Chambon-sur-Lac walks

A circuit that forms a figure of 8 around Lac Chambon, with panoramic views of the lake and the Sancy range, the Valley of Chaudefour and a section through Murol via its castle.

A return route to Mont Dore, taking care to avoid the same paths as the previous day.

A walk along the most pleasant part of Lake Chambon, starting from Murol Beach and continuing to the wetland, which can be explored via a boardwalk, then returning slightly higher up via the Bois des Bouves.

Starting from Beaune le Froid, on the heights of the Couze Chambon valley, this walk takes you down into the valley to explore the village of Chambon-sur-Lac, which boasts a remarkable Romanesque church and chapel, before climbing back up to the plateau to enjoy numerous views over the Couze valley, the Chaudefour Valley and the puys that flank it, and Murol with its medieval castle.

A circular offering superb views from the heights over Lac Chambon and the Dent du Marais, then over the Château de Murol, passing at the foot of the aforementioned peak before skirting the lake as closely as possible.

Starting from Beaune-le-Froid, this is a very accessible hike, passing by the Château de Murol, with superb views of the Couze Chambon valley and the village of Murol, the Dent du Marais and Lake Chambon, and further afield, the Chaudefour Valley and the Sancy. The last part of the hike takes you to the iconic Saint-Nectaire, with a circular route through the cow pastures and a visit to the village via the Rue des Caves.

Visit a must-see in the region, Lake Chambon, starting from the village of Beaune-le-Froid, on the heights preserved from tourist crowds. Pass by some beautiful viewpoints.

Discover the Chaudefour Valley, located in the nature park of the same name.

A walk through the Courbanges forest to discover its tall trees, with a detour to a typical plateau dwelling.

On the heights of Murol and Lac Chambon, discover the Rajat caves, Murol Castle, the Cirque and the Dent du Marais, as well as the villages of Chautignat and Beaune-le-Froid.

A very short circular path on a wooded ridge, between the valleys of two small streams on the Plateau des Dômes, after a visit to Beaune-le-Froid.

You will pass close to waterfalls at Cheix, Pérouse and Biche, and stop for a quick drink at the Sainte-Anne spring before beginning the ascent of the Puy de Champgourdeix (alt. 1,566 m) and the Perdrix (alt. 1,824 m), with views over the resort of Super Besse.

This route, which takes in the Chaudefour Valley, the Puy de Sancy, La Bourboule, the lakes of Guéry and Servières, as well as several state-owned forests, offers varied scenery and numerous panoramic views, allowing you to discover a range of local attractions in a single route! FYI: we’ve mapped out the walk to plan our camping trip and will be testing it in mid-May, after which we’ll update the details if necessary and add photos!

Stage 2 of the 5-day route. This stage takes you to theGR®4trail through the countryside. You can visit Murol Castle at the start of the stage, then the troglodyte caves of Chautignat.

Climb up a small volcano and its crater, with a view of Lake Chambon and the Sancy in the background from the summit.

This is a shaded hike with very little traffic on three-quarters of the route. You can contemplate the beauty of nature. Pass through the undergrowth on wide footbridges to discover the marshy areas and viewpoints over Lake Chambon, not forgetting to take a look at the Monts du Sancy and the rock of La Dent des Marais.

Cross the Malvoisière valley and then the Courbanges Forest, and discover the Cheix Waterfall before descending into the refreshing Courbanges Stream valley.

Discover the most beautiful valley in the Massif du Sancy, and perhaps even the most beautiful in Auvergne! Unlike many of the hikes in this area, this one only climbs to the ridge at Puy de Champgourdeix to enjoy a superb view of the upper valley and the surrounding mountains, but does not continue on to Sancy. Instead, I suggest you explore the valley further, with its dykes, waterfalls, forest and beautiful meadows.

Easy walk around the Chaudefour valley.

An easy, family-friendly round-trip hike to admire the Cascade de la Biche, some thirty metres high, which flows over a volcanic rock formation formed by the solidification of a lava flow. In a wild and spectacular setting, the water cascades down superb basalt columns. Starting from the Maison de la Réserve, the route climbs gently up the bottom of the Chaudefour Valley before ascending through the woodland towards the waterfall. This secret and magnificent valley is a listed natural site, enclosed by the steep slopes of a glacial cirque. The path is shaded, sometimes muddy, with a few small streams to cross. To reach the foot of the waterfall, the final section becomes steeper and rockier.

You’ll pass close to farms, with lovely countryside scenery, then you’ll go through Chambon-sur-Lac and, of course, its lake, and you’ll take the Chemin des Quayres as you head deep into a thick forest.

A beautiful round-trip hike to explore the bottom of the Chaudefour Valley, passing by its three waterfalls. The trail is not very difficult and the elevation gain is reasonable. You will find plenty of signs and markings along the way.

The very secretive and beautiful Chaudefour valley is a classified natural site, closed up by the steep contours of a glacial cirque. Peaks, needles, plumbs are as many natural defences for an intact and preserved valley.

A pleasant route starting from the Chaudefour Valley, offering the chance to explore the woods of Audiouze and Sarrevielle.

For anyone from Auvergne, the Col de la Croix Morand is inextricably linked to Jean-Louis Murat, who sang about it better than anyone else (and who was also the only one to do so!). Starting from the pass and heading south, you walk along the ridges and cross a few puys in a magnificent setting of wide open spaces and panoramic views of the volcanic Auvergne, witha"deep feeling" of freedom.

A lovely walk to enjoy in fine weather, so you can take in the magnificent views of Murol Castle and the Sancy massif. This walk takes you through countryside steeped in history and the presence of people dating back to time immemorial.

North of Saint-Nectaire, the high plateaus are home to the cows that produce the delicious cheese. It is a peaceful and uncrowded countryside that nevertheless offers superb panoramic views.

A peaceful hike, far from tourist sites, on the plateaus overlooking Saint-Nectaire, cow country. A route with constant unobstructed views of the Sancy and Guéry mountains and the Chaîne des Puys.

A circular route on the heights of Saint-Nectaire to discover some of the megaliths of this region of Auvergne, which is rich in them. The site of the megaliths of Puy d'Alou, at its summit, offers a beautiful panorama. This circular route is extended by a return trip to another viewpoint at the summit of Puy de Châteauneuf.

Relatively easy access to the summit of the Massif Central, which offers spectacular views. Please note that to reach the starting point of this circuit, you will need to take the Super-Besse cable cars, which are subject to a charge.