Former quarry at Puy de l'Espinasse

Access to the car park: from the D943, between Volvic and Pontgibaud, take the D576 south towards Beauregard; follow this small road for about 600 m to find a small car park (starting point for walks to the Puys de Jume, Coquille and Louchadière). Look out for two information boards on the south side of the car park detailing walks to the Puys de Jume/Coquille and Louchadière.

(S/E) Climb the few steps (^PR®® marked in yellow and green) just behind these signs for a view of the Puys de Chopine, de Dôme and de Côme, then follow the path down to a wide track.

Off the marked trail

Ignore the directions indicated on a signpost and turn right to reach the southern end of the car park. Then turn left and follow the road for about ten metres, then turn onto a path on the right. Further on, it becomes tarmac and leads to a junction with a path.

(1) Look out for the “Bruge Grellière” signpost, which is marked at 779 m (but corresponds to the 884 m elevation on the IGN map). Follow the path to the right for about a hundred metres, then turn left onto a grassy path. At the next T-junction, follow the path through the woodland to the left, which leads, a hundred metres further on, to a wide stony path. Follow it to the right and arrive at a crossroads with four paths

^GR®® red and white markings

(2) Turn right onto a small road, following the^GR®® 441. Further on, the road becomes a track. Continue straight on at each junction. You will reach a crossroads of small roads and tracks, at the “Le Bouchet” signpost at the entrance to the village of the same name.

(3) Continue straight on along the small road towards Le Variat. You will come to another road at the unmarked signpost at 882 m. Follow the road to the right towards Ceyssat. After about a hundred metres, turn left onto a grassy track. Continue straight on at every junction. Note a memorial cross on the left-hand side of the track. Shortly afterwards, just before reaching the D943, a grassy path branches off to the left, running alongside some houses.

(4) Follow this track, which leads onto the D943. Cross the road carefully and continue along the track opposite, Chemin des Bois. Go straight on at every junction.

(5) Note, on the left, at the edge of the path, sections of carved tree trunks. You will reach a junction with a wide path, at a sign indicating a level crossing on the left. Continue to the right.

(6) At a fork in the path, keep to the left. At the next T-junction, follow the wide path to the right. Go straight on at every junction. At a path junction on the right, you will notice another carved tree stump on the right. You can follow this path to visit the beautiful Puy de Tressous artists’ forest. Allow a good hour to visit the entire site. You will reach a junction with a path that branches off to the left in a hairpin bend, marked with^GR®® signposts^.

Off the marked trail

Leaving the^GR®® behind, continue straight on for a few metres.

(7) Turn onto a path on the left for a return trip to the site of the old Puy de l’Espinasse quarry. Please note: this is a sensitive natural site with no access restrictions, but it is difficult to make your way through the vegetation; do not trample the vegetation, do not climb the pozzolan walls, and be mindful of the wildlife. Retrace your steps.

(7) Head left. At the fork shortly afterwards, go left to begin a somewhat steep descent. You’ll reach a junction marked by a small yellow^PR®® sign. Turn right and, at the next two junctions, keep to the right, ignoring the yellow markings. Look out for a beautiful beech tree, set back slightly, on the right. Look out for a path branching off to the right at a post bearing a brown MTB sign no. 13.

(8) Take this path, which is little used and therefore, in places, a bit overgrown and blocked by a few low branches (but no difficulty getting through).

(9) Cross a track and continue along the grassy path opposite. You will come out onto the D943.

Yellow markings

(10) Cross with care and, on the other side, look out for the yellow markings indicating you should continue to the right along this sufficiently wide verge of the road. This isn’t the most pleasant part of the route, but it only lasts for about 200 m; take care. Turn onto the first path on the left, passing between large stones to reach the edge of a fence marking the boundary of an old quarry (information sign missing), already well overgrown with vegetation. Turn right towards another sign (badly damaged, set amongst the flowers in the clearing), continue passing between large stones once more, then turn left at the crossroads.

Immediately after, ignore a path on the left at an information sign about a small area of reforestation carried out in 2004. Continue along this wide path, ignoring all the branches on the left that climb towards the summit of Puy de Louchadière, until you reach a junction with a path branching off to the right.

(11) Turn right and, further on, ignore a path branching off to the right. Further on still, ignore a path on the left, which is a shortcut; immediately afterwards, ignore a path on the right, then note another path on the left that branches off sharply.

(12) Turn left onto this grassy path and, shortly afterwards, ignore the shortcut mentioned above, which comes in from the left. You will reach a T-junction with a dirt track; follow this to the right to join a road (D576). Turn left and, after about 200 m, you will reach the car park (S/E).

Hike of moderate difficulty, leaning towards easy, requiring standard hiking equipment.

(7) Former Espinasse quarry. Please note: This is a sensitive natural site with no access restrictions, but it is not easy to make your way through the vegetation. In order to protect this site and to be able to continue visiting it freely, please respect the area: do not trample the vegetation, do not climb the pozzolan walls, which is strongly discouraged for safety reasons anyway, and remain discreet around the wildlife.

The^first part of the hike (S) to (4) is on wide paths, exposed to the heat, then almost always in the undergrowth.

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here

Photo album here

Plenty of raspberries along the entire route in early July.

(3) It is possible to take a detour to the left to pass through the small village of Le Bouchet: traditional houses, working bread oven, cross. On the other side of the village, take the^GR®®441eastwards to rejoin the route, being careful not to follow the^GR®®4westwards.

(7) The old pozzolan quarry offers a glimpse of the different aspects of volcanic rock. It is also interesting to observe the vegetation that colonises these bare rocks, now as in the aftermath of volcanic explosions. Among the trees, birches are the pioneers on this terrain, stabilising the soil to allow other species, particularly beech trees, to take root.