Etape 30 Roffiac Valuéjols

A walk that allows you to explore the old town of Saint-Flour, perched on its volcanic rocky outcrop, which forms a natural rampart.

This is the first of three stages of the Saint-Flour Planèze tour. It is the longest stage, passing through several small villages typical of the Planèze with their bread ovens, which provide welcome shelter for a short break in rainy weather. The very quiet paths and small roads run alongside meadows grazed by numerous herds of cattle in season.

Starting from Saint-Flour, this tour of the northern part of the Planèze de Saint-Flour allows you to appreciate the diversity of the landscapes of this high basalt plateau in just three days of walking. The stages in Paulhac and Valuéjols offer accommodation in stopover lodges. The route follows part of a variant of the GR® de Pays de Saint-Flour and part of the GR®4.

Passing through Auvergne? Take the opportunity to enjoy a pleasant break in Saint-Flour. From the banks of the Anver, climb up to discover the upper town via the Chemin des Chèvres and don't forget to stock up on cheese!

Third and final stage of the Planèze tour. Entirely on the GR®4. This stage crosses varied environments and allows you to discover some very interesting, albeit little-known, sites. In particular, the route runs alongside the Narse de Nouvialle (a remarkable wetland) and passes close to the Château du Sailhant and the Babory waterfall.

This is a route that captures the mountain atmosphere of the Haute Planèze – the land of burons and summer pastures – starting from Saint-Maurice, a hamlet of Valuéjols, and leading to one of the few wooded areas in the Planèze. The route follows signposted sections (local PR® and GRP® trails) along tracks suitable for vehicles, which link the hamlets and farms scattered across the area. The Bois des Fraux, meanwhile, is maintained by foresters who have cleared tracks there for walking or cross-country skiing, provided there is still snow in winter.

The ‘Grande Randonnée’ trail in the Pays de Saint-Flour allows you to walk several circular routes around the capital of the Planèze and Margeride regions and passes through the village of Paulhac. The circular route crosses the Narse de Lascols from south to north, starting from Cussac, passing the Puy de Mercou, and heading back up towards the Bois des Fraux via the mountain pastures. The route described below is inspired by this, offering a wonderful exploration of the Planèze de Saint-Flour by combining the GR® de Pays and PR® trails around Paulhac.