Plateau des Dômes and Narse d'Espinasse

In Fontclairant, park in the car park at the picnic area.
Please note: this hike is not fully signposted.

(S/E) Leave the village via the southern access road, turn right onto the D5 for about 50 metres, staying on the right-hand side, then cross over and take the first road on the left. Immediately turn onto the path on the right, parallel to the D5.

(1) You will come to a small road. Follow it to the left (Chemin de Bouffevent), ignoring the Chemin de la Voie Romaine which continues opposite. Ignore all the turnings on either side until you come to a crossroads with several roads, marked by an iron cross.

(2) Cross the road on your left, then at the cross, cross again and take Rue de Passadou, marked in yellow, which climbs up opposite. Continue along this street, which turns into a path, until you reach the large sheds of the public works company (which spoil the landscape for several hundred metres around). Then turn left. Further on, you will see a yellow sign saying "Altitude 993m" as the path veers to the right, then arrives at an intersection with another path.

(3) Turn right, following the yellow markings. Further on, the path veers to the left and joins a road. Take it to the left.

(4) As the road curves to the left, continue straight ahead on the path. At the four-way intersection, continue straight ahead.

(5) At the next T-junction, turn left, then take the first path on the right. At the next junction, turn right again onto a path overlooking the village of Monne and the Monne Valley.

(6) At the intersection marked with a small cross, turn right. Ignore a path on the right further on, then, at the next intersection, continue to the left. Continue along this path, ignoring the small paths on the left. At the T-junction, turn left, pass the cistern and continue to the D5.

(7) Cross (carefully!) and continue along the street opposite. Ignore the streets on the right, pass in front of the "Maison de Blanche-Neige" and leave the street to follow the path opposite, veering slightly to the left. Shortly afterwards, ignore a path on the left, then another further on that climbs up to Puy de Monténar.

(8) At the crossroads of four paths, go down to the right, continue straight ahead at the next crossroads, cross the Labadeau and ignore the path on the left just after, then go back up. Ignore a path on the right shortly before reaching a crossroads of paths/roads at the entrance to Saulzet-le-Froid.

(9) Continue straight towards the village, following the^GR®® markings (but ignore these markings further on in the village, as they are inconsistent), ignoring a street on the right. At the crossroads, at a fountain and wash house, continue straight ahead along a wall. Ignore a street on the right.

(10) At the crossroads of four streets near a fountain, go straight ahead following the^GR®® markings in the direction of the rural lodges. Continue following the^GR®® markings on the path that extends the street until you reach a crossroads of four paths, near the yellow signs (Suc Plana marker).

(11) Leave the^GR®® and turn left, following the yellow markings. At a stream, the Narse, ignore the path on the right and continue straight ahead towards a^PR®® sign^. Arrive in Espinasse at a farm (Chabot, ventre de Saint-Nectaire) and follow the street to the right. Pass to the right of a fountain and continue straight ahead until you come to another fountain on the left-hand side of the street.

(12) Turn right towards the "la Narse" sign. Continue straight ahead on this "Chemin des Morts" for about 400m. About 40 metres before reaching a cross, turn onto a path on the right that descends towards La Narse. The path goes around this small marsh, below Puy de l'Enfer, on your left. You will reach a crossroads with several paths at the yellow signs.

(13) Ignore the wider paths and take a more discreet path that climbs to the left of the signs and offers a beautiful view of the Narse. Further up, do not follow the edge of the wood, but turn right. You will come to a wide path marked by the^GR®®441, at the yellow signs.

(14) Follow the^GR®® on the left towards Puy de Boursoux, keeping left at the fork just after. You will come to a road at the yellow signs and continue straight on along the path marked by the^GR®®. Ignore the paths branching off on either side to reach a crossroads with four paths.

(15) Continue straight ahead (^GR®®), go around the small Garandie campsite and continue left on the road, which immediately turns into a path. Further on, ignore a path that branches off to the right. The path descends further on to a crossroads.

(16) Follow the^GR®® to the right and head towards Puy de Charmont. About 200 metres further on, ignore a path on the left and continue straight ahead on the new GR®441 route (sign).

(17) Further on, when the new^GR®® route turns left, continue straight ahead. Enter the village of Fontclairant, pass a fountain on your right and then turn right immediately afterwards to return to the picnic area (S/E).

Moderate difficulty hike, standard hiking equipment

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here and more generally in the Puy-de-Dôme here

Some photos here

Between (12) and (13) La Narse d'Espinasse is a maar (volcanic lake) that has gradually filled in to become a small marsh. It is a protected natural site.

At (13) before climbing up the slopes of Puy de l'Enfer on the right, take a few steps to the left until you reach the bridge over the Narse, which is also the name of this stream. Shortly afterwards, it joins another stream, the Labadeau, to form the River Veyre. The river, its tributaries and Lake Aydat, which it feeds, have been benefiting from a rehabilitation programme for several years.