Le Lioran in figures
Le Lioran stands out among ski resorts thanks to its exceptional location on the slopes of the Plomb du Cantal (1,855 m), the highest extinct volcanoes in the Cantal region and the second highest peak in the Massif Central. Nestled in the heart of a fir forest, it lies within the picturesque setting of the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Natural Park.
A leading ski destination in the Massif Central, Le Lioran offers a vast ski area of 150 hectares, extending from 1,160 m to 1,850 m in altitude. With 44 runs totalling 60 km of slopes, skiers of all levels can enjoy the slopes that descend to the Plomb du Cantal and the surrounding mountain passes.
The resort caters to all levels, with 10 green runs, 14 blue runs, 15 red runs, and 5 black runs, served by 22 ski lifts, including chairlifts, drag lifts, and a cable car that can accommodate up to 80 people, which transports skiers to the summit of Plomb du Cantal. To guarantee optimal skiing conditions, Le Lioran uses numerous snow cannons to maintain consistent snow cover on the main and green runs throughout the season.
In addition to skiing, the resort offers various activities, such as snowmobiling, sledging, snowshoeing, dog sledging, downhill karting, and an ice rink. Le Lioran stands out for its accessibility: it is the only ski resort in Europe directly accessible by train! The ski season generally runs from mid-December to early April, subject to variations depending on snow conditions.
Le Lioran road tunnel
The historic village of Le Lioran lies at the foot of Royal Route 126, built in 1789 to connect Montauban to Saint-Flour via the Fond de Cère Pass, thus replacing the old Via Celtica.
However, Route 126 was often blocked by snow from October to May and was a favourite haunt of bandits and wolves. To remedy these problems, a road tunnel was built in 1847, the first in France and the longest in the world at 1,414 metres, allowing year-round access to Le Lioran.
The village experienced significant growth in the 1860s with the construction of a railway tunnel and station, attracting affluent tourists seeking fresh mountain air.
This development encouraged the construction of quality accommodations, such as the Hôtel Daude in 1896 and the Hôtel de la Compagnie d’Orléans in 1898 (demolished in 2010).
Le Lioran, best equipped ski resort in the Massif Central
Skiing arrived in Auvergne at the beginning of the 20th century, with the first skiers discovering Le Lioran in 1906, making it the region’s pioneering resort. The rise of skiing had a positive impact on the local economy, fostering the artisanal production of wooden skis.
At its creation in 1908, and with the support of the Touring Club and the Compagnie d’Orléans, the Lioran Ski Club already boasted around one hundred members. The early years were marked by the organisation of various competitions in 1910 and 1911.
Despite an interruption during the two World Wars, the resort’s development resumed in 1947. Le Lioran consolidated its status as the best-equipped ski resort in the Massif Central with the construction of its first two ski lifts in 1947.
Development continued some twenty years later, driven by the President of the Regional Council, culminating in the construction of three new ski lifts in 1965, including the now-iconic La Gare station. However, the resort’s significant growth occurred with the inauguration of the 8-seater Plomb du Cantal cable car in 1967, in the presence of the Prime Minister at the time, George Pompidou, a native of the Cantal region. Pompidou’s unwavering commitment to the resort’s development allowed Le Lioran to expand continuously, eventually becoming the premier ski destination in the Massif Central.
Managed by SAEM Super Lioran Développement since 2006, with the Cantal General Council as its main shareholder, Le Lioran offers a unique opportunity to ski on the slopes of an extinct volcano, an adventure not to be missed!
Department of Cantal
Coordinates: Lat 45.082005- Long 2.748866
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Header by Cdupuy5 CC BY-SA 4.0 – Red piste Plomb du Cantal and by Cantalissime CC BY-SA 3.0 – Super Lioran Pistes Remberterg and Familiale by Monster1000 CC BY-SA 3.0 – Telepherique Plomb du Cantal by Laurent Berne CC BY-SA 3.0
