Couze Chambon (rivière) - Affluent de l'Allier walks

Easy walk around the Chaudefour valley.

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 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.

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

From Ludesse, on the plateau, descend into the Couze Chambon valley to explore two citadel villages, Champeix, the City of Gardens, and Montaigut-le-Blanc, the City of Cats (personal name).

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.

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.

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.

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 route starts in the hills above the Couze Chambon valley and is circular, looping back via Saint-Nectaire and its unmissable Cornadore Basilica. There are numerous viewpoints along the route, particularly over the Couze Chambon valley, dominated by the hilltop Château de Murol, and the entire Massif du Sancy.

The hillsides of the Allier in Puy-de-Dôme were once an important wine-growing area, as evidenced by the architecture of the villages you pass through on this hike. Among them is Montpeyroux, one of the most beautiful villages in France.

This mystical route takes you past two menhirs, one of which has been Christianised, a tumulus and its dolmen, and the beautiful Basilica of Notre-Dame du Mont Cornadore, a jewel of Auvergne Romanesque architecture. This hike also passes by the Châteauneuf Caves, which offer a beautiful view of Murol Castle, the Couze Chambon valley and the Sancy massif.

In the Pays des Couzes, set off to explore the villages of Chadeleuf and Sauvagnat-Sainte-Marthe along wide paths criss-crossing an agricultural plateau offering superb views of the Monts Dore, the hilltop villages of the Limagne and the Puy de Dôme.

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

The route starts in Champeix, passes through the hills with views of the Couze Chambon valley, crosses the large site of the Saint-Julien cellars, then wanders through the pretty village of Montaigut-le-Blanc, before following the Couze back to Champeix, where you can visit the old Marchidial district and its gardens.

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.

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.

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.

A return trip to the summit of Puy de Gourdon, offering a beautiful panoramic view, is added to a circular route around and on Puy de la Rodde, starting from the medieval village of Montaigut-le-Blanc.

A walk allowing you to explore the thermal spa district of Saint-Nectaire starting from Boissières, which makes it easy to park away from the village during the tourist season. The route is dotted with several stone crosses, some of which are ancient and very simple, but you will also discover the beautiful Croix du Marchidial in Saint-Nectaire Haut, as well as a Christianised menhir, the Croix Saint-Roch. You will also enjoy beautiful views of Murol Castle and the Sancy massif.

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

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.