La Saunade

In Pontaumur (40 km west of Clermont-Ferrand), take the D987 (towards Saint-Gervais-d’Auvergne), then the D206 (towards Montel-de-Gelat) and the D206A as far as Landogne. Car park at the entrance to the village on the left.

(S/E) Church square, 17th-century church and bell; walk down Rue Principale towards La Borderie. Once you’ve left the village, take the first path on the right to join the^GR®4at a footbridge over the Saunade.

(1) Turn right, leaving the footbridge on your left (the return route), stay on the left bank and head up the Saunade valley to the Chabre mill.

(2) Before the bridge, veer right onto the tarmac road and temporarily leave the riverbank. Pass through the hamlet of Viallevelours and continue to the T-junction.

(3) Turn left and leave the^GR®4. There is a cross dedicated to the shepherdess Marie Girodon, with a view of the Sancy massif. Head downhill until you rejoin the Saunade, turn right and follow it to a junction near a bridge.

(4) Cross the river over this small bridge. Head uphill and pass through the hamlet of Saunade.

(5) A few dozen metres after leaving Saunade, take the path on the left for over 1 km, until you reach the junction with a small road at the entrance to the village of La Cassière.

(6) Turn right to cross the village, following the tarmac road, and, about 200 m past the last houses, turn left onto a path. View of the Chaîne des Puys. Head down into the woods, cross a stream and head back up to the left until you reach a crossroads in the woods.

(7) At the crossroads, turn right and head towards the hamlet of Les Vialles, then walk through it.

(8) At the next crossroads, turn 90° to the left and head towards a pond. Head back up through the woods to reach a crossroads where five paths meet (cross).

(9) Head left (^GR®4) along a wide path. Views of the Chaîne des Puys, the Sancy, Landogne and the Combrailles. Continue on to reach La Borderie, at a bend in a small road.

(10) Continue to the left for about 150 m and, just after the bend to the right, take the path on the left which winds down through the woods to rejoin the Saunade at the footbridge you crossed on the way out.

(1) Cross the Saunade and turn right, retracing your steps along the path you took on the way out to return to Landogne (S/E).

Walk suggested bythe Combrailles Tourist Office
Hike details.

For your safety, always take a bottle of water, a hat, warm and rainproof clothing, and wear suitable walking shoes.
Depending on weather conditions, some routes are not recommended in bad weather (fog) or are impassable, or even off-limits, during the winter season.
Some sites are fragile; please stay on the marked paths. Avoid picking wild flowers and disturbing wildlife. Please take your rubbish with you.
On some routes, pets are not allowed.