Circular route on the Plateau de l’Artense via Notre-Dame de Natzy

Start from the car park at the Tour d’Auvergne lake.

(S/E) From the car park, follow the path running alongside the lake heading north, then turn right at the first junction.

(1) Take the^first street on the left for 80 metres, then cross the D203 with care and follow the path opposite.

(2) At the^first junction and the information sign for Notre-Dame de Natzy, turn right onto the Way of the Cross, which climbs to the top of the promontory and back.

(3) From the top of the headland, with its 360° view, head back down to the previous junction of paths.

(2) Turn right and, at the next junction, turn left, ignoring the signposted route.

(4) At the junction with the D203, you can head straight ahead for a round trip (300 m one way) to visit the remarkable church of Saint-Pardoux.

(5) Retrace your steps back to the D203.

(4) Follow it to the left, heading north, for 250 m until you reach the first bend to the left on this road.

(6) At the monument honouring the fighters of the Auvergne Maquis, take the unmarked path which climbs to the right of the monument.

(7) After crossing a ford or a footbridge and walking past a farmstead, at the next junction, turn right onto the road towards Pissols. Walk through the hamlet. At the end of the tarmac road, take the path to the left of a fenced-off pasture and continue straight on between the pastures. At one point, the path turns 90° to the right and then runs alongside the first farm until it joins the D129 at the entrance to the hamlet of Féreyrolles.

(8) To avoid following the D129 and its traffic, take the alley opposite which leads down into the hamlet. Turn right between two houses on the edge of the street or follow the small street until it joins the D129 at the end of the houses.

(9) At this junction, follow the D129 to the left for just under a kilometre until you reach the next crossroads.

(10) At the junction, cross the D129 carefully, then follow the signposted path which descends to the left; after crossing the Ruisseau d’Ayssard via a bridge, head back up and cross the D129 again to take a signposted path opposite.

(11) At the junction, cross the D129 carefully and follow it towards La Tour d’Auvergne for 1 km.

(12) Just before the garage on the right, turn left towards the market square. Continue straight on, cross the market square, then head down to the Place de l’Église.

(13) Walk past the church, then keep to its left, climb a few steps and reach the top of the basalt outcrop to enjoy the view over the village and the surrounding area. There is an orientation board on the basalt outcrop and a viewpoint.

(14) Head back down from the outcrop, passing behind the church and taking several flights of steps to reach Rue des Bacs; cross Route de Chastreix and head to the lake car park (S/E).

As for signposting, it is rather vague where it exists, but following the route remains straightforward with the accompanying instructions.

Watch out for traffic on the few sections of local roads that the route crosses.

Climb up to the promontory of the Church of Notre-Dame de Natzy, facing the village.

Visit the Church of Saint-Pardoux, an iconic medieval building dating from the 12th century.

Visit La Tour-d’Auvergne, a former 10th-century barony. The history of La Tour-d’Auvergne is intrinsically linked to that of Marguerite de Valois, daughter of Catherine de’ Medici, better known as ‘Queen Margot’. She was the heir to part of the former barony of La Tour and the castle of the same name, the remains of which can still be seen today (a small wall at the top of the basalt columns).