From the banks of the Senouire to the Allier

Lavaudieu, listed as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France", will be the starting point for your hike.
During the first part of the hike, you can admire beautiful views of the Cézallier, the Massif du Sancy and the Puy de Dôme. During the second part, you will follow the Allier gorges on a balcony trail. During the last part, you can discover a magnificent chapel and pastoral meadows.

Details

8333018
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 19.01 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 387 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 387 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 664 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 456 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at the north-east entrance to the village of Lavaudieu, near La Senouire.

(S/E) From the car park, take the road between the Senouire river and Lavaudieu Abbey, Chemin des Estres, towards "Visitors pedestrian access to village and abbey".
After about 300 metres, turn immediately left onto the bridge over the Senouire.

Red and whiteGR®300markings

(1) Turn right onto theGR®300and, after about 100 m, ignore the path on the left. Stay on the path (GR®) that runs alongside La Senouire for about 2 km without deviating.

(2) Turn right at the hairpin bend.
At the next crossroads, turn left onto the small path, leave the woods and continue straight ahead on a wide path.
Near a farm and at the crossroads, continue straight ahead.

(3) At the tarmac road, turn left.
At the next fork, turn right onto the yellow bridge over the N102 road.
At the end of the bridge, turn right. You will reach a crossroads.

(4) Continue straight ahead on Rue de Pissavit (ignoring the roads on the right and left), heading north-west, then west.
After about 400 m, pass a road on the right and descend quickly. Continue to the next junction to leave the GR®300.

Red and whiteGR®470markings

(5) Turn left onto theGR® 470 on Montée de L'Houme.
After about 250 m, at the T-junction, continue straight on Grand'Rue to reach the village of Coste Cirgues.

(6) Go straight ahead onto Rue des Longes, then turn right and continue along the dirt track, following the markings.
Cross the Cherlet stream and turn right. You will come to a crossroads.

(7) Turn left.
When you come out of the woods, continue to the left.

(8) Walk alongside the village of Dintillat, which is on your right.

(9) At the fork, go straight ahead on the dirt track, then, at the next crossroads, leave the track on your left. Join the tarmac road.

(10) Turn left. After about 400 metres, in a left-hand bend (elevation 645), leave the road and continue along the grassy path, ignoring the paths on the right and left.

(11) At the crossroads, ignore the path on the right and turn right at the next junction. Leave the red and whiteGR®470markings at the inverted Y-junction.

Red and yellowGRP®Robede Bure and Cotte de Maille markings

(12) Turn left onto the GRP® dirt track.
After a few dozen metres, at a right-hand bend, ignore two paths branching off to the left.
At the next crossroads, turn left.
Continue on the main path through the woods for about 2 km, without deviating. Join a wide track.

(13) Turn right onto this track. Continue straight ahead for about 600 metres. You will come to a left-hand bend.

(14) Leave the main track and join a path that enters the woods.
At the crossroads, go straight ahead, and do the same at the next crossroads (elevation 631).

(15) Cross Route N102 with extreme caution, then turn left onto the tarmac road.
At the first junction, turn right and stay on the tarmac road.

(16) At the hamlet of Les Îles, continue on the tarmac road, ignoring the paths on the left and right.
At the end of the village, continue along the path without turning off.
After about 400 metres, ignore a path on the right.
You can make a round trip to the chapel at the first path on the left.

(17) You will come to a tarmac road near the hamlet of Pinols. Immediately turn right onto the small grassy path that continues into the woods. You will come to a second tarmac road.

(18) Turn right towards Lavaudieu.

