Moissac Bas pond and bog

Following this route, you will pass successively through forest, fields and pastures. You will discover the volcanic activity of the village of Moissac Bas, its pond and its forming peat bog.

Details

1847038
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.65 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 360 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 359 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 909 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 585 m

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at the bottom of the village of Saint-Didier-sur-Doulon on the banks of the Doulon. To get there, walk past the inn and turn right at the church.

(S/E) Walk up from the car park, turn left and cross the bridge over the Doulon.

(1) Turn right, head towards a large house and take the dirt track on its left. Cross the Ruisseau des Lavanches stream.

(2) Ignore the path on the left that goes uphill. Turn right.

(3) When you reach Le Vialard, turn left, ignore the tarmac road on the left and take the dirt track towards a wooden shed.
Ignore the path on the right and continue past the right-hand side of a house. Further on, the path crosses a pasture and passes to the right of a farm shed.

(4) You are now in front of the peat bog surrounding the Étang de Moissac Bas. Continue to the left.

(5) At the crossroads, turn right towards the village, then turn left in front of the house of the blessed woman and at the next crossroads (cross), turn right and join a district road. Turn right again.

(6) Cross the bridge over the Ruisseau de la Gazelle and take the dirt track on the left that climbs into the woods. Turn left and continue uphill. Reach the top of the knoll of the Suc de Garde, then descend towards the village of Lugeastre-Bas. Cross the village, turning left.

(7) At the crossroads, turn left and then immediately take the path on the right that leads towards Lugeastre-Haut. In the hamlet, at the three-way junction, turn left.

(8) Turn left and ignore the two paths on the left.

(9) Continue left, then left again towards Moissac Haut, heading due north.

(10) At the crossroads, turn left. Do not go through the village but walk along its left side. Take a path on the left to enter the forest, heading north-west. The dirt track descends to the village of Souvy.

(11) Turn right, then left at the hairpin bend and follow the tarmac road towards Saint-Didier-sur-Doulon.

(1) Turn right and cross the bridge over the Doulon to reach the (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 585 m - Car park at the edge of the - Doulon (ruisseau) - Affluent de la Senouire
  2. 1 : km 0.16 - alt. 592 m - Common fork in the road on the way there and back
  3. 2 : km 1.27 - alt. 637 m - Lavanches stream
  4. 3 : km 1.77 - alt. 673 m - Le Vialard
  5. 4 : km 2.85 - alt. 706 m - Bog
  6. 5 : km 3.1 - alt. 709 m - Crossroads, on the right
  7. 6 : km 3.58 - alt. 701 m - Bridge then path on the left
  8. 7 : km 5.69 - alt. 804 m - Crossroads, on the left
  9. 8 : km 6.2 - alt. 850 m - Crossroads, on the left
  10. 9 : km 6.41 - alt. 871 m - Crossroads, on the left
  11. 10 : km 7.24 - alt. 890 m - Moissac Haut, on the left
  12. 11 : km 8.28 - alt. 761 m - Road, on the right
  13. S/E : km 10.65 - alt. 585 m - Car park on the banks of the Doulon

Notes

The only refreshment point is the Auberge du Doulon. Part of the route is through forest, so it is shaded in summer.

Worth a visit

Visit the village of Saint-Didier.
If it is open, you can visit the Haitian art gallery.
(3) Before arriving in the village of Le Vialard, see the well on the right-hand side of the path.

(4) Moissac Bas peat bog
Moissac Bas: Maison de la Béate.

(9) Panoramic view: (from left to right) Margeride, Cantal and Cézallier mountains, Sancy mountain range.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 5804250

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with most of the trail through the woods, which is very pleasant when it's hot. The climb is quite challenging but the views are worth it. There are no particular difficulties along the route. It took us less time than indicated (2.5 hours instead of 4 hours) and we are not experienced hikers.
We returned to Saint Didier with a quick stop to dip our feet in the cool water of the Doulon River!

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Thierry63400
Thierry63400

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike. The paths were impassable in places due to the huge ruts left by forestry machinery on the soggy ground. Some points of interest: the bog and pond, the beater's house, numerous wells and several hamlets.

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grandin
grandin ★

randobaissac
I have forwarded your request. Next time, it would be better if you went through the forum.

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randobaissac
randobaissac
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route, with sections through forests, open countryside and small traditional hamlets. You can leave the road and take a marked path on the left on the descent before the finish.
Magnificent views.

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MARTDomi
MARTDomi

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy hike with no difficulties.

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yves charlemagne
yves charlemagne

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant route in this region, with an original layout that avoids the usual paths.
In wet weather, choose your footwear carefully as the route often passes through tall grass.
After point 11 and a few hundred metres, you can leave the road by following the yellow-marked trail on the left.

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