Le Cendre walks

Semi-urban route along the Auzon and then the Allier rivers near their confluence. A series of two circular routes that you can do separately to shorten the walk.

Circular walk to enjoy a pretty walk along the Auzon, a beautiful river well preserved in this urban environment, before climbing a little higher up the Puys de la Chèvre and Marmant.

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.

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 circular loop starting from Mezel offers varied landscapes: a trip to the banks of the Allier to discover the Malmouche cliff, small but very useful for swallows; a stroll on the Puy de la Poules, also small but offering unobstructed views of the Limagne and the Chaîne des Puys; a visit to the village of Mezel to see a whole range of wildlife carved in stone.

A circular route with ascents and descents to discover some beautiful viewpoints on the heights of Monton: the Puy de la Vierge, the Puy de Marmant (nature reserve) and the Plateau de Corent (archaeological site), and also to enjoy the banks of the Veyre at the bottom of the valley.

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.

A circular route around a small hill in Limagne, now a Sensitive Natural Area, a climb to its summit for a wide view of the Allier valley and the surrounding mountains, then a visit to the old winegrowers' village of Mezel.

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.

From discovering sculptures by a contemporary artist to exploring the remains of this site famous for the Gauls' victory over the Romans, this hike also offers views of the Chaîne des Puys and the wooded areas near the city of Clermont-Ferrand.

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.

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.

Starting from Chanonat, a pretty medieval village, stroll along the Auzon before climbing to the heights of the Montagne de la Serre. This inverted relief, which rises above the Limagne Plain, was created by the erosion of the sedimentary rocks of the surrounding plain by rivers, including the Auzon on its northern slope.

Discover two ancient villages typical of the region, located on either side of the Serre Mountain, an ancient lava flow overlooking the Limagne, offering views of the puys, the Monts du Forez and the Monts Dore.

From Opme and its castle overlooking the Auzon Valley, descend into the valley to discover the beautiful Château de la Batisse and the ruins of Château de Chanonat.

From Opme, climb up to the limestone plateau of Jussat, then on to the famous Gergovie Plateau for a circular route offering beautiful views of the Chaîne des Puys and the Monts du Forez. Discover the beautiful fortified village of Opme and its castle (remarkable gardens).

Circular route around Puy de Peyronère, whose northern slopes are covered with orchards, which are characteristic of this part of the Monne valley. The route offers beautiful views and passes through two ancient villages rich in architectural heritage: Saint-Saturnin (castle and remarkable church) and Saint-Amant (castle, old bridge, etc.).

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.

A fairly short second stage between Beaumont and Ceyrat, passing by the pretty Moulin de la Tranchère, a renovated mill on the banks of the Artière, then by the summit of Puy de Montrognon, crowned by a tower that is the remains of a medieval castle.

A walk in the countryside around La Sauvetat, followed by a tour of the village centre, home to the beautiful Commandery of the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem.

Walk around Vic-le-Comte, across fields, to climb up to the pretty village of Pignols. You will cross a few streams and enjoy beautiful views of the Chaîne des Puys. Back in Vic, a visit to the old town is a must.

Near Chanonat, this short walk takes you across the Auzon twice and past several ponds. It's a great way to stretch your legs, alone or with your family, in the forest. Moderator's note: some difficulties with orientation on this route. See reviews.

An urban hike dotted with pockets of greenery. From south to north, the altitude increases, as does the temperature, passing from the Jardin Lecoq in the centre of Clermont to the Parc de Monjuzet, a small hill rising to 480 m with a Mediterranean garden, then past the beautiful fresco by the End To End collective celebrating the Amazon rainforest, before climbing steeply to reach the ancient Gallic oppidum on the Côtes de Clermont site, at an altitude of nearly 600 m.

In the Clermont-Ferrand area, climb the small puys of Montaudoux and Gravenoire, visit Bargouin Park and Royat Thermal Park. This is an easy hike if you skip the climb to the summit of Montaudoux.

Hike along the slopes of the Montaudoux and Gravenoire puys to reach the viewpoint of the Rocher du Salut. On the way back, you can visit the town and the Royat spa district.

This itinerary dedicated to the many fountains of Clermont-Ferrand also allows you to discover the squares and gardens, shopping streets and historic districts of the Auvergne capital.

An urban itinerary to discover the beautiful late 19th and early 20th century buildings in the eastern districts of Clermont-Ferrand city centre.

There are many beautiful buildings in Clermont-Ferrand, but they are often hidden among more ordinary ones. This urban walk takes you along boulevards and streets that stand out for their architectural richness. Although this route focuses mainly on the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the itinerary also takes you along a few streets in the historic centre lined with older buildings. The proposed itinerary explores the west and north of Clermont-Ferrand's city centre in particular.

The village of Saint-Saturnin, one of the most beautiful villages in France, boasts one of the five most beautiful Romanesque churches in Auvergne. On the other side of the Veyre valley, discover the nine fountains of the wine-growing hamlet of Chadrat, built on the slopes of the Montagne de la Serre, amidst ancient terraces.

An urban walk for Sundays, when shops and restaurants are closed, to discover some beautiful paintings on shop shutters. The itinerary also allows you to discover several murals in the historic centre of Clermont.

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.

