Chapdes-Beaufort walks

Since 1992, this pleasant walk has invited visitors to stroll among Gilles Perez's monumental contemporary lava stone sculptures, which blend in with the landscape and nature. Additional sculptures have been added over the years.

This route will take you to the ruins of the Chartreuse du Port-Sainte-Marie, founded in 1219, passing by the banks of the Sioule and its meanders.

A circular route starting from Saint-Ours, through the hamlets of the Saint-Ours countryside between Combrailles and the Chaîne des Puys, featuring a pleasant section through the forest and a visit to an old pozzolan quarry.

Contrasting landscapes of meadows and forests for this circular tour to discover the Puy de Louchadière, on the edge of the Combrailles.Please note! A GPS device is useful for following this hike in the forest sections. Also, be sure to follow the map rather than the various markings encountered along the route.

A double loop around Saint-Ours-les-Roches to discover the typical hamlets of this region of the Combrailles, at the foot of the Chaîne des Puys.

La Roche de Sauterre offers a beautiful location for observing the surroundings and the majestic alignment of the Chaîne des Puys. This basalt peak, the result of volcanic activity, contains inclusions of peridotite, a semi-precious stone.

A hike on the Combrailles side of the Chaîne des Puys, an area less frequented by summer crowds, to discover an old pozzolan quarry and its biotope. Along the way, you will encounter the inhabitants of the pastures and the woods.

A circular route mostly through a beautiful beech forest, allowing you to explore the lovely site of the Puy de Tressous sculptures, as well as the old quarry sites. Allow a good hour to visit the ‘artist’s forest’ in addition to the time indicated for the route.

A circular route on the border between the Combrailles and the Chaîne des Puys, in the countryside around Saint-Ours, passing by the summit of Puy de Louchadière, offering a beautiful viewpoint, and the lovely beech forest covering its slopes. The Visorando app is highly recommended in the Louchadière forest.

From Pontgibaud and the beautiful medieval architecture of Château Dauphin, you will travel through the mysterious landscapes of the Cheire de Pontgibaud, one of the most beautiful lava flows in the Chaîne des Puys.

A short hike allowing you to discover many examples of well-preserved built heritage in the hamlets: fountains, wash houses, crosses, and the Louchadière water catchment, passing through woods and meadows.

This route allows you to discover three ancient volcanoes in the Chaîne des Puys.

A very pleasant walk in the oldest part of the Chaîne des Puys. The hamlet of Beaunit is nestled in the hollow of a volcanic maar that was occupied by a lake several hundred thousand years ago.

Between steep-sided valleys, unspoilt wilderness and wooded slopes, the Sioule has become a lake thanks to the Fades-Besserve dam. It accompanies us throughout the route with beautiful views of the Sioulet valley and the Combrailles.

A lovely walk offering the chance to explore the superb Marais de Paloux, a designated Sensitive Natural Area, and leading to the chaotic solidified lava flow of Tournebize, formed from the lava of the Puy de Côme.

A short circular forest loop around Puy de Côme, whose summit is unfortunately not accessible. The route passes by the Bacs de Ceyssat site, a pretty series of drinking troughs (les bacs) fed by a fountain, installed via an aqueduct for sheep.

A hike entirely in the forest, in the unique landscape of the Cheire de Côme. You will be left to your own devices in this mysterious forest, on small unmarked paths for part of the route, wherethe Visorando app is almost essential. The Signed Stone is an enigma, perhaps you can try to solve it.

On this comet-shaped route, discover the solidified lava flow of Côme, a remarkable natural area in the Chaîne des Puys. This lava flow from the Puy de Côme, which stretches for almost 10 km, has solidified into extremely chaotic terrain and has been colonised by a beautiful forest of birch and beech trees. To extend this hike, I suggest you then walk around the Puy de Côme, through the beech forest that covers its slopes.

This circular loop will take you to the summit of Puy des Gouttes, where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Chaîne des Puys, then into the countryside near Fontètes, a hamlet with a pretty little chapel. On the way back, you will discover a beautiful row of about twenty drinking troughs in a meadow, the Fontaine des Pères.

"Human noise becomes silent, nature makes volcanoes chatter; whispering landscapes, and whispering a thousand voices of silence". Caption of the beautiful sculpture by Thierry Courtadon that you will encounter on your route, alongside with great viewpoints.

A circular route that is half mountain, half countryside, passing by the summit of Puy des Gouttes before descending towards the Combrailles to discover the hamlet of Beauregard. A leisurely return via a sculpture in Courtadon. SHHH!

This route starts at the Vulcania crossroads and begins with a long, fairly flat, open path before crossing the forest to reach these two magnificent volcanoes. The route can be done in either direction.

A pleasant, short, shaded walk, mainly through woodland, with a point of interest to discover: the site known as Eaux Minérales (a source of iron-rich water, not commercially exploited but showcased). No major difficulty; just a slight elevation gain, with a fairly steep slope at the end of the route. A particularly refreshing walk in summer as it is largely under the cover of trees.

A short round trip to enjoy the beautiful Gour Saillant waterfall.