grandin

A fairly short walk, which means you can combine it with a visit to the Murol Painters’ Museum and/or Murol Castle, both of which are on the route. The route offers superb views of Lake Chambon and the surrounding Sancy mountains. A very pleasant path through the woodland first takes you to the shores of Lake Chambon. You then climb up to the Tartaret for a beautiful panoramic view. The walk continues with a visit to the village of Murol and its church, decorated by Abbé Boudal, founder of the Murol School of Painters. Finally, you’ll pass by Murol Castle, which is open to visitors.

A hike mainly through woodland in the Forêt de la Comté, a Sensitive Natural Area. The route skirts two small peaks, the Puy des Gardelles and the Pic de Dimond, without reaching the summits as these are hidden beneath the trees and offer no views. You will pass through the village of Pignols, which boasts beautiful traditional houses, fountains and a very pretty wash house.

A circular walk through the vineyards and the stubble fields on the hills, passing by the rather unfortunate local Statue of Liberty. The second part of the walk follows an interpretive trail with information boards about the vineyard. The town centre can be visited at the end of the walk. Of particular note is the beautiful Saint-Symphorien Church in its old cemetery, set apart from the town centre.

Head up through the vineyards to enjoy a view of the village, its vineyards and the surrounding wooded hills before heading back down to explore the village, and perhaps visit the château – if not for its collections, then at least for the building itself.

From Santenay, the route climbs amongst the vineyards, passing through Haut Santenay and the Chapelle Saint-Jean, on the Montagne des Trois Croix. Its summit offers panoramic views of the vineyards and the surrounding countryside. You’ll then come across a dolmen before walking through the Bois Dessus.

A short walk through the vineyards starting from Pommard, taking you up to higher ground via the village of Volnay and offering views of the village and the vineyards stretching across the hillsides. Above the vineyard plots, the route winds through the stubble fields and woods covering the hills.

A short walk through the vineyards starting from Pommard, taking you up to a higher vantage point and offering views of the village and the vineyards stretching across the hillsides. Above the vineyard plots, the path winds through the stubble fields and woods covering the hills.

Why not visit the Hôtel-Dieu des Hospices de Beaune as part of a walk that allows you to discover other aspects of the old town? This route takes you past other monuments in the town, historic houses, parks, shopping streets and the old ramparts.

A short tour of the “Cité du Sacré-Cœur”, which remains a major centre of Catholicism to this day, including, of course, the unmissable visit to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and its cloister. The walk is rounded off with a short stroll through the town centre. Just enough to stretch your legs.

A walk to discover some of the highlights of the historic city centre, notably the Boulevard de la République, lined with beautiful late 19th-century buildings, and the tourist district around Saint-Vincent Cathedral. Starting in the south of the city centre, the route takes you across Île Saint-Laurent, between two branches of the Saône.

Some towns have a ‘symbolic’ animal: the lion in Belfort, an imposing statue; the frog in Salamanca, much harder to find… In Dijon, it’s an owl, which I suggest you try to find on this city centre walk. Here’s a clue: the bird is carved onto an ancient monument. The legend goes: place your left hand on the owl and your right hand on your heart, make a wish, and it will come true. But first, you’ve got to find the animal…

A circular route through the vineyards, then, after passing through Auxey-Duresses, a route through the woods where you’ll come across a beautiful lime tree. On both the outward and return journeys, you’ll walk through the streets of Meursault.

A short walk to explore this little village south of Beaune, set apart from the vineyards and crossed by the River Bouzaize. The route takes you through woodland and then across fields before passing through the village and following the little river.

A circular loop on the Montagne de Beaune, through the forest covering this small peak and then along a balcony path overlooking the vineyards. You’ll pass the monumental statue of Notre-Dame de la Libération and a monument in memory of the winegrowers and stonemasons.

