Lastic walks

This walk, on small roads and paths between Cantal and Haute Loire, takes you through five villages and farms and offers superb views of the Livradois to the east and, above all, the Monts d'Auvergne (Cantal, Cézallier, Sancy and even Puy de Dôme) to the west from La Fage.

Passing through Auvergne? Take the opportunity to enjoy a pleasant break in Saint-Flour. From the banks of the Anver, climb up to discover the upper town via the Chemin des Chèvres and don't forget to stock up on cheese!

Starting from Saint-Flour, this tour of the northern part of the Planèze de Saint-Flour allows you to appreciate the diversity of the landscapes of this high basalt plateau in just three days of walking. The stages in Paulhac and Valuéjols offer accommodation in stopover lodges. The route follows part of a variant of the GR® de Pays de Saint-Flour and part of the GR®4.

This is the first of three stages of the Saint-Flour Planèze tour. It is the longest stage, passing through several small villages typical of the Planèze with their bread ovens, which provide welcome shelter for a short break in rainy weather. The very quiet paths and small roads run alongside meadows grazed by numerous herds of cattle in season.

This walk takes in two iconic sites in the Alagnon Valley: the ruined Château d'Aurouze and its beautiful view over the valley, followed by the vineyard terraces (known in our valley as "Palhàs") of Molompize.

A short, gentle walk with views of the surrounding mountains and the Monts du Cantal. This walk follows a forest track through the woods. It is accessible on foot, by mountain bike and on snowshoes.

An easy hike with beautiful views, starting from the pretty village of Lavoûte, which will take you to the small village of Chilhac, equally beautiful with its narrow streets, museum and black lava rock formations that store heat and allow Mediterranean plants, rare in Auvergne, to grow.

My favourite walk in Massiac. Starting from the centre of Massiac, this route allows you, after 400 m, to walk through countryside with no roads, no houses and no fences. On the ascent, it follows the old royal, then imperial, road from Paris to Perpignan as far as the Baraque d’Oudeyre, a ruined former coaching inn. On the descent, it returns along the ridge through heathland and woods of pine and oak trees.

The first slate-roofed houses, large pastures and isolated farms herald the end of the Brivadois forests and the beginning of the Cézallier summer pastures.

To the north-east of the Cantal volcano, Massiac lies in a small basin formed by the Alagnon and its two tributaries: the Alagnonette and the Arcueil. From the top of the Plateau de Chalet, a basalt plateau, one of many left by volcanic flows in the landscape, there is a beautiful view over the valley.

This circular path offers a continuous and exceptional panorama of the Allier valley. The path is made up of rounded stones, where you can sometimes see the tracks of the iron wheels of carts. Although today the landscape is a heath where bushes, broom and prickly pears grow, before the phylloxera attack it was an important vineyard. As you pass through the village of Chazieux and the old town of Saint-Ilpize, you will notice numerous wine cellars. Today, the vineyard is being revived. Vines are planted in the village of Auzat on the left bank and the old grape varieties are preserved in the vine conservatory located before the village of Chazieux.

This circular loop connects two beautiful villages via theGR®®470and small roads (see § Practical information). Added to this loop are a visit to Chilhac, a visit to the Sainte-Croix Priory, and a short loop on the heights of Lavoûte-Chilhac offering beautiful views.

Starting from Loubaresse, near an exit from the A75 motorway, this route follows the GR® de Pays circular Boucle de la Truyère and a variant that "turns" around the Truyère river to the village of Chaliers, which is well worth taking the time to explore. The route takes small local roads on both the left and right banks of this river with its wild gorges, crossing it twice via footbridges at Valadour and Terran. The actual duration of the route is 4 hours and 40 minutes (GPS watch data), including a short stop in Chaliers.

In search of the spring in the forest, this is a short but challenging hike that starts by following the Sianne valley and continues towards the hamlet of Chantejail through the woods that cover the ridges of the Pic du Chambon.

A short walk around the church of Vieille-Brioude, in an open-air eco-museum dedicated to vines and wine, in the form of a succession of small priests' gardens.

Discover the highest point of the Margeride and enjoy a 360° panorama of the Auvergne mountains. In good weather, you can also see the Alps and the Pyrenees.

The route follows a variety of paths and landscapes, offering superb panoramic views of the Auvergne mountains, including the Puy de Dôme and the Allier valley. The trails lead to pastures, woods and streams.

Set off to discover the typical villages of the Margeride and its local heritage. This pleasant walk, offering superb views of the massif and the Cantal mountains, is also accessible by mountain bike.

A discovery walk in Brioude, a small town in Auvergne boasting one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in the region, the Basilica of Saint-Julien.