Passing by Paulo's

This short hike will take you from the Quinssaines plateau to the village of Font Claude. Magnificent views of the towns of Montluçon, Huriel and Domérat. On the way back to the starting point, you will pass one of the last working vineyards in the region at Peuroir.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.44 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 164 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 171 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 409 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 298 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Quinssaines (03380)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 46.329492° / E 2.50601°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2328E, 2428SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

Departure from the Quinssaines Stadium car park.

(S/E) Cross Route de Saint-Martinien and go down Rue du Signat Long, passing in front of the school.

(1) When you reach Route de la Prade, turn left. Follow the small path for about 100 metres and continue along the tarmac road. Cross the small pond.

(2) Immediately after the pond, turn left onto Allée des Vieilles Pierres and cross the village of Boisdijoux. At the end of the road, take the path on the right (view of Montluçon).

(3) At the end of the path, turn left onto a wide track (very grassy in summer). Continue until you come to a wide stony path. Follow this path to the right until you come to a large cattle shed on the left.

(4) At the cattle shed, turn right onto a wide track. Follow it until you come to a small horse shelter on the left and, immediately after, take the track downhill on the left.

(5) Take the first path on the right. 100 metres further on, ignore the path on the left and continue straight ahead. At the T-junction, follow a small tarmac road uphill on the right. At the next junction, continue straight ahead. Then turn left towards the water tower and telephone masts.

(6) At the foot of the water tower, turn sharply left and take the wide downhill track (Chemin du Peu de la Crou). You will come to a tarmac road.

(7) Cross the tarmac road carefully, follow it to the right for a few metres and take the downhill path on the left. At the end of the path, take the tarmac road on the right for 50 metres.

(8) At the wash house, take the wide tarmac track uphill to the right. Pass in front of the vineyard (on the left), ignoring the paths perpendicular to the track you are following.

(9) At the fork 250 metres before the end of the road, take the dirt track on the right. Continue along Rue des Colombes and then Rue des Tourterelles on the right.

(1) Cross the tarmac road (Rue de la Prade) and continue straight on to the stadium (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 409 m - Quinssaines Stadium car park
  2. 1 : km 0.38 - alt. 392 m - La Prade - Crossroads
  3. 2 : km 0.84 - alt. 371 m - Pond - Crossroads
  4. 3 : km 1.86 - alt. 387 m - Crossroads
  5. 4 : km 3.09 - alt. 362 m - Stable
  6. 5 : km 3.84 - alt. 347 m - Crossroads, path on the right
  7. 6 : km 4.85 - alt. 383 m - Water tower and telephone antennas
  8. 7 : km 5.69 - alt. 323 m - Crossroads
  9. 8 : km 6.19 - alt. 299 m - Wash house
  10. 9 : km 7.54 - alt. 370 m - Fork
  11. S/E : km 8.44 - alt. 409 m - Quinssaines Stadium car park

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
3.8 / 5
Thierry.L
Thierry.L

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route is well described but not signposted, which makes it unusable without documentation.

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Jakubczak Serge
Jakubczak Serge

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

An easy hike; ideal for moderately active seniors.

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Lilou03
Lilou03

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with magnificent views of Montluçon and its surroundings. The route is well explained, and the paths are pleasant and easy to walk on. Without rushing and with a few stops to admire the scenery, it took us a little less time than expected. We recommend it.

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migoulette
migoulette

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

For us, nothing more...

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gaufauvre
gaufauvre

A beautiful hike of just over 8.4 km (9.4-9.6 km), with a little bit of tarmac but very passable paths. I recommend it.
Gilles AUFAUVRE

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Bernard VELUT
Bernard VELUT

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 19, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

The first part of the route is pleasant, with very passable paths and a few slopes that may prove tedious for those who are not very fit.
However, what made me rate this route as only "average" is its last part, namely the return to Quinssaines from Font Claude on roads or wide paths with no shade, straight and with a continuous steady slope (which is not in itself a fault but accentuates the unpleasant aspect).
I think that if I were to do this hike again, I would do it in the opposite direction.

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MARTIchou07
MARTIchou07

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 15, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello
We did this route this morning. It's really very pleasant, but perhaps it would be a good idea to mark it out, unless you're not allowed to do so and are wary of country walks.
Otherwise, it is perfectly described, except at the end where at "9" you say "at the fork 250 metres before the end of the road". This is not clear at all, given that after the vineyard on the left, the road is in poor condition and disappears underground, and we don't know what to do!
We think it would be better to say "from the vineyard, continue straight on the road for about 800m until you reach a fork, then take the right-hand path marked 'coursage'".
Thank you again for this beautiful hike, which we completed in 2 hours and 15 minutes despite the extra kilometre we walked due to this hesitation.
(Nordic walking).

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Marzan23
Marzan23

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

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francoise-rouge
francoise-rouge

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello,

A lovely walk with views of Montluçon.
It's a bit quicker than advertised (~ 2½ hours) without rushing.

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bernica
bernica

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Very well-marked route, easy and pleasant hike.

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