La Banne d'Ordanche

de fr

A hiking trail in the Auvergne summer pastures, on a summit overlooking the spa resort of La Bourboule.

Details

n°13138
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.06 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,509 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,483 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 4,938 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 4,091 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

View of Lake Guéry
Banne d'Ordanche
the climb
A few snowfalls in early May on the Sancy (Photo from Puy Gros)

Description of the walk

Go to the Lac de Guery and park in the large car park at the end of the lake(S) This is where this walking tour in Auvergne starts.

Take the GR®30 path (red and white waymarks). N.B. Contrary to what is stated on the IGN map, this GR® path goes along the right bank of the lake in order to avoid the road.

Stay on the waymarked hiking trail which, after taking you on a path due south to the end of the lake, goes towards the west. You'll reach the summit of Puy Gros (1) Go downhill to the hamlet called Tenon. Here you leave the hiking trail (2)to take a smaller hiking trail (yellow waymarks), going through pastures and leading to a large track at the Col de St-Laurent (3) Take a left to reach the summit of La Banne d'Ordnacge (4) going up the wooden stairway.

Return to the crossroad mentioned before and continue on the track, due East and then due North-East. Go through the farm of Puy Mary ruins (5)before regaining the heritage trail (Sentier Découverte) (6) which takes you back to the car park.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 4,144 ft - Car park north of Lac de Guéry - Col de Guéry
  2. 1 : mi 0.18 - alt. 4,134 ft - Carrefour - Lac de Guéry
  3. 2 : mi 3.23 - alt. 4,865 ft - Puy Gros
  4. 3 : mi 4.08 - alt. 4,413 ft - Au Vieux Loup
  5. 4 : mi 4.77 - alt. 4,754 ft - Col de Saint-Laurent (1450m)
  6. 5 : mi 5.15 - alt. 4,875 ft - La Banne d'Ordanche
  7. 6 : mi 6.24 - alt. 4,583 ft - Puy May Farm
  8. S/E : mi 8.06 - alt. 4,144 ft - Car park north of Lac de Guéry

Notes

No water source on this walk.

Worth a visit

The summer pastures allow you to catch a glimpse of cows grazing peacefully during this hike. Chalets are no longer occupied, the shepherds now live in camping vans. Further down on La Banne, gentian grows freely, which is used for making drinks such as Suze, local colour known as Avèze (drink in moderation).

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.

Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 235 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
User 29597873

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike in cloudy weather, which wasn’t a bad thing as there’s no shade once you move away from the lake. There are some steep climbs, but these are followed by flat sections, which give you a chance to catch your breath.
You go from the lakeside forest to rolling pastures, then on to peaks with breathtaking views. The return is a gentle walk along a wide, slightly downhill path.
A very good hike; best done in this direction rather than the other (follow the signs for Banne d’Ordanche).

Machine-translated

User 3291909

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk

Machine-translated

User 28203690

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A brilliant walk, thank you very much

Machine-translated

User 18570654

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I’d say it’s somewhere between moderate and difficult, but it’s a really interesting hike. Well worth doing (with a short detour to see the waterfall nearby)

Machine-translated

User 22498352

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 21, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely, peaceful walk, though it’s very busy.

Machine-translated

stjo
stjo

@faistos The proof is in: when you go hiking, you should never set off late.

Machine-translated

faistos
faistos

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Late November with an average of a few centimetres of snow, but much more in some places. We set off late, so the climb was quite tough. We reluctantly decided not to climb the Banne d'Ordanche, as we were worried about night falling. Fortunately, the end of the route is very easy going (despite the slush): it's a gentle downhill slope for several kilometres and we finished well before nightfall.
A magnificent ride that we will do again, leaving earlier this time.

Machine-translated

Did63
Did63

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I loved the route and the magnificent 360° view from the summit of Banne d'Ordanche.

Machine-translated

michelmarieandree
michelmarieandree

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with magnificent views, enjoyed under a beautiful autumn sun. We encountered a few cows in the pastures. No difficulty following the route.

Machine-translated

Woshee
Woshee

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with incredible views of both the Sancy and the Chaîne des Puys.
Took 4 hours with a short break and at a fairly brisk pace. The elevation changes are quite intense, and sometimes rocky.

Machine-translated

fanmirando
fanmirando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Stunning panoramic views.
Extremely busy due to nearby parking.
The return journey can be enhanced by taking the ridge route for the first part.

