Alagnon (rivière) walks

An extraordinary ridge route allowing you to visit three peaks and enjoy a splendid panoramic view of the entire Cantalian puys for much of the route.

A short hike but with a steep climb through the woods, the Roche Percée site is well worth a visit.

Fond d'Alagnon will be the starting point for your hike. Follow the ridge towards Puy Griou, passing by Bec de l'Aigle and Téton de Vénus. Along the way, you will enjoy numerous views of Plomb Cantal, Puy Mary, Peyre Arse and many other peaks.

This beautiful route, starting from the Col de Font de Cère, crosses the pastures of the Cantal, passing successively through the Col de Rombière and the Puy de Peyre Arse, ending at the Puy Mary, the second highest peak in the Cantal, via the iconic Brèche de Rolland, a slightly technical passage. Those who are prone to vertigo should take care on this section. Throughout this hike, the 360° panoramic views allow you to admire the beautiful mountainous countryside of the Monts du Cantal.

A hike to discover the site of Chadecol, inhabited 10,000 years ago by the first farmers and herders. A walk to admire the basalt columns of Chadecol, the Allagnon valley and the village of Blesle.

Walk in the hills above Murat. Beautiful views over the Alagnon and Benet valleys. Beautiful old houses in the village of Bredons and the remarkable site of Bredons Church, an 11th-century Cluniac site.

The tour of the Font d'Alagnon cirque, passing by two peaks, is the programme for this walk above the small resort of Le Lioran, which offers beautiful panoramic views of the Cantal volcanic massif.

A relaxing walk through the heart of the forest, following a path that runs alongside the Alagnon, dotted with amusing sculptures. Next, a visit to the Buron de Belles Aigues mountain pastures (Maison du Buronnier), which can be visited, is a must.

A short walk above the Font d’Alagnon valley, in the family-friendly resort of Lioran-Laveissière. Beautiful views on either side of the Col de Rombière, and the more adventurous can climb Puy Griou. At the end of summer, you can even pick a few blueberries on the sunny slopes.

A physically demanding route halfway down the descent into the valley, offering magnificent views of the Alagnon Valley and Léotoing Castle.

To the north-east of the Cantal volcano, Massiac lies in a small basin formed by the Alagnon and its two tributaries: the Alagnonette and the Arcueil. From the top of the Plateau de Chalet, a basalt plateau, one of many left by volcanic flows in the landscape, there is a beautiful view over the valley.

My favourite walk in Massiac. Starting from the centre of Massiac, this route allows you, after 400 m, to walk through countryside with no roads, no houses and no fences. On the ascent, it follows the old royal, then imperial, road from Paris to Perpignan as far as the Baraque d’Oudeyre, a ruined former coaching inn. On the descent, it returns along the ridge through heathland and woods of pine and oak trees.

We set off at a leisurely pace for this short stroll around the little village of Laveissière, in the Alagnon valley, as our original aim was to pick blackberries. We did just that, but this little route was well worth sharing as it’s full of lovely things to see.

Landscapes on the edge of the Lembron valley and at the start of the Allagnon Gorges, a landscape of plateaus and plains in the Limagne region, punctuated by the villages of Lempdes and Moriat.

Visit the town of Massiac and the surrounding high plateaus

This varied walk illustrates the link between coal mining and its transport on the ‘sapinières’ (timber-tracked wagons) that travelled as far as Paris.

First stage ofthe GR® 400 walking clockwise (the official guidebook follows the opposite direction). The landscape gradually takes on its typical Cantalian character, particularly in the Cirque de Chamalière and, of course, beneath the Plomb du Cantal at Prat de Bouc.

A major stage, set against a breathtaking landscape, with sweeping views in all directions. A long ridge walk starting from Puy Mary.

To stay largely off the marked and well-trodden paths, the route to the summit starts from a fairly low point, following the very gentle ridge south of the Alagnon. This hike requires a good sense of direction due to the lack of signposting and sections through ‘summer pastures’ without a defined path; a GPS is a great help. The return journey along the lower section follows a fairly long stretch of road, though it is very pleasant and has very little traffic.

This 8-day route covers the entireGR®®400, in a clockwise direction (the FFRP guidebook describes it in the opposite direction).

Tour of the Cantal in seven stages: Murat [Laveissiere] - Meije Costes - Le Falgoux - Le Fau - Mandailles - Le Lioran - Prat de Bouc - Murat [Laveissiere] Very beautiful stages between the Cère, Jordanne and Alagnon valleys. Between the ridges offering unforgettable views (360° panoramas), the ascent of the puys adding a touch of "mountain" to the experience, the summer pastures dotted with flower-filled meadows and encounters with both the flora and fauna and the people who live in this corner of the Cantal and are happy to share their territory.

Although far less well-known than the Plomb du Cantal, the Puy Mary or the Puy Griou, the Puy de Peyre Arse is nonetheless the second-highest peak in the massif. Nor is it the easiest to reach. From the Font d’Alagnon, you must first head up towards the Col de Rombière, then go round the Puy Bataillouse to reach the Col de Cabre. It is from the latter that the ascent begins, first following the south-eastern ridge, then scrambling as best you can up the final few metres leading to the summit. The return route follows the opposite ridge to a small pass where you rejoin the GR®4, leading back to the Col de Rombière. After this, head towards the Col de Font de Cère for a change of scenery.

This walk takes in two iconic sites in the Alagnon Valley: the ruined Château d'Aurouze and its beautiful view over the valley, followed by the vineyard terraces (known in our valley as "Palhàs") of Molompize.

Stage 7 of our Tour du Cantal. This is the final stage of the Tour du Cantal, with another change to the GR®400 route: instead of returning to Murat, we head back to Laveissière (where we left our vehicle, see episode 1). Most of this stage is in the shade, but the descent brings the heat..