A charming locality at the heart of the Alagnon Valley, between Limagne and the Mounts of Cantal, Massiac is part of the "Villages Étapes" network of municipalities that offer passing visitors a wide range of shops and services in a pleasant setting.
A harmonious patchwork of vines and orchards surrounds the village, which is known for its local specialities: here you can enjoy escargot products, excellent farm cheeses, and above all the famous Massiac macarons, a delicious hazelnut-based speciality.
A reminder of bygone centuries, the historic centre is well worth a visit. Departing from the tourist office, there is a circuit for exploring the town: the old Espinchal Castle, rebuilt in the 17th century, where the town hall is now based, the Church of St. Andrew with a Flamboyant Neo-Gothic portal from the 19th century, containing old wooden statues, including a Shrine Madonna from the late 14th century and a Maestà from the 15th century.
In the heights of the town, from the site of the Chapel of St. Magdalene in Chalet (Sainte-Madeleine de Chalet), perched on its rocky overhang, you will have superb views of Massiac and the Alagnon Valley!
The Élise Rieuf Municipal Painting Museum, based in the former stables of the castle, pays tribute to three female painters, the leading lights of women's artistic liberation: Marguerite Jeanne Carpentier, a student of Rodin, and her students Charlotte Musson and Élise Rieuf, who was born in Massiac and produced around forty exceptional works of art on the theme of China.