This circular route takes you up through the vineyard plots (Beaune ‘climats’) to the woods covering the higher ground of the vineyard. The route passes a viewpoint overlooking the Ruisseau de la Combe valley.

An artistic tour of Vassivière Island along a path lined with numerous works from the International Centre for Art and Landscape. The route also takes you through the heart of the island, where you’ll find the museum, the old castle, a bread oven and a shop selling local crafts.

A short walk that takes you up to a slight elevation as you pass through the hamlet of Auchaise, with its traditional houses, before descending to the lakeside, crossing its two embankments, and then heading down to the foot of the dam on the Maulde.

A walk that begins along the shores of Lake Vassivière before heading up into the hills, passing the summit of the Petit Puy de la Besse, which offers panoramic views of the wooded hills surrounding the lake. Part of the route follows the Chemin des Poètes, dotted with carved stones.

A very beautiful walk combining three circular loops and offering a wide variety of landscapes: gorges and rocky outcrops along the Rigole du Diable, followed by peat bogs, superb heather moors, wet meadows, and undergrowth of fir or deciduous trees of various species.

A walk through a small town in the Creuse,the cradle of tapestry-making, a town of diamond cutters, and the gateway to the Millevaches Regional Nature Park in Limousin. Old houses and numerous wells dot the route, which takes you round the town centre, as well as the diamond-cutting district and the Faubourg de Beaumont.

A slightly challenging urban walk (though with easier alternatives) to explore the Creuse region’s tapestry capital, a town with numerous turrets nestled amongst the meandering banks of the Creuse. This route takes you not only through the streets of the historic centre, but also up to the higher parts of the town, which offer stunning views over the rooftops of the old town, the valleys of the Creuse and the Beauze, and the wooded hills that surround it.

A walk on the Millevaches Plateau, mainly through woodland, passing through the pretty hamlet of Masgrangeas. After a circular route through the Bois de la Roche, the route continues with a circular route around the Chassagnas Peninsula, along Lake Vassivière, then a walk around the small Île de Vauveix.

A forest walk along the Gorges de la Vienne and on the hillsides above the river, starting from Bussy Varache. Few viewpoints, as the gorges are currently very wooded (2026). The Vienne is visible thanks to a round trip that branches off the main route.

A walk through a formerly prosperous town on the Plateau de Millevaches, the former capital of the Limousin tanning industry, built on the banks of the Vienne, but which is sadly slowly falling into ruin. It boasts many beautiful old houses, many of which are no longer maintained.

A walk starting from Lake Vassivière offering a variety of landscapes: the lake shore, heathland with heather or ferns, mixed woodland, pastures with Limousin cattle, peat bogs, and numerous ponds.

A pleasant walk on the Puy de la Croix, which overlooks Lake Vassivière, along beautiful paths through heathland covered in heather and gorse (which flower in late summer), passing by the Puy de la Croix viewpoint and then along the lake’s shore.

A pleasant walk along a well-maintained path through a wet meadow, then through the woods. The Source de la Creuse, which has not been specially developed, has retained its natural state. It is an interpretive trail with a few information boards.

A mainly woodland walk circling the Puy de Dôme, starting from Montrodeix, a hamlet of Orcines. The route passes through beautiful beech woods and the mountain pastures at the foot of the Puys, offering some lovely views of the Puy de Dôme and its neighbouring peaks.

On 19 September 1648, Blaise Pascal stood before his Torricelli tube in the Jardin des Minimes – now Place de Jaude – in Clairmont (Clermont). His brother-in-law, Florin Périer, had set off earlier with his own Torricelli tube for the summit of the Puy de Dôme. Over the course of the day, 17 experiments were carried out to measure the level of mercury in the tubes, which had been placed at different altitudes; these experiments would go on to confirm the hypothesis of the ‘weight of the mass of air’, which would later become known as atmospheric pressure. At both locations, once filled to the brim, the tube was turned upside down so that its open base was in contact with the mercury contained in a vessel. Due to its weight, the liquid inside the tube sank under the force of gravity. In Clermont, the mercury remained at a height of 71.2 cm. At the summit of the Puy de Dôme, it dropped to 62.70 cm. This difference of a few centimetres is the result of a height difference of 1,078 metres, which I invite you to appreciate for what it is.

