Stroll from puy to puy around Montlosier

Park in the car park at Château de Montlosier, Maison du Parc des Volcans, the starting point for many hikes. If there are no spaces left in the car park, you can leave your vehicle at the side of the road.

(S/E) On the other side of the road from the car park, take the path south towards Puy de Vichatel. Shortly afterwards, you will pass by the edge of the Étang de Montlosier (there is an information panel explaining how this lake was created by the Comte de Montlosier). Continue along this path, between woods and pastures.

(1) At the fork, ignore the paths on the left, which climb up to Puy de Vichatel (which has one of the most remarkable craters in the chain in terms of its shape, size and depth), and continue slightly to the right, below Puy de Vichatel, to join the D2089, a very busy road. Follow the path that runs alongside the road on your right until you reach the pedestrian crossing.
Cross with extreme caution, then enter the rest area and head to the far left to find a path. Follow it as it runs alongside a meadow on your right.

(2) At the end of the meadow, take the path that branches off to the left and runs alongside the meadow again on your right. Continue, passing between Puy de Charmont to the east and Puy de la Toupe to the west. Further on, the path turns left and then veers right to head south-west again. After about 100 metres, ignore a path on the right and then, another 100 metres further on, ignore a path that branches off to the left and continue to the next fork.

(3) Leave the path that branches off to the right and backwards, then, about 50 metres further on, ignore the path on the right again and continue south.

(4) At the crossroads of four paths, you will find the red and white markings of^{the GR®®4/441}. Follow it straight ahead. You will pass below the Puy de Boursoux and then the Puy de la Combegrasse to the west, then at the foot of the Puy de la Rodde to the east.

(5) At the entrance to the hamlet of La Garandie, turn right at the corner of the campsite, still following the GR^®®. The path then turns left to pass behind the campsite. At the crossroads with another path, continue straight ahead. You will come to a road at a crossroads.

(6) Leave the^GR®® trail, which continues along the path to the left, and follow the road opposite, which quickly turns into a path called Chemin des Morts. Ignore all paths branching off to the right.

(7) Further on, the path makes a wide left turn at the foot of Puy de l'Enfer, a Strombolian volcano and former pozzolan quarry. It is possible to climb up to the crater via a path on the left. Continue straight ahead on the path to Espinasse. On your left is the Narse, a marsh of volcanic origin. (You can make a round trip via a path that branches off to the left.)

(8) Follow the small road on the right, cross the D983 and continue straight ahead. Turn onto the first path you find on the right.

(9) You will come to a small road. Follow it to the left until you reach the hamlet of Le Couhalion.

(10) When you reach the centre of the hamlet, where several roads and paths meet, turn right towards the stone cross next to a wooden hut housing a statue of the Virgin Mary. Walk past the hut and continue towards the farm, following the sign indicating that Saint-Nectaire cheese is sold there. Do not enter the farmyard (first path on the left), but continue to the next crossroads. Turn left to walk past the house and continue along this path.

(11) Further on, at the four-way crossroads, continue straight ahead. Ignore a path on the left, then you will come to a five-way crossroads. Take the second path on the left, heading north-north-west. On your right, you can see the Puy de la Touppe quarry, which is still in operation.

(12) At the next crossroads of four paths, turn right at the corner of a copse. Then take the first path on the left and follow the small road on the right towards the D2089.

(13) Pass under the D2089. On the other side, follow the road as it curves to the right, then after 100 metres, turn onto the path on the left. At the crossroads with another path, continue straight ahead towards the woods. Walk alongside a copse on your left, then ignore what looks like the start of a path on the left just after and enter the undergrowth, heading north-east. At the fork just after, keep to the right.

(14) Further on, at the foot of Puy de Montchal, directional signs indicate an elevation of 998 metres. Turn left towards Puy de Montjuger. Continue north on this pleasant path through the undergrowth at the foot of Puy de Montgy on your right.

(15) You emerge from the woods facing Puy de Pourcharet and find the red and white markings of^{the GR®®30}. Turn right between Puy de Pourcharet and Puy de Montjuger. The next crossroads is where the^GR®®30and 4 trails meet. Opposite and on the left is Puy de Montreillet. Turn right to continue around Puy de Montjuger. Continue in this south-easterly direction, ignoring the paths on the left.

(16) You will pass a beautiful beech tree whose roots are protected by a wooden border. On the left, ignore the path that climbs to the summit of Puy de Lassolas and its famous crater. You are now at the foot of this hill. Continue straight ahead for another 600 metres or so.

(17) You are now in a more open space at the foot of Puy de la Vache, whose crater rises up on your left (Puy de la Vache was once exploited by a quarry that almost wiped it off the map!). Head to the right of this small meadow and look for a path on the right that leads into the woods, heading south-west. This path is marked with a yellow disc and leads back to Montlosier. Further on, after passing a large field on your left, you will come to a crossroads with a logging area on your right.

(18) Turn left, still following the yellow markings and the direction of Montlosier. Just before you reach the road, turn right onto the path that takes you back to the Maison des Volcans car park (S/E).

Moderate difficulty hike, standard hiking equipment required.
Apart from its length, this hike is not particularly difficult as you will always remain at the foot of the puys.

(10) In Couhalion, you can buy Saint-Nectaire cheese at the farm.

It is possible to shorten this route by about 4km at the end. To do so, at (14) continue straight ahead to reach (18) directly.

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here

Information, exhibitions and shop at the Maison du Parc des Volcans.

Many puys were once used as quarries for Volvic stone or pozzolan. The quarries that are still in operation are now blocking the Chaîne des Puys' application for UNESCO World Heritage status. The Puy de la Toupe, west of (3) and east of (12), is one of the last quarries still in operation. When quarries are no longer in operation, they are now being rehabilitated as natural spaces.

The lava flow from Puy de l'Enfer into the bed of the Veyre created the Narse d'Espinasse. It is possible to descend there between (7) and (8).

It is possible, and tempting, to climb to the summits of the Puy de Vichatel (1), Combegrasse (access 200 m after (5) via the path on the right), Lassolas and La Vache (in (16)), but be warned, it takes time and stamina, especially for the latter two peaks.