Combronde walks

A forest walk in the foothills of the Combrailles leading to the "Pierre Branlante" site. Erosion has cleared away a block of granite, leaving it balanced on its side. According to legend, this block oscillates when touched by human hands.

From Charbonnières-les-Vieilles, the hilly path runs alongside the Morge river, offering remarkable examples of local heritage (wells, crosses, wash houses, mills) and arrives at the magnificent Gour de Tazenat (crater lake) with splendid views of the Chaîne des Puys.

Discover a small spa town, with its beautiful architecture, and its natural surroundings.

Tour of the Sep Joli dam with a view of it. A fairly easy hike between paths and forest. Not too crowded in July, mostly fishermen.

A walk to discover the beautiful architecture and thermal park of Châtel-Guyon.

Discover the route of the old railway line from Riom to Châtel-Guyon via the heights of Saint-Don.

One of the favourite walks for locals, along a beautiful stream, through the woods, very close to the spa centre.

Route around the Gour de Tazenat, which occupies an ancient volcanic crater. You can even swim in the lake that has formed inside it. Don’t worry, the volcano has been dormant for 40,000 years.

A perfect circle 700 m in diameter and approximately 66 m deep, the Gour de Tazenat is a crater lake or maar whose clear waters are home to a variety of aquatic fauna. A path through the undergrowth allows everyone to walk around it easily.

Very short walk on a pretty section of the Way of St James.

In Enval, the playful Ambène stream rises in the chestnut groves and offers dazzling views of the Château de Tournoël and the Chaîne des Puys in the distance. This site is classified as a natural area of ecological, faunistic and floristic interest. This hike can be done in hot weather as it is very shaded.

A long walk through the heart of the Gorges d'Enval leading to the Eaux de Volvic, passing by the Château de Tournoël and Notre-Dame de la Garde.

A pleasant walk in the heart of the Combrailles and its landscapes of hills, hollows, valleys, hedgerows, copses and ponds typical of this part of the region. Beautiful views of the Chaîne des Puys, the Limagne and the Bois-Noirs. The route takes a wide loop around the Sep reservoir.

While further south in Auvergne, water is brought to villages by fountains, here it is provided by numerous public and private wells, which you can enjoy discovering in the hamlets along this circular route in the Blot region, on the heights of the Morge. You will also discover an oratory and a chapel, both dedicated to Saint Agatha.

Starting from the "city of stone and water", this route takes you through cool valleys to the moors of the heights, where you will have the Chaîne des Puys and the Monts du Livradois-Forez as your horizon, then takes you back down to the village through an ancient lava flow, a refuge for Auvergne bats.

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.

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.

Walk on the Champ Griaud plateau, on beautiful paths that once served pastoral plots now colonised by oak trees and wild vegetation, then through vineyards that have been restored to their former glory, before ending with a visit to the cellar district and the medieval centre of Châteaugay.

This short walk starting from Ébreuil offers panoramic views of the Sioule valley. At the (2), the narrow path leading up to Sainte-Foy is not regularly maintained. The grass may be a little overgrown.

Discover the hamlets of the Blot region and the superb lime trees that adorn their squares. The second part of this walk will take you to Château-Rocher, which overlooks the Sioule valley.

This trail takes you from hamlet to hamlet to discover the small-scale architectural heritage of this part of Auvergne, in the north of the Puy-de-Dôme: traditional houses with stepped gables, wells and drinking troughs, a former abbey in Menat and a medieval bridge over the Sioule.

Circular in the Calvinian countryside overlooking the Sioule Gorges, then along the riverbank.

Very short walk to discover a pretty site in the Sioule Gorges

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.

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