Lavigerie walks

Walk along the Impradine, from pastures to villages rich in beautiful old houses. Like us, you may encounter a herd of horses, deer and a fox.

Hike on the mountain pastures of the Limon Plateau, where beautiful Salers cows graze from May to October. From these heights, you will enjoy beautiful unobstructed views of the surrounding valleys and mountains, in particular the Puy Mary. This circuit follows part of the Sentier des Quirous, remarkable for its ancient stone signposts.Visorando app essential

The summit of Rocher de Laqueuille is covered with magnificent moorland, ideal for a picnic. To get there, you will pass close to the pretty Château de la Cheyrelle. On your return, don't miss a visit to the beautiful village of Dienne, which has a remarkable 12th-century church with a bell tower and some very beautiful old houses.

Climb to the summit of the famous Puy Mary from the south-east, via a very pleasant trail, leaving your car quite far away to avoid the crowds of visitors who gather at the Pas de Peyrol. Some hikers may find this hike a little difficult, see reviews.

Tour of the Cantal in seven stages: Murat [Laveissiere] - Meije Costes - Le Falgoux - Le Fau - Mandailles - Le Lioran - Prat de Bouc - Murat [Laveissiere] Very beautiful stages between the Cère, Jordanne and Alagnon valleys. Between the ridges offering unforgettable views (360° panoramas), the ascent of the puys adding a touch of "mountain" to the experience, the summer pastures dotted with flower-filled meadows and encounters with both the flora and fauna and the people who live in this corner of the Cantal and are happy to share their territory.

Stage 1 of our Tour du Cantal / GR®400 First "glitch" of the route from Murat. It turns out that the GR®400 route has been changed due to right of way issues (from what we understand). So, instead of climbing from Murat up to the ridges and following them to the Bec de l'Aigle rock, we had to descend to the village of Laveissière and climb back up from La Bourgeade. We decided to start from Laveissière.

A short hike but with a steep climb through the woods, the Roche Percée site is well worth a visit.

Stage 2 of our Tour du Cantal / GR®400. A long and challenging stage due to the heat in June. It might be better to split the stages differently. Some very beautiful sections, particularly the arrival on the ridge before Puy Mary, the area around Puy de la Tourte, etc. More difficult sections: the Brèche de Rolland, the Luchard plateau and the long descent to Falgoux. It should be noted that the ascent of Puy Mary is not compulsory.

An extraordinary ridge route allowing you to visit three peaks and enjoy a splendid panoramic view of the entire Cantalian puys for much of the route.

Fond d'Alagnon will be the starting point for your hike. Follow the ridge towards Puy Griou, passing by Bec de l'Aigle and Téton de Vénus. Along the way, you will enjoy numerous views of Plomb Cantal, Puy Mary, Peyre Arse and many other peaks.

Cross the beautiful high-altitude beech forest in the Bois Mary, then follow the path along the ridge of the Monts du Cantal. This hike alternates between shade in the first half and sunshine and magnificent views in the second half.

A short route to a legendary summit, offering beautiful panoramic views of the Puy mountains in the Cantal region.

Visit this peak overlooking Super Lioran, avoiding climbing (or descending) the ski slopes. This route via theGR®4is remarkable. Attention hikers: the IGN map shows theGR®4on the Alpins ski slope, but theGR® is now further east on a very pleasant path. To avoid this, follow the route described below.

Stage 6 of our Tour du Cantal. A beautiful climb from the Lioran resort to the Plomb du Cantal, starting with a forest section, then a steep climb to reach the Puy du Rocher via the Aiguillon; cross over to reach the cable car station and a final (moderate) climb to the Plomb du Cantal.Panoramic views in all directions. Discover the landscapes of several valleys as you pass through. It's a feast for the eyes!

The circuit offers magnificent panoramic views of twelve valleys from the summit. Puy Mary, a veritable pyramid when seen from the sky, rises to 1,783 metres. In the heart of the Cantalien Massif, it is surrounded by exceptional landscapes formed by volcanic activity and glacial erosion, representing the largest volcano in Europe (2,700 km²).

A long walk along the ridges allows you to enjoy the view of the Puy du Cantal, the Puy de Sancy and the Plomb du Cantal. Pass through the Brèche de Roland and return to the Cirque d'Eylac with the marmots.

Round trip above Mandailles, in the vast cirque of Fours de Peyre-Arse and the sources of the Jordanne. Not to be missed: both green and mountainous; magnificent landscapes, moderate difficulty. Climb under the trees, then through the meadows, then walk along an easy ridge path. 360° views in the foreground of the entire Auvergne volcano chain. No difficulty on the route. Marked but regular ascents/descents and a short climb to pass the Brèche de Rolland.