On 19 September 1648, Blaise Pascal stood before his Torricelli tube in the Jardin des Minimes – now Place de Jaude – in Clairmont (Clermont). His brother-in-law, Florin Périer, had set off earlier with his own Torricelli tube for the summit of the Puy de Dôme. Over the course of the day, 17 experiments were carried out to measure the mercury level in the tubes, which had been placed at different altitudes; these experiments would go on to confirm the hypothesis of the “weight of the air”, which would later become known as atmospheric pressure. At both locations, once filled to the brim, the tube was turned upside down so that its open base was in contact with the mercury contained in a vessel. Due to its weight, the liquid inside the tube dropped under the effect of gravity. In Clermont, the mercury remains at a height of 71.2 cm. At the summit of the Puy de Dôme, it drops to 62.70 cm. This difference of a few centimetres is the result of a height difference of 1,078 metres, which I invite you to appreciate for what it is.

How do you cover a bit over 1,500 metres of elevation gain in the Chaîne des Puys, which, to true mountaineers, are nothing more than hills? By walking just over 30 km from the Louchadière hikers’ car park to the Col de Ceyssat, passing via the summits of eight puys: Louchadière, Jume, Coquille, Gouttes, Goules, Pariou, Cliersou and Dôme. This is therefore a one-way hike, requiring you to leave a vehicle at the Col de Ceyssat before returning to the starting car park. The route is challenging due to its length and elevation gain, but presents no technical difficulties. Some sections on unmarked forest paths require the use of the Visorando app. It would be unwise to get lost over such a long distance.

A walk taking you from the Col de la Croix Morand to Pessade via the GR®4, offering, once past the Col du Baladou, beautiful views of the Chaîne des Puys and the Limagne. After a stretch through the forest, the route rejoins the GR®4 with the Puy de la Tache in sight and views of the hills and the Mont Dore valley.

A walk starting from Mareuge, a hamlet with old houses, fountains and a wash house. The first section is through woodland, the second through the pastures of Saignes. There are a few views to the south over the Sancy massif and the Fredet valley.

A walk starting from Mareuge on the slopes of the upper Monne valley, which rises from the flanks of the Puy de Baladou. The route begins on the plateau, offering views of the Sancy and Dômes mountain ranges, before entering the forest where views are still possible from numerous clearings.

Starting from Volvic, this walk first takes you through the Cheire de Bruvaleix forest before climbing to the heights, which offer unobstructed views of the Chaîne des Puys. You’ll pass by Tournoël Castle and the foot of Notre-Dame de la Garde.

A walk starting from Aurières, along wide paths through the meadows of the Plateau des Dômes, leading to two short circular loops. The first is on the Puy de Rodde. Recent forestry work has left tracks here which are now being used for walking. A woodland loop with some lovely views of the surrounding area. The walk continues with a second circular loop on the Puy de la Combegrasse, which offers beautiful, unobstructed views of all the surrounding mountain ranges, which you can identify using two orientation boards.

A walk to discover a beautiful fountain, the Pen ar C’hra Fountain, followed by the village and the parish enclosure of St John the Baptist’s Church, with its Renaissance-style fountain, Feunten ar Bis, and its Oratory of the Coronation.

A circular walk starting from Saint-Efflam, initially through the countryside, dotted with fountains and a few pretty houses, before reaching the Douron estuary and continuing along the coastal path beside the Douron cove, then along the Pointe de l’Armorique cliff-top path, between the headlands of Plestin and Beg Douar. You’ll pass by the ancient Roman baths at Hogolo and have the option of heading down to some small beaches.

