Saint-Étienne-de-Chomeil


Saint-Étienne-de-Chomeil is a commune in the Cantal department in south-central France. It belongs to the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne.

Geography

The river Rhue forms all of the commune's northern border.

Population

Sites of interest

Dedicated to Saint-Étienne — French for Saint Stephen — this church takes elements from both Roman and Gothic architectures. Built during the 11th and 12th centuries, it is a Monument Historique since 1993.
One of its most characteristic features is its south-west capital, supporting a and two faces, one of which — the right one on the picture below — features an enormous tongue.
Saint-Étienne's castle was built during the 14th century, then heavily modified from the 17th century onwards.
Witness of the volcanic history of the department, the Rocher d'Urlande is now a renowned rock-climbing site.