La Sauvetat (Puy-de-Dôme) walks

Between Issoire and Clermont-Ferrand, the broad, agricultural Limagne plateau boasts a number of beautiful villages with a rich built heritage: forts and ramparts, towers and keeps, fine winegrowers' houses, fountains and wash-houses.

This walk on the plateau allows you to walk on paving stones from the old Montpeyroux quarry, visit this magnificent wine-growing village and discover the banks of the Allier in the undergrowth.

The winegrowers' houses in the village of Corent are huddled together on a narrow terrace on the eastern slope of the Corent Plateau. On the plateau, an archaeological site highlights the remains of an important Gallic and then Roman settlement. The slopes of the plateau are covered with vineyards producing the Côtes d'Auvergne Corent AOP. You may even spot some chamois. At the bottom of the plateau, the banks of the Allier are rich in carbonated springs.

From Ludesse, on the plateau, descend into the Couze Chambon valley to explore two citadel villages, Champeix, the City of Gardens, and Montaigut-le-Blanc, the City of Cats (personal name).

Between Saint-Maurice and Mirefleurs, two former wine-growing villages, the Vallon des Bouys, overlooking the Allier, consists of dry grasslands whose flora and fauna are protected. Below the valley, old lime kilns bear witness to the local exploitation of limestone. On the site of the former Sainte-Marguerite spa, a geyser awaits your arrival, perhaps to wake up.

This route is linked to a quiz walk that allows you to discover the town's iconic sites and learn about its history and heritage in a fun way. Find the "Au fil de nos histoires" poster on the church square and scan the QR code to start the game (free, no registration or app download required). You can choose the "adult" trail or the "adult + child" trail (with additional questions for children aged 6 to 11). The description below refers only to the "adult" route.

From the beautiful wine-growing village of Saint-Maurice, climb to the summit of Puy Saint-Romain for a beautiful view of Sancy, Livradois and the Chaîne des Puys. Then descend to the banks of the Allier to discover the springs of an ancient thermal park.Visorando app useful in certain places.

This walk begins in Saint-Saturnin, a village between the Monne Gorges and the Veyre Valley. The village is home to one of the most important Romanesque churches in Auvergne and a royal castle. The walk continues to Notre-Dame de Randol Abbey, passing through green, rolling countryside.

This hike allows you to discover the Montepo site, which has been developed by the Arkose Association. You will discover stromatolites, a geological curiosity of the tertiary limestone rocks of the Limagne plain. The view before you highlights the Limagne Fault and the associated volcanic activity (informative panels are provided). In May and June, many species of orchids bloom on these dry grasslands. Finally, the balcony trail along the cornices of the old terraces cultivated in the last century offers beautiful views of the medieval village of Saint-Saturnin and its castle.

Hike in the hills of Limagne d'Issoire, including a visit to two old wine-growing villages and passing through the small village of Puy Moriot, old arkose quarries and a stonemason's hut.

Take a loop starting from Mirefleurs to discover this eco-park on the banks of the Allier, a former quarry transformed into a natural wetland. You can observe a number of birds from the observation points, so don't forget to bring your binoculars. There are unobstructed views of the Chaîne des Puys in the first part of the walk. Mirefleurs is a pleasant village with many old houses. There are lots of plum and walnut trees along the route.

This is a short walk on an urban route that follows the green corridor in the village of Le Cendre. A family walk that will allow you to discover this small, welcoming and friendly village.

The hiking trail climbs up to the village of Les Roches, a prehistoric site currently undergoing restoration, then leads to Pardines via the plateau before descending through a beautiful acacia forest. Here you can see the outcrop of ancient lacustrine sediments, known as Lahres.

From Romagnat, in the north, cross the Gergovie Plateau to discover the village of Gergovie on the south side. On the plateau, there are beautiful views of the Chaîne des Puys and, in the distance, the Massif du Sancy and the Monts du Forez.

An easy walk on the outskirts of Clermont-Ferrand in a cool valley.