The Cirque de la Fontaine Salée from Mont

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This loop trail with little elevation gain takes you along beautiful paths through meadows, forests and summer pastures to the heart of the Fontaine Salée glacial cirque, in the Chastreix-Sancy Nature Reserve at the foot of the Sancy. Best done in clear weather.

Details

n°5195528
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.59 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 319 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 312 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,359 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,094 m
Downloads
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Photos

bucolic
croix and Sancy
The drystone shelters, Chastreix
Virgin of Ménial

Description of the walk

Park at the entrance to the hamlet of Le Mont, in the communal car park.

(S/E) Follow the paved road out of the hamlet.

(1) Continue along the road and climb up to an intersection that marks the end of the road.

(2) Take the track that climbs to the right. It then leaves the forest, climbs and passes near an antenna and a house. Descend to the hamlet of Ménial.

(3) Follow the road to the left. After about 400 m, just after a bridge, follow theGR®30(red and white markings) to the left and cross the hamlet of La Morangie.

(4) At the crossroads, turn left, still following the GR®. Climb through the forest, occasionally crossing open areas offering beautiful views. Then descend to a crossroads.

(5) Leave theGR® and take the path on the left. Follow a series of wooden footbridges. The path, which is not easy to spot, crosses an area of peat bogs to reach a spruce forest currently being redeveloped by the Reserve (Espace Naturelle Sensible de la Montagne du Mont).

(6) Follow the marked trail down through the woods, making several turns. Leave the woods to rejoin a wide track and pass close to the Buron de Merdençon on your left: an unmanned refuge where you can picnic by the fire.

(7) Take a passageway through a gate and continue along the forest track (north).

(8) Turn left onto a path that descends into a beautiful beech forest.

(8) The path descends before climbing back up to a fork in the trail.

(9) Continue straight ahead until you reach a gate.

(10) Go through the gate, taking care to close it behind you. Pass through an open area offering a beautiful view of the village, cross a footbridge and follow the path uphill to a new intersection at an electricity pole not far from a house.

(11) Turn right onto a shaded path that winds between two summer meadows (this section of the path to Mont has been restored by the Chemins et patrimoine au pays des Toupis association, named after the inhabitants of Chastreix).

(12) Pass the entrance to the Terre d'Horizon building and continue west on the path. Walk gently downhill to the road.

(1) Follow the road to the right and quickly return to the Mont car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,094 m - Parking at the entrance to Mont
  2. 1 : km 0.3 - alt. 1,101 m - Crossroads of the loop
  3. 2 : km 1.44 - alt. 1,170 m - End of the paved road
  4. 3 : km 3.11 - alt. 1,189 m - Ménial
  5. 4 : km 3.9 - alt. 1,216 m - La Morangie
  6. 5 : km 6.17 - alt. 1,340 m - Trail intersections
  7. 6 : km 6.62 - alt. 1,352 m - Spruce forest
  8. 7 : km 8.85 - alt. 1,278 m - Cattle barriers after the - Gagne (rivière)
  9. 8 : km 9.49 - alt. 1,293 m - Fork in the path
  10. 9 : km 10.44 - alt. 1,180 m - Crossroads
  11. 10 : km 10.75 - alt. 1,171 m - Cow barrier
  12. 11 : km 11.03 - alt. 1,181 m - Les Lades
  13. 12 : km 11.6 - alt. 1,163 m - The drystone shelters
  14. S/E : km 12.59 - alt. 1,094 m - Parking at the entrance to Mont

Notes

The route is closed to dogs, even on a leash, as most of it is located within the Chastreix-Sancy National Nature Reserve. Picking and camping are prohibited.
To be done in clear weather, stay on the paths and follow the Visorando directions carefully as many paths cross at certain points and you will be passing near fragile wetlands that must not be walked on.

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

Magnificent views of the peaks.
Water source along the route.
You can take shelter at the Buron de Merdençon (tables, chairs, beds, wood fire).
Café Terre d'Horizon is 500 m from the finish, open 4pm-8pm on weekends and school holidays.
Nature Reserve offices in the village of Chastreix (exhibitions, information).

