The Étang de Majonenc from Riom-ès-Montagne

(S/E) Start from the beautiful Place du Monument in the centre of Riom-ès-Montagne and head towards the station. Turn right onto Avenue de la Gare, passing Rue de la Gentiane on your right, where the company that makes Avéze, a gentian-based aperitif drink, is located.
Go straight through the roundabout and take Route du Coudert Est - D49 - (which runs alongside the cemetery on the right and the dairy on the left). At Coudert (where there is a GAEC producing excellent Auvergne cheeses), the road turns right and climbs.

(1) At Notre-Dame des Foyers, turn right onto the road that descends towards Volumard. Pass the hamlet via a left-hand bend and continue along the road to La Molier. When you reach the hamlet of La Molier, stay on the main road, keeping to the left.

(2) At the exit, at the last building, the Chemin de l'Étang de Majonenc begins on the right. The path is well marked and winds between the fields. Shortly after the start (about 150 to 200 m), ignore a path on the right that leads back to the hamlet of La Molier.
Similarly, ignore a path on the right about 300 metres further on, then do the same for the path on the left about 100 metres further on.

(3) At the next fork, continue straight ahead, leaving a path blocked by a large rock on your left (this will be the way back after you have walked around the pond).
The path continues through less agricultural landscapes and crosses the stream that flows out of the Majonenc pond and into the Véronne. A small wooden footbridge allows you to cross this stream when it is in water. Shortly afterwards, the path enters the forest.

(4) A crossroads appears shortly after entering the forest. Take the path on the left uphill and leave the steep path on the right, which is often used by mountain bikes. After a steep climb, the path winds down through the forest and then runs alongside a fence.

(5) Just before the pond, turn right and take the path that runs alongside the Étang de Majonenc before veering off to climb slightly into a sort of moorland and then between patches of grassland. This area has a few stony sections.

(6) At the crossroads of four paths, take the one on the left which leads back to the end of the pond. Continue to the D49 road, turning left and continuing straight ahead for five to six hundred metres.

(7) At a bend, turn left onto the path that leads to the pond. This path is suitable for vehicles. It quickly runs alongside the Étang de Majonenc pond and offers beautiful views of the whole area.

(8) At the pond dam, continue straight ahead and immediately pass a path on the right (as it leads back to the D49 road and is of no interest). The path more or less follows the stream that flows out of the pond before turning away to take us back to the crossroads we passed on the way there.

(3) The Étang de Majonhenc circular route is now complete. Return via the same route as on the way out to reach the Place du Monument in the centre of Riom-ès-Montagne (S/E).

It is advisable to wear sturdy footwear as the paths are sometimes stony or have exposed roots.

The route is marked in blue. Take care not to stray onto other paths used by mountain bikes, which are often steeper.

It is possible to start directly from the Sedour campsite and reach the starting point by following the Véronne, then taking the wooden footbridge at the sports facilities, continuing along Rue Marguerite Meynial, then Rue du Coudert. This alternative route adds about 1 km each way.

There is also a car park opposite the station (Rue du Champ de Foire), which is an excellent starting point.

Walkers who do not wish to walk along roads can consider starting directly from the point (2).

Similarly, those who wish to shorten this route can easily go from point (5) to point (8) by simply crossing the pond's water retention structure (path) and will only have a view of the Étang de Majonenc from this end.

Riom-ès-Montagne:
Toponymy
From the Gaulish rigomagos, meaning the king's market. Derived from the Gaulish word Rix or rig, the local "king", who undoubtedly collected market duties, accompanied by the Gaulish word magos. The Gaulish word magos first referred to a simple field, then a fairground, a market and finally the village or town that developed around this market.

Economy
Riom is primarily a service centre, employing 1,335 people in 2012. Healthcare is the leading sector in terms of employment (around 450 people). The town has more than 100 retailers and artisans, as well as around 100 jobs in central government departments (post office, public treasury, etc.).

Agriculture
Riom has around fifty farmers. The breeding of cattle of the local Salers breed plays an important role.

Agri-food
The production of Cantal and Bleu d'Auvergne cheeses is the main activity in the agri-food sector. The Société fromagère de Riom is the leading company in this field, employing 180 people. More than half of Bleu d'Auvergne production comes from Riom. The first dairy was opened in 1900 by Charles Seroude and from 1949 to 1958, La Vache qui Rit cheese was produced there. The factory brings together around 1,000 farmers within the UCFC.
A brand of gentian liqueur, Avèze, is produced locally and employs a few people. Visits are possible and allow you to learn more about the gentian harvest and the production of Avèze, a drink with many virtues (to be consumed in moderation).

Industry
Ceca, a subsidiary of Arkema, has one of France's three diatomite processing sites in Riom. The diatomite is extracted from a quarry located in the commune of Virargues. The diatomite company was founded in 1923. In 1949, the factory experienced a new boom when it was bought by CECA. The company employs around fifty people in Riom.

Things to see in Riom es Montagne and the surrounding area:
The Cousty dolmen.
Saint-Georges Church is a Romanesque church built between the 11th and 15th centuries. The choir capitals have been listed as a historic monument since 1924.
In 1924, the prehistoric dwellings of Châteauneuf were also listed as a historic monument.
The Barajol viaduct on the Bort-les-Orgues - Neussargues railway line.
Maison de la Gentiane (site of the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Nature Park) and Espace Avèze.
Botanical trails and family hikes.
Lakes of Roussillou, Les Bondes and Majonenc.
Montautel site, Châteauneuf organ pipes.
Ribeyrette waterfall on the Cheylat river.
(Source: Wikipedia)