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, drive about 600 m along this small road to find a small car park (starting point for hikes to the Puys de Jume, Coquille and Louchadière). On the south side of the car park, you will see two information boards about the hikes 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 Chopine, Dôme and Côme puys, then follow the path downhill 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 an intersection with a path.

(1) There is a signpost marked "Bruge Grellière" which is listed at 779 m (but corresponds to elevation 884 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 to the left through the undergrowth, which leads to a wide stony path a hundred metres further on. Follow it to the right and you will come to 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 path. Continue straight ahead at each intersection. You will arrive at a crossroads of small roads and paths, at the "Le Bouchet" sign at the entrance to the village of the same name.

(3) Continue straight ahead on the small road towards Le Variat. You will come to another road at the unnamed signpost marked 882 m. Follow the road to the right towards Ceyssat. After about 100 metres, turn left onto a grassy path. Continue straight ahead at each intersection. Note the memorial cross on the left side of the path. Shortly afterwards, just before reaching the D943, a grassy path branches off to the left, alongside some houses.

(4) Follow this path, which leads to the D943. Cross the road carefully and continue along the path opposite, Chemin des Bois. Go straight ahead at each intersection.

(5) Notice the carved tree trunk sections on the left, at the edge of the path. You will come to an intersection with a wide path, at a sign indicating a level crossing on the left. Continue to the right.

(6) At a fork in the road, keep left. At the next T-junction, follow the wide path to the right. Go straight ahead at each junction. At a path leading off to the right, note another carved tree stump, set back slightly on the right. You will come to a junction with a path leading off to the left in a hairpin bend, marked^{with GR®®} signage^.

Off the trail

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

(7) Turn onto a path on the left for a round trip to the site of the old Puy de l'Espinasse quarry. Please note that this is a sensitive natural site with no access restrictions, but it is difficult to make your way through the vegetation. Do not trample on the vegetation, do not climb the pozzolan walls, and remain discreet with regard to the wildlife. Retrace your steps.

(7) Turn left. At the fork that appears shortly afterwards, go left to begin a slightly steep descent. You will arrive at an intersection with a small yellow^PR®® sign. Turn right and, at the next two intersections, stay on the right without paying attention to the yellow markings. Notice a beautiful beech tree, slightly set back, on the right. Look carefully for a path branching off to the right at a post bearing a brown mountain bike sign marked 13.

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

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

Yellow markings

(10) Cross carefully and, on the other side, note the yellow markings inviting you to continue to the right on this sufficiently wide shoulder of the road. This is not the most pleasant part of the route, but it only lasts about 200 metres, so take care. Turn onto the first path on the left, pass between large rocks to reach the edge of a fence marking the boundary of an old quarry (information sign missing), already well covered by vegetation. Turn right towards another sign (well damaged, on the flowers in the clearing), continue passing between large rocks again, then turn left at the intersection of paths.

Immediately afterwards, ignore a path on the left at an information sign about a small reforestation area created in 2004. Continue along this wide path, ignoring all the paths on the left that climb towards the summit of Puy de Louchadière, until you reach an intersection with a path leading off to the right.

(11) Turn right and, further on, ignore a path branching off to the right. Further on, ignore a path on the left, which is a shortcut, then ignore a path on the right just after that and look out for 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 from the left. You will come to a T-junction with a dirt track. Follow this track to the right to reach a road (D576). Turn left and, after about 200 m, you will return to 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.