Le Puy's oldest chapel (first established in the 10th century, and rebuilt several times since) teeters atop an 85m-high volcanic plug reached by climbing 268 stairs. Stepping through its exquisite polychrome doorway into the cavelike interior is a mystical experience – the chapel follows the natural contours of the rock, and the unusual carvings and 12th-century frescos create an otherworldly atmosphere.