In 1630, the Edict of Troyes imposed the union of Clermont and Montferrand, with the transfer of tax administration to Clermont. Montferrand, a former royal town, never recovered from this political decision. Far from the city centre of Clermont-Ferrand, the now neighbourhood of Montferrand, with its exceptional architectural heritage, is well worth a visit, especially as it is easily accessible by tram.

A visit to the old town of the capital of the Comté region, to discover beautiful medieval houses and the Sainte-Chapelle, a jewel of the French Renaissance.

After visiting the new Place des Carmes, take a stroll through the tree-lined cemetery of the same name, then through the streets to discover some beautiful examples of street art.

Walk around Clermont's central plateau to discover the street art works of the Such'Art 2022-2023 trail. It is also an interesting route for a quick tour of Clermont's historic centre.

One of three short walks (Saint-Genès, Saint-Pierre, Le Port) offered by Clermont Auvergne Tourisme to discover Clermont's historic center.

One of three short walks (Saint-Genès, Saint-Pierre, Le Port) offered by Clermont Auvergne Tourisme to discover Clermont's historic center.

One of three short walks (Saint-Genès, Saint-Pierre, Le Port) offered by Clermont Auvergne Tourisme to discover Clermont's historic center.

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.

A long walk along the Allier between Pont-du-Château and Cournon-d'Auvergne. Discover the pretty site of Pont-du-Château, the water pumping station and the natural site of Malmouche.

Real and fantastical animals, fauna, legendary creatures, mythological delusions and other hybrid monsters swarm the streets of the city. With a bestiary as its guiding thread, this urban hike will introduce you to many other beautiful things in the centre of Clermont-Ferrand.

In the Clermont-Ferrand metropolitan area, the Transport à la Demande (TAD) service, in addition to regular bus and tram lines, allows you to travel quite far around the city. This seven-stage itinerary takes advantage of this. Each stage begins and ends at a bus or TAD stop. In between, the routes allow you to discover the villages of the metropolitan area's green belt and the foot of the Puy de Dôme: the built heritage of their old wine-growing or mountain villages, their spa resorts, their natural environments and a few geological curiosities. The first stages follow the course of the Artière, and the last ones follow the course of the Tiretaine, two pretty little rivers, tributaries of the Allier, which originate at the foot of the puys.See "Practical information" for a 4-stage variant with accommodation.

This first stage is mainly urban, with a few green interludes at Parc Bargoin in Chamalières, on the slopes of Puy de Montaudoux, in the chestnut grove of Beaumont and in the small parks along the Artière.

Exploratory walk through the neighbourhoods north of Clermont's central plateau, discovering recent street art (2022).

A city route taking in second-hand clothing shops of various standards, as well as a few dressmakers' workshops, fair trade shops, a luxury accessories shop, an antique and regional jewellery workshop, and second-hand bookshops. It's also a good excuse to explore some of the neighbourhoods on the central plateau of Clermont-Ferrand and take a gourmet break in one of the city's iconic cafés.

From Clermont city centre to Montjuzet Park, located on the small hill of the same name, preserved from urbanisation, offering beautiful views of the Clermont metropolitan area and the surrounding mountains in a Mediterranean atmosphere.

Starting from Saint-Saturnin, immerse yourself in very different mystical atmospheres: the Monastère Notre-Dame de Randol, a modern Benedictine monastery where monks make cheese, the megalithic site of the Allée Couverte de la Grotte, and the unmissable Église Notre-Dame de Saint-Saturnin, one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in Auvergne.

From the pretty medieval village of Saint-Saturnin, I suggest a walk on the heights of the Monne, then a tour of the Puy de Peyronère, before returning to the banks of the Monne to discover the old village of Saint-Amant.

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 hillsides of the Allier in Puy-de-Dôme were once an important wine-growing area, as evidenced by the architecture of the villages you pass through on this hike. Among them is Montpeyroux, one of the most beautiful villages in France.

Starting from Montpeyroux, this circular route takes you to the banks of the Allier and the village of Coude. The medieval fortress of Montpeyroux, "the most beautiful village in France" built with local golden arkose stone, can be visited at the end of the route. You can climb up to the keep-museum, which offers a beautiful view.

A walk in the Plauzat countryside before exploring this beautiful village in Limagne: rich winegrowers' houses, crosses, fountains, wash houses and a beautiful Romanesque church.

A circular route offering beautiful panoramic views of the Chaîne des Puys, the Limagne and the Sancy massif, passing through the ancient villages of Parent, Yronde and Buron. Of note: a pretty church in Yronde (open every time we passed by), the basalt mound of the old feudal castle of Buron called the Citadelle de Buron, fountains, wash houses and traditional dwellings.

An urban walk in Clermont-Ferrand to discover two beautiful murals from 2022 around Montjuzet Park.

A circular route in the Livradois-Forez Regional Nature Park, alternating between high passages with unobstructed views and forays into the Bois de Cheix-Blanc, on beautiful trails and paths. Some sections are on quiet country roads. Visit the pretty village of Pignols, then pass by the Château de la Chaux Montgros. At the end of the route, take a short visit to a wetland and its interpretive trail, a site developed for the Espace Naturel Sensible de la Forêt de la Comté (Comté Forest Sensitive Natural Area).

Geological discovery hike in the Comté Forest. There is no viewpoint from the top of the peak.