Araules is a town in the Haute-Loire region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, 28 km east of Puy-en-Velay.
The municipal area of 31 km² is part of the natural and historic region of Velay, in the eastern Massif Central, dotted with ancient volcanoes.
Having paid a heavy price for the rural exodus, now with nearly 620 inhabitants against more than 2000 in the early twentieth century, Araules consists of a town and several hamlets including the two largest, and Recharinges Montbuzat.
A medium mountain area (the highest point is the peak of Lizieux to 1388 m), has Araules from the tenth century a castrum a castle in Bonas, southeast of the country, destroyed during the Wars of Religion (number of Protestants of the Rhone valley had settled in the area).
The agricultural activity remains there (Gérentes dairy / farm Traditions of GAEC) and artisanal (sawmills), the village has been famous until the late twentieth century for its shoemakers working the pine wood.
Its landscape and environment are the first heritage of the locality, where green tourism enthusiasts find plenty of opportunities for hiking.
