Around Mauzun Castle

Mauzun Castle, nicknamed the "giant of Auvergne", is the starting point for this walk at the foot of the Livradois-Forez mountains, which offers magnificent views of the mid-range mountains.

Follow the yellow trail from the village exit.

Details

109144
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.68 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 236 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 231 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 620 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 507 m

Description of the walk

(S) Start at Place des Grolles (!) in Mauzun, where you can easily park your vehicle.

Go down the right-hand side of the market hall, then turn left and go over a weighbridge. About 100 metres after leaving the village, turn left onto a tree-lined path and continue along a wall on the left to reach the D997.

(1) Turn left and after about 30 metres, take the first small tarmac road on the right. Continue until you reach an intersection in front of a cross (the Chabagnat cross) and continue straight ahead to join the D338. Cross and continue straight ahead.

(2) When you reach the D338 again, take the road on the left for 10 metres, then turn right onto the path going uphill under the pine trees (steep climb) to a place called "Les Plats". Turn right onto a tarmac path that leads to the Estandeuil road.

(3) Turn right, pass in front of the houses in Fénérol, then turn right again after the calvary. In the village, at the church, continue straight ahead and pass in front of the town hall. When you reach a bend in the road, take the tarmac road opposite towards "La Palle". At the three-way junction, at an altitude of 536 metres, follow the stony path straight ahead, climb up to Champ Redon and arrive at the D7.

(4) Turn left, then take the small path on the right after the copse. At the next T-junction, turn left. Pass in front of the pond and follow the tarmac road climbing to the right which joins "Le Pic". At the corner of the first farm, turn right onto the grassy path lined with fences; it descends through meadows to a small stream which you must cross. Continue along the path (often wet) to reach "Le Vernet" on the D997.

(5) Cross the road, then a few metres further on, turn right onto the small road signposted "Le Vernet". At the exit of the hamlet, take a wide grassy lane on the left, then a path. You will come to the wall of Bellevue Castle. Turn left and return to Mauzun via the starting route to the finishing point (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 598 m - Place de Grolles
  2. 1 : km 0.8 - alt. 612 m - Intersection with the D997
  3. 2 : km 2.11 - alt. 525 m - Intersection with the D338
  4. 3 : km 3.01 - alt. 585 m - Route d'Estandeuil
  5. 4 : km 5.64 - alt. 593 m - Intersection D7
  6. 5 : km 7.63 - alt. 589 m - Cross the D997
  7. S/E : km 8.68 - alt. 599 m - Place de Grolles

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 18 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
Mo63
Mo63

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful views of Mauzun Castle and the surrounding castles in the distance, the Dômes mountain range, the countryside... No difficulty (only one slightly slippery descent due to residual mud).
I recommend it!

Machine-translated

Jacqueline B
Jacqueline B

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike with beautiful views

Machine-translated

avfcournon
avfcournon

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a route suitable for all seasons
without any particular difficulties

Machine-translated

DAGUsanolo
DAGUsanolo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very interesting and varied hike with beautiful views of the mountains and volcanoes and cool, shady woodland.

Machine-translated

mimi 63
mimi 63
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful and pleasant walk without any major difficulties, offering beautiful views and ending at the foot of Mauzun Castle, which is in need of some basic restoration work to preserve it in its current state.

Machine-translated

LIS64
LIS64

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello, well-marked route (yellow lines). A pleasant walk with some beautiful views.
Please note that Mauzun Castle is private property and cannot be accessed

Machine-translated

BFQT
BFQT

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route, completed in 2½ hours, with paths heavily eroded by recent rain and some parts of the route very wet!

Machine-translated

michel l'auvergnat
michel l'auvergnat

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Be careful not to follow the yellow, green or blue markings at the start, as there are too many of them going in all directions... Go straight past the weighbridge to leave the village, then follow the yellow markings. With the GPS track, there's no problem.
Superb landscapes of Auvergne's Tuscany, but the trails are too busy with quad bikes, which ruin a third of the paths on this hike and make them difficult to walk on without getting your shoes covered in sticky mud! Cleaning is essential if the weather is not dry!
And it only took us 2 hours and 15 minutes instead of the 3 hours indicated.

Machine-translated

indiana63
indiana63

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Lovely short hike with beautiful panoramic views

Machine-translated

Jean Noël G.
Jean Noël G.

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

This 8.68 km hike was easily adapted for a walking club with an average age of around 75.
We did not go through Fénérol or Le Pic. The small roads used as shortcuts are very quiet.
The village of Estandeuil was very much appreciated. It's a shame that Mauzun Castle is closed at the moment.
Two hills, one of which was a little longer, were climbed at a leisurely pace. Thank you for this route.

Machine-translated

heron7844
heron7844

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

perhaps a bit too much tarmac for my taste, but otherwise it's nice. I use the track, no problems with the internet, it works!

Machine-translated

jeroulebien
jeroulebien

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

the trail is very poorly maintained. Along the entire length of the paths, the grass is very tall, reaching 50 cm. The hiking trail did not lead us to the castle, but the indicated duration is accurate.

Machine-translated

Isa et sa troupe
Isa et sa troupe
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely little half-day hike.
As you walk along the lake, magnificent swans await you... magnificent!
There is an admission fee to visit the castle (allow 2 hours before 6 p.m....)
There you have it: I recommend this easy walk with children.
Isa and her gang

Machine-translated

les Dorze
les Dorze

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Easy hike, but there are too many tarmac roads for my liking.

Machine-translated

PUCY
PUCY

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb hike with magnificent views, pleasant shaded and open trails.

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.