Machine-translated

berdoy.jean
berdoy.jean

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great ride, beautiful scenery, splendid views.
It was a pleasure...

Machine-translated

Cécile 45
Cécile 45

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike with views of the Sancy and Puy de Dôme mountains and magnificent landscapes on the Banne plateau that invite you to relax and unwind. We came across some pretty cows grazing in the pastures!
The way back is less pleasant but has the advantage of being flat, so you can rest a little.

Machine-translated

User 8947162

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

.

Machine-translated

berdoy.jean
berdoy.jean

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

excellent hike, magnificent!!!

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Circular on the north-western side of Lake Guery

Visorando Member
Boucle côté Nord-Ouest du Lac de Guery
↔2.89 mi ↗+312 ft ↘-312 ft ◔1h 35 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Orcival (Puy-de-Dôme)
On the agenda: pontoons, Cascade des Mortes waterfall, magnificent pastures, pine forest, surprise from the (4).

Walking The Lac de Servières from the Lac de Guéry

Visorando Member
Le Lac de Servières depuis de Lac de Guéry
↔9.53 mi ↗+1,683 ft ↘-1,683 ft ◔5h 50 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Orcival (Puy-de-Dôme)
The Lac de Guéry, of volcanic origin, is the starting point for this hike. At 1244 m, it is the highest lake in Auvergne. Along the way, you'll follow the ridge to the Lac de Servières. ⚠️Please note that the route of the GR® 30 has been modified since 2022, and several sections have been changed and no longer correspond with the IGN maps.

Walking Les Roches Tuilières and Sanadoire

Visorando Member
↔6.88 mi ↗+1,401 ft ↘-1,401 ft ◔4h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Orcival (Puy-de-Dôme)
After a fairly challenging first section through the woods, the second part of the circuit is more peaceful and higher up, offering magnificent views of the Roches Tuilière and Sanadoire, real geological curiosities, and the tranquil valley of the Ruisseau de Fontsalade.

Walking The Fontsalade Valley and the Roches Tuilières and Sanadoire

Visorando Member
↔4.75 mi ↗+1,325 ft ↘-1,332 ft ◔3h 20 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Orcival (Puy-de-Dôme)
A circular route mainly through forest, with the sound of numerous streams flowing into the valley. The route passes at the foot of the two iconic "sentinels" of Le Guéry, although you can't really see them because they are hidden by the forest. It is not until you reach the hamlet of Cros that a surprising landscape is revealed.

Walking The Puy de l'Angle via the ridges south of the Col de la Croix Morand

Visorando Member
Le Puy de l'Angle par les crêtes au sud du Col de la Croix Morand
↔4.74 mi ↗+1,673 ft ↘-1,670 ft ◔3h 40 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Chambon-sur-Lac (Puy-de-Dôme)
For anyone from Auvergne, the Col de la Croix Morand is inextricably linked to Jean-Louis Murat, who sang about it better than anyone else (and who was also the only one to do so!). Starting from the pass and heading south, you walk along the ridges and cross a few puys in a magnificent setting of wide open spaces and panoramic views of the volcanic Auvergne, witha"deep feeling" of freedom.

Walking Col de la Croix Morand - Courbanges

Visorando Member
Col de la Croix Morand - Courbanges
↔9.75 mi ↗+1,230 ft ↘-2,051 ft ◔5h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Chambon-sur-Lac (Puy-de-Dôme)
You’ll pass close to farms, with lovely countryside scenery, then you’ll go through Chambon-sur-Lac and, of course, its lake, and you’ll take the Chemin des Quayres as you head deep into a thick forest.

Walking Puy Gros

Visorando Member
Puy Gros
↔8.24 mi ↗+2,008 ft ↘-2,034 ft ◔5h 30 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Mont-Dore (Puy-de-Dôme)
A very pleasant short hike for beginners with breathtaking views of the Sancy and the Chaîne des Puys. Description and route updated by moderator on 13 May 2024.

Walking Circular from Lac de Servières to Puy de l'Ouire

Visorando Member
Boucle du Lac de Servières au Puy de l'Ouire
↔6.49 mi ↗+958 ft ↘-951 ft ◔3h 50 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Orcival (Puy-de-Dôme)
A circular starting from Lac de Servières takes you to the ridges, where you will have magnificent views of Lac de Guéry, La Banne d'Ordanche and the Sancy ridges. The climb is gentle on a forest road and the descent follows theGR®30trail, where walking poles will come in handy.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.