Auvergne in the medieval town of Besse.
Place du Dr Pipet : a square lined with houses built in medieval times, with main windows opening onto the square and doors bearing the coats of arms of burghers or brotherhoods. A complete coat of arms can still be seen at the end of the narrow passage between the two houses beneath the fountain.
Rue de la Boucherie : narrow and cobbled, this street has retained its old stone houses and 15th-century shops.
Le Manoir Sainte Marie des Remparts : a Renaissance-style house with elements from the Besse area (gargoyles, fountain, mullioned windows, etc.).
La Maison dite de la Reine Margot : did Catherine de Médicis’ daughter spend a night in this house when she fled from her husband Henri IV, between Béarn and her château in Usson ?
Le Beffroy : the gateway to the old medieval town, dating from the mid-15th century and restored several times, with a wolf’s head weather vane.
Discover the architecture and heritage of the medieval and renaissance town of Besse :
14 panels invite you, free of charge, to discover the history and architecture of this authentic town.
Map available from the Besse tourist office.
The path along the banks of the Couze
5 international sculptors have created sculptures that can be seen on the Couze banks trail. Leaflet available from the tourist office.
Updated on 1 April 2026 by Office de Tourisme du Massif du Sancy