Around Saint-Martin-Valmeroux

If you love hiking but don’t have four hours to spare, this walk is the perfect compromise! Head up into the hills and explore Saint-Martin-Valmeroux by following the local footpaths. You can enjoy beautiful views of the valley and discover the region’s landscapes at your own pace. A lovely opportunity to take a peaceful stroll, with family or on your own, and savour the natural, tranquil atmosphere of the area. It’s a lovely route that combines peace and nature, with a few technical sections only in the first part, but ideal for hiking enthusiasts

Details

69714878
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.88 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 156 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 156 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 796 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 640 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park near the Post Office. There are several car parks available in the area.

(S/E) Then take the small path known as Sous les Jardins, located after the hairdresser’s. Then turn right onto Rue des Gantiers and, opposite the bakery, turn left. Continue straight ahead, turn right onto Barri Nègre, before joining a stony path by turning left onto Barri de Vézou. Cut across Impasse Roc d’Auzières, go straight on to go round the cemetery on the left and start the climb. 

(1) Continue to the right: you will need to open several gates to prevent animals from escaping; don’t forget to close them behind you. At the next junction, continue along the path to the right and keep heading in the same direction. You will reach a crossroads: signposted “Salles”.

(2) Head straight towards the hamlet and join the D37. 

(3) Cross it carefully, then head straight on, leaving the hamlet of Salles on your left. Cross the bridge over the Maronne. 

(4) Once you’ve crossed the bridge, turn right and follow the Maronne at a distance before veering off to the left: enjoy the scenery. You’ll reach the tarmac road at the small road leading to Laquairie. 

(5) Head down this road to the right to make your way back to Saint-Martin-Valmeroux. You’ll come out onto the RD922 (Rue du Foirail) and turn right to return to where you parked (S/E). 

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 640 m - La Poste car park
  2. 1 : km 0.8 - alt. 770 m - Crossroads
  3. 2 : km 1.77 - alt. 757 m - Crossroads, towards Salles
  4. 3 : km 2 - alt. 716 m - D37
  5. 4 : km 2.35 - alt. 704 m - Turn right
  6. 5 : km 3.49 - alt. 697 m - Road, on the right
  7. S/E : km 3.88 - alt. 640 m - La Poste car park

Notes

The path may present difficulties in some places, mainly due to brambles that sometimes overgrow the route. After heavy rain, some areas may be slippery, making progress more difficult. Depending on the season, it may be useful to bring a walking stick to push aside the brambles and make walking easier.

This walk is suitable for children, but care should be taken, particularly between points (1) and (2), where some sections can be steep and rugged. It is advisable to keep a close eye on younger children, especially in these sections where the slope can make it difficult to keep one’s balance.

(2) If you wish to take a shortcut, you can take the road on the right leading directly toSaint-Martin-Valmeroux.

Reviews and comments

5 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
christine wilhelm
christine wilhelm

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 16, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The previous comments give a good idea of what this short walk is like.

Machine-translated

Krysbald
Krysbald
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 01, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We were luckier than HautBerry: thanks, among other things, to the Virades de l'Espoir, which has recently been using this walking trail, it is now perfectly maintained... ...and marked with green signposts.
We’re certainly not here amidst the spectacular landscapes of the Cantal, and yet we absolutely LOVED this charming hike: the unobstructed view over the meandering Maronne, over Puy Violent and its neighbouring peaks still partly snow-capped (at the time we did it), over the village of Saint-Martin below...
A very, very lovely walk...
As for family-friendliness: whilst this walk certainly isn’t particularly difficult, we don’t think it’s the sort of stroll you’d take on a Sunday afternoon with grandad, granny and the whole gang... unless the members of your little family are a bit more than just casual walkers: despite the minimal elevation gain, it’s a proper climb from the Roc d’Auzières cul-de-sac to point 1.
As for the barriers, no need to worry, they’re very well designed, a bit like a saloon door: no trouble there.
As for the children, to echo HautBerry’s reservations and mickeyhead’s warnings: between point 1 and point 2, on the hillside path, do of course ensure they don’t push one another; and from point 2 to point 3, if they’re boisterous, a nasty fall down the slope—which is indeed very narrow on this stretch—could happen, even though the drop-off there isn’t very high and is covered in vegetation. By comparison, this walk does not seem any less suitable for children than the Côte de Granit Rose (I’m originally from Brittany), where many let their children clamber happily over the rocks and where the danger is nevertheless far greater. In any case, always keep an eye on them, but that seems to me to be a matter of common sense.
In conclusion, in our opinion: with a bit of caution, bearing in mind that it’s a bit more than just a stroll, and especially now that the path is perfectly maintained, you can certainly enjoy this lovely little hike as a family.

Machine-translated

HautBerry
HautBerry
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It is inappropriate to present this route as suitable for families and children. The trail was not well maintained, with the worst section being the descent to Salles, particularly due to the brambles. In other places, the trail is very narrow on steep slopes, with just enough room to place your foot.
Apart from these flaws, the route is still enjoyable.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.