Murol Castle, Dent du Marais and Saint-Nectaire summer pastures

In Beaune-le-Froid, leave your vehicle in the small car park by the cemetery: when arriving in Beaune via the D5 then the D677, drive through the village to the church, turn left then left again towards the cemetery to find the access road on the left shortly afterwards.

Old yellow markings, not very visible, directional markers, mentioned in the description

(S/E) Go up the access road to the cemetery, then follow the road to the left, which quickly becomes a path. At the T-junction with another path, follow the direction of Les Luges to the left.

(1) Ignore a path on the right and continue straight ahead towards Chadeyre. Further on, ignore two paths on the left, then one on the right. You will arrive at the D5.

(2) Cross carefully and follow the road opposite towards Chautignat. After a bend in the road, at the intersection at the foot of a small quarry, follow the road to the left towards Chautignat. Pass the Chadeyre stream, ignore a path on the right and then another on the left, and arrive at Chautignat. Continue straight ahead on the road. At the intersection, make a short detour to the right to a fountain, retrace your steps and continue to the right.

Red and white^GR®® markings

(3) At the next intersection, note the^GR®® markings and follow them to the right towards Murol. At the next intersection, turn left, then, in front of the cross just after, turn right to leave the village. At a fountain in the wall of a small house, the street gives way to a path. Cross the Chadeyre stream again at an old mill (a pretty spot with a picnic table). At the junction with a road at the foot of Murol Castle, continue straight ahead until you reach a hut housing the car park's rubbish bins.

No markings

(4) For a round trip, leave the marked trail and go up the road on the left to the castle entrance. You can visit the castle or simply enjoy the view of its walls and the village of Murol below.

(5) Retrace your steps back to the hut.

^GR®® Red and White markings, directional markers

(4) Turn left, then take the path that immediately branches off to the right towards Fougère. Ignore the path on the left just after this, which is not shown on the map. At the fork in the path, turn left towards Les Bernades. You will arrive at the D5.

(6) Follow it for a few metres to the right, then cross carefully to take the path opposite, towards La Garde (an old sign also indicates Dent du Marais). The climb is made easier by two flights of steps. Further on, pass two footbridges on either side of a meadow. Then pass an information sign about Dent du Marais. The path eventually joins a track, which you should follow to the left. Shortly afterwards, ignore a path on the right and continue straight ahead towards Varennes.

(7) Shortly afterwards, at the fork in the path, turn left for a return trip towards Dent du Marais.

(8) At the Dent du Marais signpost, turn around to return to the previous signpost, Varennes.

Old yellow signposting, not very visible, directional signposts

(7) Leave the^GR®® and turn left towards Croix de Barbat. Ignore the path on the left leading to the Vestiges de Varennes and continue to a crossroads at the tiny Croix de Barbat.

(9) Turn right towards Près de la Croix. Shortly afterwards, continue straight ahead towards Le Pont. At the T-junction with a street in Beaune, turn left towards Beaune-le-Froid. Immediately after, at the mission cross, turn right, cross the bridge over the Ruisseau de Chadeyre (watering hole and covered wash house just on the other side), then continue straight ahead to the foot of the church at the fountain.

(10) Follow the signs for Font des Chien, straight ahead slightly to the left, and continue straight ahead on Rue Saint-Roch. Pass Ferme Pons then turn left towards Gaec des Monts Dore (also the Pons family). The street winds and ends at a road. Follow it to the left, towards Les Buges.

(11) Take the first road on the right towards Pérol. Pass the Ruisseau de Fredet stream, then at the intersection, follow the road on the right towards La Motte. Ignore the two roads on the right at Suquet de Bressous.

(12) At the next intersection, turn right towards Vegude. Cross the Fredet stream again. When you reach a road, turn right and pass the sign for Beau-le-Froid. Immediately after, follow the road to the right towards Font des Chiens.

No signposts

(13) Just behind a cross, turn left onto a street. There is no street sign at this location, but it is Rue des Caves, lined with old Saint-Nectaire cheese maturing cellars. At the intersection, turn left, ignore Rue de la Viaure on the right and arrive on the main street of the village. Follow it to the right and you will arrive at the church.

Old yellow markings, not very visible, directional markers

(10) Take the route back in reverse, turning left towards Le Pont, crossing the bridge and turning left at the mission cross towards the cemetery. At the intersection, leave the outward route and continue straight on towards Creux du Mortier. You will soon come to the road leading to the cemetery. Turn left here to return to the small car park (S/E).

Hike of moderate difficulty, leaning towards easy. Standard hiking equipment required. However, take care at the top of the cliffs overlooking the lake, near the Dent du Marais

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here and more generally in the Puy-de-Dôme here

Photo album here
Murol Castle: history here and possible visit here
Typical villages in the Saint-Nectaire region, with old cheese ripening cellars visible on either side of Rue des Caves at the end of the route. Saint-Nectaire cheese can be purchased at several farms in the village of Beaune.
Beautiful views of Murol and its castle overlooking the Couze Chambon valley, Lake Chambon and the Dent du Marais above it: this cliff is the result of a volcanic eruption and forms an imposing 100-metre-high rock needle. Don't venture too close to the edge!
Panoramic view, in good weather, of the Sancy Massif and the Chaudefour Valley.