A hiking trail in the Auvergne summer pastures, on a summit overlooking the spa resort of La Bourboule.
Calculated time: 4h45[?] 
Distance : 12.98km
Vertical gain : 354m
Vertical drop : 351m
Highest point : 1462m
Lowest point : 1249m 
Difficulty : Moderate
Back to starting point : Yes
Walking
Areas : Massif central, Monts Dore 
Location : Orcival
(63210)
Starting point : N 45.621477° / E 2.81999° Go to the Lac de Guery and park in the large car park at the end of the lake(D) 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 :
D/A : km 0 - alt. 1263m - Col de Guéry
1 : km 0.3 - alt. 1260m - Lac de Guéry
2 : km 5.19 - alt. 1459m - Puy Gros - Puy Gros
3 : km 6.56 - alt. 1342m - Le Tenon
4 : km 7.67 - alt. 1442m - Col de Saint Laurent - Col de Saint-Laurent (1450m)
5 : km 8.28 - alt. 1458m - Banne d'Ordanche - La Banne d'Ordanche
6 : km 10.04 - alt. 1397m - Ferme de Puy May
D/A : km 12.98 - alt. 1262m
No water source on this walk.
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
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).
13.84km
+922m
-922m
6h35
Difficult
Starting point in Mont-Dore - 63 - Puy-de-Dôme A trip to highest point of the Massif Central.
6.68km
+526m
-526m
3h25
Moderate
Starting point in Mont-Dore - 63 - Puy-de-Dôme A very beautiful hike in a conservation area.
11.78km
+321m
-317m
4h15
Moderate
Starting point in Chambon-sur-Lac - 63 - Puy-de-Dôme A circuit that forms a figure of 8 around Lac Chambon, with panoramic views of the lake and the Sancy range, the Valley of Chaudefour and a section through Murol via its castle.
16.34km
+907m
-909m
7h15
Moderate
Starting point in Chambon-sur-Lac - 63 - Puy-de-Dôme The very secretive and beautiful Chaudefour valley is a classified natural site, closed up by the steep contours of a glacial cirque. Peaks, needles, plumbs are as many natural defences for an intact and preserved valley.
7.81km
+223m
-224m
2h50
Moderate
Starting point in Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise - 63 - Puy-de-Dôme A Grand Tour of the beautiful and mysterious Lac Pavin, passing by the Puy de Montchal and the Creux de Soucy chasm.
4.31km
+220m
-214m
1h50
Moderate
Starting point in Saint-Genès-Champanelle - 63 - Puy-de-Dôme A short hike to climb two volcanoes with their typical open craters to delight amateur geologists and curious hikers. A beautiful view from the top of the Puy de Lassolas on over the Chaîne des Puys to the north and Monts Dore to the south.
4.79km
+140m
-140m
1h45
Easy
Starting point in Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise - 63 - Puy-de-Dôme A wander among the underbrush along the Couze Pavin, from bank to bank, flowing in cascades.
5.46km
+392m
-392m
2h40
Moderate
Starting point in Orcines - 63 - Puy-de-Dôme Just above Clermont-Ferrand, the inescapable climb to Puy-de-Dôme through the col de Ceyssat is a short but intense hike with an astonishing view over Clermont-Ferrand, the chaîne des Puys, paragliders and Millevaches.
Caution, it's a very popular walk so be sure to do it during week days for a bit of peace and quiet.
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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.
