The Gorce Valley

Park in the car park of the Maison du Parc des Volcans in Montlosier.

Please note! This route is not marked as such.

(S/E) Head north/east along the road, following the sign for "Puy de Lassolas" and the yellow disc markings. Continue to follow these markings when the path turns left.

(1) At the crossroads, ignore the yellow disc markings that lead off to the right towards Lassolas, and turn left, along a private wood. At the next crossroads, turn right towards Puy de Montjuger. Continue to the puy and walk along the bottom of it.

(2) At the junction with the^GR®®30(red and white markings), follow the red and white markings to the left to walk along the Puy de Pourcharet. Continue on this^GR®® until otherwise indicated. On the outskirts of Recoleine, turn left and then immediately right. Just after this, a few metres before the sign for Recoleine, descend to the left towards the village via a grassy path.

(3) In the village, continue straight on along Allée du Château to descend steeply below the D2089 and pass under the road. On the other side, turn right to follow the road. Cross a stream and continue on the^GR®® which moves away from the road. Continue through a hilly landscape.

(4) Cross a stream. At the junction with a road, continue straight ahead, slightly to the left.

(5) Cross the Ruisseau de la Gorce stream on a makeshift footbridge, then climb up the other side and continue straight ahead.

(6) At the crossroads, leave the red and white^GR®® markings that lead left towards Neuville and turn right (towards Les Eaux) onto the path that follows the ridge. There is a beautiful view of the Chaîne des Puys on the right.

(7) At the junction with another path, continue to the left and you will come to a small road. Take it to the right towards the hamlet of Olmont. Shortly afterwards, ignore a second road on the left and continue straight ahead along a farm. Immediately afterwards, turn right onto a path that quickly veers left, heading north, to a crossroads with yellow signs.

(8) Turn right, heading east. Further on, the path begins to curve to the right. Just before this curve, descend to the left via a grassy path onto a road below. Continue left on the road and cross the Ruisseau de la Gorce stream again via a bridge.

(9) Immediately afterwards, turn left onto a path that runs alongside the stream. Join another path and follow it to the left, above the stream. The path heads north-east and then east, climbing upwards.

(10) Leave the valley to find the panorama of the Chaîne des Puys and discover the bell tower of the church of Nébouzat. Shortly afterwards, turn right onto a path between meadows and then, at the next crossroads, turn left towards Nébouzat. You will come out onto the network of roads at the D2089 junction. Turn right, then left, then right again to pass under the D2089. On the other side, head left.

(11) At the small roundabout, turn right to pass in front of the cheese shop. Look for the^GR®® (red and white) trail markers and follow them through the village. Further on, ignore Rue de l'Église on the right, but turn right at the next crossroads. Follow this street, which curves to the left, and continue straight on Rue de la Croze. Continue on this street, which then veers to the left, then climbs to the right and makes a hairpin turn to end at Rue de la Chapelle.

(12) Leave the^GR®® trail on your right and turn left to pass in front of the chapel, then turn right in front of the cemetery.

(13) Turn onto the first path on the right. At the next crossroads, turn left and then immediately right. This path curves to the left. At this bend, continue straight ahead along a path that crosses the Bois du Deveix woods.

(14) You will come to a road at the entrance to Recoleine. Follow it to the left for a few metres, then turn left onto the first street that leads back (between a garage and a red and black house). Go up this road, which turns into a path. Just after the hairpin bend to the right, turn left onto the path that leads to Puy de Pourcharet.

(15) At the edge of the forest, turn left to go around the hill. Continue along the main path through this mixed forest of beech and fir trees, ignoring all the paths branching off to the left. On the other side of the hill, you will see a meadow on the right-hand side of the path.

(16) Shortly afterwards, the path leaves the forest and turns left to cross the meadow. You will come to a crossroads with the^GR®® 4/30/441. Continue straight on along the^GR®® (towards Montlosier).

(17) Further on, at a beautiful beech tree, ignore the path on the left that climbs up to Puy de Lassolas and continue straight ahead below the hill. Further on, ignore the path on the left that climbs up to Puy de la Vache and continue straight ahead.

(18) About 300 metres further on, you will come to a more open area. Head to the right to find the path towards Montlosier (marked with yellow discs). Follow this beautiful path through the woods to the crossroads you took on the way there.

(1) Return to the Maison du Parc des Volcans car park via the same path as on the way there, turning left (S/E).

This hike is of moderate difficulty, tending towards difficult due to the length of the route. There are no major difficulties on this hike in good weather. Standard hiking equipment is recommended.

There may be large crowds around the Puys de la Vache and Lassolas. The rest of the route is much quieter.

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here

Information on the volcanoes of Auvergne at the Maison des Volcans in Montlosier.

Beautiful views of the Chaîne des Puys between (6) and (7).