(19) At the crossroads, turn right towards "Lavaudieu par le gué".
At the first crossroads, turn left. Further on, cross the Senouire river at the ford and head for the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 462 m - Lavaudieu car park. Towards the bridge at - Senouire (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.34 - alt. 462 m - On the right. GR300
  3. 2 : km 2.51 - alt. 507 m - Hairpin bend, turn right
  4. 3 : km 3.91 - alt. 527 m - Tarmac road
  5. 4 : km 4.4 - alt. 531 m - Straight ahead Rue de Pissavit
  6. 5 : km 5 - alt. 482 m - GR®300 – GR®470 junction. Towards the viewpoint on the - Allier (rivière)
  7. 6 : km 5.52 - alt. 527 m - Coste Cirgues
  8. 7 : km 7.04 - alt. 523 m - Crossroads
  9. 8 : km 8.04 - alt. 619 m - Dintillat
  10. 9 : km 8.27 - alt. 621 m - Fork in the road, go straight ahead
  11. 10 : km 8.75 - alt. 625 m - Tarmac road on the left
  12. 11 : km 10.24 - alt. 595 m - At the crossroads, go straight ahead.
  13. 12 : km 10.53 - alt. 603 m - Leave GR®470 and join GRP®
  14. 13 : km 12.69 - alt. 629 m - Turn right onto the path.
  15. 14 : km 13.37 - alt. 654 m - Continue straight ahead on the small path.
  16. 15 : km 15.17 - alt. 645 m - Cross Route N102
  17. 16 : km 15.88 - alt. 636 m - Cross Les Iles
  18. 17 : km 17.47 - alt. 645 m - Turn right onto the small path
  19. 18 : km 18.3 - alt. 514 m - Turn right onto the tarmac road.
  20. 19 : km 18.78 - alt. 474 m - Lavaudieu via the ford
  21. S/E : km 19.01 - alt. 462 m - Lavaudieu car park

Worth a visit

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
User 21313126

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk
There were even vultures on the islands (hamlet).

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Sissi
Sissi

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike starting from the La Bageasse campsite in Old Brioude to reach Coste Cirgues. Done backwards, I only followed the trail, which helped me a lot. The goal was not to be too tired to visit Lavaudieu (8.3 km from the campsite). I was also able to refill my water bottles.
24.8 km with 640 m elevation gain in 8 hours.
A nice hike, but two-thirds of it was in the sun with lots of farmland. I was a bit tired, probably because it was 6 km longer than expected.
Overall, it was quite pleasant and not too difficult as there wasn't much elevation gain.

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SylvainBouquetVichyRando
SylvainBouquetVichyRando

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, varied hike with stunning views of the Sénouire and Allier valleys. You'll pass through pretty, traditional hamlets. Be sure to stop off at the start or end of your hike in the magnificent village of Lavaudieu.
Thank you for this beautiful route.

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gilbonson
gilbonson

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route. It allows you to discover the region. We made a small detour to visit La Vieille Brioude.
The wine museum is very informative and the view of the bridge is magnificent.
Thank you for this beautiful route.

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randonew09
randonew09

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route, passing through several villages, easy despite its distance. Beautiful views of the Puy-de-Dôme and the Chaîne des Puys in the first part.
Please note that a few hundred metres before point 11, there is an inverted Y-junction where you must not take the right-hand turn that leaves the GR 470. It looks like the description of point 11, but at this junction you must continue straight ahead on the GR 470 to reach the "real" point 11, which is a little further on.

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Polyholy
Polyholy

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike, well marked, with no difficulties except for the oppressive heat on Saturday 21 August, but when you return to the starting point, you can cool off in the lovely river...

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ellestin
ellestin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route alternating between beautiful open views and shaded passages. You will discover a landscape shaped by agricultural activity and rich in vegetation. On the way back, take the time to stroll through the magnificent village of Lavaudieu and don't miss a visit to the cloister. We only came across two mountain bikers on the entire route, which is almost deserted at this time of year despite its appeal. The circular route is perhaps a little long, competing with a 13 km marked route that also starts from the car park.

Please note! The path down to Lavaudieu from the hamlet of Pinols is overgrown with brambles and tall grass, so we had to take the main road for about three kilometres, which was a minor inconvenience...

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