Circular route around the hill overlooking Saint-Ilpize and the Allier via Chazieux

de fr

This circular path offers a continuous and exceptional panorama of the Allier valley. The path is made up of rounded stones, where you can sometimes see the tracks of the iron wheels of carts. Although today the landscape is a heath where bushes, broom and prickly pears grow, before the phylloxera attack it was an important vineyard. As you pass through the village of Chazieux and the old town of Saint-Ilpize, you will notice numerous wine cellars. Today, the vineyard is being revived. Vines are planted in the village of Auzat on the left bank and the old grape varieties are preserved in the vine conservatory located before the village of Chazieux.

Details

n°92135112
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.11 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 196 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 195 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 636 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 444 m
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Description of the walk

Parking is available in the car park of the Saint-Ilpize community hall on the edge of the D16 (peatland).

(S/E) Head towards the junction with the D22.

(1) Leave the return route on your left, go down to the right towards the suspension bridge, carefully following the road tothe first crossroads.

(2) Turn left off the bridge onto the path that approaches the Allier river and follows it upstream. It leads to the entrance to the hamlet of Chazieux in Impasse du Clos. Take your time to enjoy the scenery.

(3) Cross the hamlet by going up Avenue des Caves, then, at the three-way junction, turn left until you reach the square in the centre of the village.

(4) Cross and continue straight ahead uphill for about 200 metres until you reach a crossroads.

(5) Leave the path completely on your left and the one that goes straight ahead. Take the path slightly to the left that runs alongside a house. It climbs steadily to the highest point of the route and joins the D22.

(6) Turn left and follow it carefully (it is winding and visibility is reduced). Leave the Cissac road on your right. Continue for about 100 metres until you reach the start of a wide path on the left.

(7) Leave the road and take this track to the village of Saint-Ilpize at a bend, between Sainte-Madelaine Church and the ruins of the castle on its volcanic peak.

(8) Continue to Rue du Chapial and then the Town Hall. Turn left and you will come to the crossroads you passed on the way there.

(1) Turn right and retrace your steps in the opposite direction (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 478 m - Communal hall. Car park
  2. 1 : km 0.1 - alt. 485 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : km 0.21 - alt. 476 m - Suspension bridge. Take the path on the left - Allier (rivière)
  4. 3 : km 2.04 - alt. 470 m - Chazieux.
  5. 4 : km 2.17 - alt. 489 m - Crossroads - Square in the centre of the hamlet
  6. 5 : km 2.37 - alt. 512 m - Crossroads
  7. 6 : km 3.95 - alt. 636 m - Tarmac road. D22
  8. 7 : km 4.44 - alt. 608 m - Crossroads - Path
  9. 8 : km 5.54 - alt. 552 m - Castle - Church - Château de Saint-Ilpize
  10. S/E : km 6.11 - alt. 479 m - Car park

Worth a visit

St Ilpize: the village and the castle. The banks of the Allier and the suspension bridge, the landscapes, Chazieux, the villages on the left bank.

Visit the St-Ilpize town hall website

Reviews and comments

5 / 5
Based on 2 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
User 27850167

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 17, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk in glorious weather on 17 March 2026. Stunning scenery and fascinating sights, including the castle and its surroundings. Well worth doing – and doing again. And above all, take your time!!!

Machine-translated

bcg243
bcg243
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk around St Ilpize, which is already a stunning location, with gentle climbs, a stretch along the banks of the Allier, then through the forest… magnificent 360-degree views from the highest point.
Please note: between points 6 and 7, you must take the second path on the left, about 400–500 metres from point 6; the first leads to the ‘coteaux de St Ilpize’. there is a way to rejoin the marked path below, but via a steep and very narrow track after skirting a pasture; there is also a very beautiful view at this spot, which could serve as an ‘alternative route’ or a round trip (which we did unintentionally).
PS: The route is not suitable for pushchairs and may be impassable if the Allier river bursts its banks during the first section.
Finally, there is a very pleasant open-air café at the start/finish point where you can enjoy a refreshing drink after your walk.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Medieval Chilhac

Visorando member
↔11.40 km ↗+264 m ↘-270 m ◔4h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Saint-Cirgues (Haute-Loire)
An easy hike with beautiful views, starting from the pretty village of Lavoûte, which will take you to the small village of Chilhac, equally beautiful with its narrow streets, museum and black lava rock formations that store heat and allow Mediterranean plants, rare in Auvergne, to grow.

Walking Lavoûte-Chilhac from Chilhac

Visorando member
↔12.93 km ↗+364 m ↘-356 m ◔4h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Chilhac (Haute-Loire)
This circular loop connects two beautiful villages via theGR®®470and small roads (see § Practical information). Added to this loop are a visit to Chilhac, a visit to the Sainte-Croix Priory, and a short loop on the heights of Lavoûte-Chilhac offering beautiful views.

Walking Vieille-Brioude Vineyard Museum

Visorando member
↔0.30 km ↗+5 m ↘-5 m ◔0h 05 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Vieille-Brioude (Haute-Loire)
A short walk around the church of Vieille-Brioude, in an open-air eco-museum dedicated to vines and wine, in the form of a succession of small priests' gardens.

Walking The heights of Vieille-Brioude from Costes-Cirgues to Dintillat via Le Monteil

Visorando member
↔9.47 km ↗+228 m ↘-257 m ◔3h 20 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Vieille-Brioude (Haute-Loire)
The route follows a variety of paths and landscapes, offering superb panoramic views of the Auvergne mountains, including the Puy de Dôme and the Allier valley. The trails lead to pastures, woods and streams.

Walking Circular around Cerzat and Pié du Roi

Visorando member
↔7.04 km ↗+104 m ↘-104 m ◔2h 20 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Cerzat (Haute-Loire)
Set off to explore the pretty little village of Cerzat, with its oven, church and wash house. Along the way, you'll enjoy beautiful views of Margeride and the plateau. The highlight of the walk is entering the Pié du Roi volcano and discovering the small lake that occupies what remains of the crater. You'll love this walk through the nature of the Hautes-Pyrénées.

Walking Panoramic view of Chaliergues (Paulhaguet basin)

Visorando member
↔7.35 km ↗+82 m ↘-83 m ◔2h 20 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Salzuit (Haute-Loire)
This route passes through the villages on the eastern side of the Paulhaguet basin called Le Chaliergue. It corresponds to the lower volcanic plateau of Paulhaguet, at around 600 m, drained by the Senouire. The name was once written Callianicum and refers to stones, a stony area; it is also known as the Paulhaguet plateau. The panorama opens up from Jaroussier and Scombalou.

Walking From the banks of the Senouire to the Allier

Visorando member
Des rives de La Senouire à L'Allier
↔19.01 km ↗+387 m ↘-387 m ◔6h 30 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Lavaudieu (Haute-Loire)
Lavaudieu, listed as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France", will be the starting point for your hike. During the first part of the hike, you can admire beautiful views of the Cézallier, the Massif du Sancy and the Puy de Dôme. During the second part, you will follow the Allier gorges on a balcony trail. During the last part, you can discover a magnificent chapel and pastoral meadows.

Walking From the banks of the Senouire in Lavaudieu to the red stones of the village of Buze

Visorando member
↔10.07 km ↗+132 m ↘-126 m ◔3h 15 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Lavaudieu (Haute-Loire)
Lavaudieu is one of the most beautiful villages in France. This walk invites you to leave the village and stroll through the surrounding hills, passing through villages such as Buze, whose houses are built of red arkose.

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.