Bert walks

Le Puy Saint-Ambroise overlooks the plateaus of the Sologne Bourbonnaise. At an average altitude of 436 metres, it offers a vast panorama, to the north over the Morvan, to the south-east over the Monts du Lyonnais, and to the south-west over the Chaîne des Puys and the Massif du Sancy.

Long tour of the village of Saint-Léon, ending at the summit of Puy Saint-Ambroise.

A short walk around the village of Saint-Léon, including a stop at Puy Saint-Ambroise to admire the exceptional panoramic view.

Starting from Puy Saint-Ambroise, you will see two castles on this 15 km route.

Hike starting from Jaligny secondary school, mostly on farm tracks and paths with around 35% tarmac, passing through the village of Chatelperron where you can see the fortified castle, listed as a Historic Monument: private property, not open to visitors. Beautiful scenery in good weather on the Colombier ridge. Beautiful view of the castle on its rocky outcrop on the descent from La Roche. A small museum of local prehistory and a restaurant are located on the route at Chatelperron station. The return journey is partly along the "Chemin du Tacot", an old railway line.

A circular route in the commune of Montaigu-le-Blin, voted the most beautiful village in the Allier in 2012. This route allows you to take a leisurely afternoon stroll to discover some of Montaigu’s heritage, including the large wash house, the fortified castle, Presles Castle, the Roman road, the Celtic cross and St Anne’s Church. It has been created by combining several ‘heritage routes’ offered by this small village, where time seems to stand still out of season. On this easy-to-moderate route, which takes just under 3 hours, the effort is sustained and mostly on tarmac, but the breaks to admire the local heritage treasures and the panoramic views allow you to recover. Only the grassy slope between the wash house and the fortified castle is more demanding, but it can be bypassed by climbing up to the fortified castle from the village centre rather than directly from the wash house.

A pleasant walk starting from Arfeuilles, with plenty of woodland, crossing the Barbenan, and lovely views of the surrounding area.

Route starting from Isserpent, a small village at the foot of the Bourbonnais mountains, 15 km east of Vichy. An easy hike through the Bourbonnais countryside.

This hike will allow you to discover the Cascade de la Pisserote waterfall on the Barbenan.

Route from Puy du Roc starting from Chatel-Montagne in the Bourbonnais mountains.

This stage crosses the highest villages in the Monts de la Madeleine, at an altitude of around 1,000 metres, and allows you to visit two major tourist attractions in St-Nicolas-des-Leat (03): the Allée des Géants and the Pierre Châtel. Most of the route is through deciduous forest, home to mushrooms. The stage ends at the Loge des Gardes sports resort, where accommodation is available (hotel-restaurant).

Route through the Lespinasse Forest, a peaceful spot with several ponds and picnic areas, facilities for children.

This hike starts in Nizerolles, a small village at the foot of the Monts de la Madeleine. It takes you across the River Jolan three times and partly follows the Tacot de la Montagne Bourbonnaise platform, the former departmental railway line that linked Vichy and Laprugne until 1949.

Hike route starting from Molles, a village at the foot of the Bourbonnais mountains, 17km east of Vichy.

Since spring 2021, a path has been created around this artificial lake in the Bourbonnais mountains. This is a short, easy route on a very well-maintained path.

Enjoy a lovely walk above Ambierle through fields and forests. Discover its magnificent church with its polychrome tiles.

I suggest a short urban hike to discover Vichy, nicknamed "the Queen of Waters". This circuit takes you through the emblematic streets of Napoleon III's beloved city, lined with beautiful houses of eclectic architecture, as well as the shopping streets of the modern city and the parks along the Allier River. You can quench your thirst at the famous Source des Célestins.