A beautiful, not too difficult walk with magnificent scenery. Ideal for discovering the landscapes of the Cantal.

This loop, which starts a few kilometres from Mandaille, will take you to the Col de Cabre and the foot of Puy Griou. With panoramic views of the Cantaliens mountains and forests, this hike, with its varied terrain, is particularly enjoyable in warm weather.

The summit of Puy Griou has a characteristic cone shape and can be seen from afar. Located in the heart of the Cantalian volcano, it offers a superb panorama. The proposed route, which is fairly short, has the advantage of avoiding the Super Lioran ski resort facilities.

Short hike along the ridges with breathtaking views of the Cantal mountains. You can reach the starting point by taking the cable car from Le Lioran or by following the same route in the opposite direction. After enjoying the view from the highest point in this beautiful department, you will reach the Pas des Alpins by following the GR®4/GR®400 marked trail. You will then climb up to the Puy du Rocher to enjoy another breathtaking view of the Plomb du Cantal and its surroundings. Then you will descend towards the Lioran resort on the ridges. The walk ends in the Lioran forest.Please note: after passing Puy du Rocher, two areas may seem a little difficult for some as they require descending the rock, but aids have been put in place.

Les Prés Marty are summer pastures on the slopes of Plomb du Cantal, where beautiful Salers cows graze on lush grass. On the way there, discover three beautiful waterfalls, and on the way back, a renovated buron (shepherd's hut), an oratory and a fourth waterfall. In season, dessert will be provided by the many wild raspberry bushes that line the path.

This route invites you to discover the pretty village of Albepierre-Bredons and explore the Pays de Murat national forest, which is home to many remarkable trees. In the cool woods, the Prés Long, Vergnes and Prapsou waterfalls are the main attractions of this shaded route. Route not accessible from December to April due to snow.

This route is ideal in hot weather. You will enjoy the coolness near the waterfalls and especially in the forest. In spring and autumn, this route will undoubtedly allow you to discover the wild flora and fauna in the Cirque. You will leave the coolness behind at the Col de la Molède, just long enough to descend towards Albepierre. ⚠️ At the point (3) , the hamlet of Raveyrol is replaced by Buron de Joaniol haut. This is a naming error on the IGN map.

A short, fairly easy hike from the Puy Mary campsite in Mandailles, which allows you to walk in the hills east of the village and return via the Gorges de la Jordanne (when the water level allows).

Walk in the hills above Murat. Beautiful views over the Alagnon and Benet valleys. Beautiful old houses in the village of Bredons and the remarkable site of Bredons Church, an 11th-century Cluniac site.

Its height of 1855 metres make Plomb du Cantal the second highest peak in the Massif Central after the Puy de Sancy. Starting from the Col de Prat de Bouc, this hike initially leads to the summit ascent and descent on the northern slope, followed by a climb up the slopes of the Puy du Rocher before returning to Prat de Bouc.

The highest peak in Europe's largest volcanic complex, the Plomb du Cantal (1,855 m) offers unobstructed views of the Monts-Dore (Puy-de-Sancy) to the north and the Cézallier and Aubrac plateaus to the south.

This route takes you to Lac du Pêcher, La Roche du Pic, the Frau de Collanges peat bog and Lac de Sauvages. I encountered a wolf in this area in the winter of 2017. Then I forgot about it until early 2025. It then reappeared, attacking livestock multiple times between winter and summer. I tracked it down and know its favourite spots. This does not guarantee that you will see it, but it may increase your chances of an encounter.

Stage 7 of our Tour du Cantal. This is the final stage of the Tour du Cantal, with another change to the GR®400 route: instead of returning to Murat, we head back to Laveissière (where we left our vehicle, see episode 1). Most of this stage is in the shade, but the descent brings the heat..

Stage 5 of our Tour du Cantal / GR®400A forest stage (therefore shaded) with two potential climbs: the Puy de l'Usclade and the Puy Griou. * Editor's note: we have also decided not to follow the original GR®400 route, which makes a long detour to the Col de Pertus, which we don't think is worth the effort. We will reach the Col de Gliziou via the PR® (orange and green markings) which climb up the Ruisseau du Luc valley.

An easy, shaded approach to this iconic peak in the Monts du Cantal, with its perfect cone shape and superb views. However, the final climb is quite technical and challenging.

From the Col du Pertus, discover the village of Mandailles and the hamlets of Larmandie and Liadouze on the banks of the Jordanne. On both the outward and return journeys, gaps in the forest offer beautiful views of the valley, the Chavaroche and Puy Mary massifs, as well as the Gliziou and Puy Griou. Update 2025: see practical information

A day's walk in magnificent surroundings, using theGR® trails in the area. We are within sight of Puy Chavaroche and Puy Mary.