The Grand Rocher towers 84 m above the Lieue de Grève and offers stunning views in all directions. You’ll climb to the top during this walk, which also takes you along the beach and through the countryside, past beautiful country houses and the Saint-Efflam Fountain.

Mathurine was a young girl who spent her holidays in Locquénolé in 1925, regularly sending postcards to her parents depicting various places in the village, accompanied by a short story. The village has devised this short walk taking in the sites shown on these postcards. It is marked by information boards. You’ll discover a beautiful church, a wash house and some remarkable trees.

The Carantec headland, between the estuaries of the Penzé and the Rivière de Morlaix, extends to Île Callot. This walk, which should be started at low tide and when the tidal range is low, takes you around the whole island before following the north coast of Carantec, from beach to beach. At the end of the route, you can also explore the Claude-Goude Arboretum Park.

The walk starts from the peaceful ‘Panorama’ viewpoint in Candes, offering the chance to explore the two very popular tourist villages of Candes-Saint-Martin (Indre-et-Loire) and Montsoreau (Maine-et-Loire), passing through the vineyards on the hillsides before descending to the banks of the Loire, then strolling through the narrow streets lined with tuffeau stone houses. The route takes you past the Château de Montsoreau, dear to A. Dumas, and the Romanesque collegiate church of Saint-Martin in Candes.

A walk to discover Morlaix. Along this route, you’ll find a few churches and chapels, including the beautiful Saint-Mélaine Church, some stunning murals, the viaduct, a lovely wash house and a few fountains, numerous medieval half-timbered houses, picturesque narrow streets, alleyways and stairways (which involve quite a bit of climbing), the former tobacco factory, the former monastic quarters on the town’s hillside, but also plenty of car parks and traffic – even right in the town centre – and the regrettable absence of the River Morlaix, which has been covered over by a car park upstream of the harbour.

A walk to discover the beautiful Saint-Agapit Church in Plouégat-Guérand, with its rich collection of polychrome sculptures, as well as a pretty fountain. The main street, Place du Bourg, is lined with traditional village houses.

To walk around the Pointe de Locquirec, this route begins with a stretch through the countryside, past fields of artichokes and cereals, and through hamlets, before reaching the coast at the Douron estuary. It then follows the GR®34 coastal path, passing through the centre of Locquirec. You can enjoy Moulin de la Rive Beach on your return from the walk.

A hike mainly through the countryside along the Donan Valley, passing several fountains, the Saint-Mélar Chapel, the remarkable parish enclosure at Saint-Jean-du-Doigt, and a number of oratories. At the end of the route, a return trip along the coastal path offers a view of the sea. The starting point, near the beach, allows you to enjoy the beach at the end of the hike.

Starting from the village of Pont Menou, follow the River Douron to its estuary between the headlands of Locquirec and l’Armorique. After enjoying a few views of the open sea, you’ll return via the higher ground of the valley. The route passes through numerous hamlets, some with beautiful houses, chapels and fountains, as well as ancient Roman baths. You’ll also enjoy stunning views of the Tour d’Argent and Île Blanche manor houses.

This walk was created for guests at the Ferme de Croaz Men (Croaz Men on maps). However, part of the route described here, which bypasses the farm, is accessible to everyone starting from Garlan. It is a short circular route that takes you past a wash house, a few pretty houses with their hydrangeas, and crosses the River Dourduff. Guests at Croas Men, see this link.

A walk through a pretty, typical village in the Cher Valley, with its tuffeau stone houses, some of which are half-timbered. The village is dominated by its imposing castle, whose courtyard and terraces offer beautiful views over the valley and the village rooftops. At its foot, the Romanesque collegiate church features remarkable capitals, wall frescoes and a large crypt.

An ideal forest walk for hot days, circling Puy de Côme via the Bacs de Ceyssat, watering holes once used by the sheep that used to graze here. In season, you’ll find raspberries, columbines, gentians, martagon lilies...