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Downloads
Open in the mobile app
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Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 37 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
User 13957728

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike, without any major difficulties, offering splendid views all along the way. Perfect for a complete change of scenery when you don't have time to climb the ridges

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Did63
Did63
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The landscape was superb, with different views of the Sancy.
The problem remains the signposting, which is very difficult to decipher and sometimes non-existent.

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x67
x67

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice route, but the GPX track is a bit off from the second part onwards towards point 8, where it starts to drift, and the last few trails are not on the track at all.
It should be done in dry weather, as indicated, because even a little rain two days earlier is enough to make some of the trails very muddy, with few alternative routes.
Can be done on a trail without any problems (if dry)
And thanks to @Leparoux for the description of point 8. I went back and forth a few times before finding the road, thanks to the comment

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bouco
bouco

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Please note: follow the route on the app as it is not signposted from the start at "Le Mont". The end of the hike has been diverted to the entrance to Chastreix, adding 1 km to the total distance. Otherwise, wonderful views of the Sancy.
No particular difficulty.

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User 10262266

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It's a shame that the last part is not marked at all, or is very poorly marked.
A magnificent hike in an exceptional location.
I'm from the area, know the Sancy well and never tire of it...!!!

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User 10262266

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It's a shame that the last part is not marked at all, or is very poorly marked.
A magnificent hike in an exceptional location.
I'm from the region, know the Sancy well and never tire of it...

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User 18382929

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with no difficulty.

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Parkside
Parkside

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did the circuit in reverse, which was fortunate because the last 2 kilometres would have been tedious in the rain: the path is not maintained, and you have to push aside brambles and other overgrown branches. By taking it in the opposite direction, we had an hour's walk in the rain at the end of the hike, on roads suitable for vehicles or paved paths.

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Leparoux
Leparoux

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike, the landscape changes every moment...
Be careful at point 8: you need to turn left 100 metres before and follow the yellow signs.

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la barrutlaire
la barrutlaire

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hi
The source of the saltwater fountain that we were told was drinkable is difficult to find. It is at ground level under an embankment. We found it thanks to the reserve guard. It sparkles like Vals water. At point 8, you do indeed need to take a marked path 100 metres before the route on the map. As for the last part, the trail is superb but could do with some maintenance. Bonus: the Terre d'Horizons lodge opens at 4pm. Refreshments are available if you go through the gate. Thank you for this route

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mick15
mick15

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

very beautiful hike, pleasant and easy

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Terre d'Horizon
Terre d'Horizon

Hello,
Thank you for your feedback. Regarding your comment about the last kilometre, farmers sometimes put a rope or something else across the path (which is communal) to transport their cows from point A to point B, and forget to remove it. The path is not closed, so it is still accessible. However, please make sure you close the gates properly, as otherwise the cows will escape and their owners may spend several hours trying to find them.
Have a good day

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Hubert58
Hubert58

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike from LE MONT near Chastreix. Only to be done in clear, sunny weather... this will allow you to enjoy the wonderful view of the Sancy. The cirque itself is splendid and grandiose. We have been hiking in this part of Auvergne for a long time and we did not know this route (at least for the most part).
Two small errors were noted:
1) be careful at POINT 8 on the description: after passing the creek, you cross the forest and then a wide forest path that descends into the valley; you need to leave this wide path by taking a small path on your left that descends steeply 200 m befor , as indicated on the map.
The last kilometre before returning to the starting point (points 11 and 12) is complicated and tedious: the path has been partially blocked and closed off by the owners of the neighbouring fields. But it is still passable.

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slegrip
slegrip

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I did this tour on a sunny Tuesday, it was absolutely beautiful and not too crowded

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MITCH'
MITCH'

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely little hike to warm up.
Beautiful landscapes below the Sancy
Alternating woodland and meadows.
Top

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