La Chaussade walks

This walk follows the paths once taken by Jean Guitton during his holidays in the Creuse at the Château de Fournoux. Hiking map available from the Auzances tourist office (Place du Marché).

Starting from Néoux, this is a short, easy circular family walk along pleasant paths and part of a Roman road, the Sentier de César, through woods and meadows. The route is designed to avoid roads as far as possible.

A pleasant little circular, best done on a spring day. The embankments are bursting with wildflowers: orchids, forget-me-nots, Solomon's seals, chickweed, garlic mustard, crosswort, Persian speedwell, bright pink campion... a riot of colour! This is an easy, countryside walk that's perfect for families. There are a few ponds and two pretty castles to discover along the way.

West of Felletin, starting from the hamlet of Verminier, this route crosses forests, woods, meadows and hamlets. You will cross small streams and walk along ridges that often offer unobstructed views. There are few roads on this walk, but there are a few climbs to warm up your legs.

The three-village trail will take you from the village of Chard to the village of Lioux-les-Monges, where you can enjoy beautiful views and visit the Jardin de la Cure. You will finish the hike by crossing the village of Châtelard. Hiking information sheet available from the Auzances tourist office (Place du Marché).

Starting from Sous-Parsat, this hike offers the opportunity to admire the amazing frescoes and stained glass windows of the village's Saint-Thomas Church, to stop at Mareilles in front of the "cylindrical" fountain and its pretty basin, and to walk through the undergrowth or across the bocage.

Set off to explore the town of Auzances and the village of La Mérodie. Hiking information sheet available from the Auzances Tourist Office (Place du Marché).

A short, shaded circular loop between woods and meadows, hilly, consisting of very passable dirt tracks and very small roads used by locals. During the walk, you will pass a small pond with tables and benches. Horses may be present on the route.

A family walk around this lake, which is classified as a National Nature Reserve.

A circular loop through the pastures of the Creuse countryside. Alternating between paths and very small roads. Beautiful views of the countryside. No shade, so avoid this walk in hot weather.

A beautiful hike at the gateway to Auvergne, discovering the small heritage sites and landscapes of Creuse. Discover the flora and fauna of our countryside and stop at pretty viewpoints.

During this walk, you will discover some of the many ponds in the commune of Flayat. You are in a mushroom-rich area and the landscape is spectacular in autumn when the trees are ablaze with colour and reflected in the ponds.

This is an opportunity to discover a rather secret path leading to the impressive Poirier Waterfall. Here, the Thaurion becomes a bubbling river that bounces off large granite boulders. This walk will also take you across two footbridges over the Thaurion, between twin ponds, along paths through woods and undergrowth, and across meadows.

This hike offers the chance to discover several wooden statues, magnificent views and various examples of local heritage. You will also pass through the village of Charron with its church and imposing war memorial.

A circular walk starting from the village. This is a pretty path through woods and meadows with a few hills. A pleasant surprise awaits you on the last four kilometres, where wooden statues have been placed along the route.

This short hike also gives you the opportunity to discover the charming village of Chambon-sur-Voueize. The walk can be done as a circular route, but only the first half runs along the Voueize gorges. For once, I vote for a return trip to enjoy the scenery along the banks twice.

Stroll through the Drouille Forest along small paths. Enjoy the magnificent undergrowth and admire several crosses along the way, including the imposing stone cross of Courdemanges.

Starting from Courdemanges, this is a magnificent, well-maintained walk through woodland. Note the recent restoration of an old weighbridge, magnificent views and the imposing Croix Tontus in the village of Courdemanges.

Along a narrow goat track lined with boxwood forest, this circuit takes you through a wild landscape of gorges, where memories of a pilgrimage to the Virgin Mary remain on the banks of the Chat-Cros.

The village of Royère-de-Vassivière was established on a strategic pass on the Millevaches plateau, at the crossing point of a prehistoric ridge path. The ridge paths (or pouges) allowed people to travel long distances. They favoured the granite peaks of the rounded hills, called Puy or Peux, and avoided the damp, peaty valley bottoms that only cattle frequented.

A journey through the centuries: history, legends and mysteries await you. At the foot of the village tower, strange fields of stones spread out and serve as hiding places for fairies and elves.

Peat bogs develop in granite basins called alveoli, where the acidic, poor soil provides favourable conditions for their growth. These fragile environments are home to a specific flora composed of very particular primitive plants: sphagnum mosses. The different stages are visible here: low marshes covered with quaking bogs, active raised bogs, and peat heaths bordered by willows and birches.

Chassagnas, of Latin origin, Cassania or Gallic Cassanus, means oak. Chassagnas consists of a wooded slope down to the edge of Lake Vassivière and a partially open summit offering a 180° view of the lake. The Chassagnas peninsula, jutting out into the heart of Lake Vassivière, forms the boundary between the Creuse and Haute-Vienne departments. Together with its twin, the Puy du Rocher, which dominates Vauveix, it forms a barrier between the lake's two main bays.

Nature and Land Art for this second stage, around the 5th largest artificial lake in France!

A lovely little hike with beautiful views of the Cher, starting from Saint-Genest south of Montluçon.

The steep slopes protect the site and its wild appearance, home to a variety of fauna and rich flora. In the past, the gorges were the lifeline of the commune. The paths led to the sunny slopes devoted to vineyards and served flour and hemp mills.