Le Fau walks

Stage 4 of our Tour du Cantal / GR®400 Another beautiful stage alternating between summer pastures, forests, ridges, peaks (puy) and passes. Long, with quite a lot of elevation gain and loss. Bring plenty of water!

The second stage of my three-day tour of Puy Mary, with an overnight stay in a bivouac. Passing through villages where you can stock up on supplies if necessary

This easy walk will take you to the summit of Puy Violent, where you can admire a superb 360° view of the Aurillac plain and Puy Mary. Above the Croix des Vachers, an orientation table will tell you the name of each peak.

Stage 3 of our Tour du Cantal / GR®400. Departure above the hamlet of Récusset, at the end of the long forest track. The upper part of this hike is on open tracks with no shade. The descent, although some sections are shaded, remains exposed.

A short circular loop to discover the best of the Cirque d’Impramau. Breathtaking views of almost the entire Cantal volcano, and a chance to immerse yourself in the tranquillity of the Impramau summer pastures. The first two-thirds follow marked and unmarked paths; the final third is almost entirely off-trail, taking you through summer pastures, over rocks, across numerous streams and through fence gates that you sometimes have to search for, but it’s well worth the effort. You’ll be walking amongst animals—cows, horses and sheep—guarded by livestock guard dogs. If you’re an early riser, it’s common to spot chamois, mouflons and marmots, and sometimes vultures from Lozère. Visorando app recommended

A superb hike along a ridge with views of the Cantal mountains.

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

A very beautiful (and fairly short) stage, partly along the ridge with views of Puy Mary. A magnificent basalt plateau from Le Luchard onwards. The route leads to the Puy Mary lodge, about 1.5 km beyond the village.

A beautiful three-day hike, sleeping in a bivouac, with interesting variations in altitude.

A lovely three-day hike with wild camping and some challenging climbs.

A short hike for residents of Mandailles who want to go for a walk without taking the car.

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.

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).

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.

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).

In the heart of the Cantal, this circular route reveals a landscape where nature and heritage blend at every step. From Les Havres Verts, the route descends towards Le Rieu before following the Doire along its shaded banks. The path climbs through the forest and, from an isolated barn, offers a beautiful view of the valley. You then pass through quiet hamlets (La Blatte, Labastide, Soulage) that bear witness to a preserved rural way of life. At La Blatte, an old castle invites you to take a break. Its owner, who is there in spring and summer, is happy to act as a guardian of the site’s history. The route reaches its highest point at Girgols, a charming village where the church and the old wash house are well worth a stop. The return route takes you across the plateau and through the forest, with a stop at the Blatte waterfall (more lively in spring than in summer). You then head for the banks of the Doire to make a leisurely return to the start. An accessible, varied and authentic walk, ideal for discovering the Cantal off the beaten track.

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.

This accessible and enjoyable hike is ideal for the whole family, including children. It takes you through splendid landscapes to the summer pastures and offers breathtaking views of the burons, evidence of a mountain tradition that is still very much alive. A great opportunity to enjoy nature while discovering the authenticity of this region. A beautiful circular route that combines nature, heritage and breathtaking views. 

A lovely walk through isolated valleys, typical of the Cantalian mid-mountains. Beautiful trees, beautiful landscapes, peace and greenery. A marked walk with no particular difficulty, if you enjoy paths and hills.

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.

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.

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

Puy de l'Usclade is little known, but offers a beautiful view of Puy Griou and the other surrounding peaks. The first part of the walk, up to Col de Gliziou, is easy and shaded, and fairly busy, while the second part is less frequented and ends with a steeper section.

This is a fairly easy short hike to a beautiful promontory offering a panoramic view of the main Monts du Cantal and the Jordanne and Cère valleys.

Starting from the Col du Pertus, climb quickly to the heights for a long walk along the ridge, which offers beautiful views. Then discover a few villages in the Jordanne valley before climbing back up to the pass through the pastures.The Visorando app is useful for following this route at the end of the walk.

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.

This route takes you to one of the prettiest waterfalls in the Cantal. The Faillitoux waterfall, with a drop of around 40 metres, flows over a lava flow with basalt columns at the foot of the waterfall. The pretty hamlet of Lasmolineries, with its renovated bread oven, is also worth a visit.

A magnificent tour on the plateau where the village of Girgols is located. A short stretch of tarmac road at the beginning, then paths and fields. From the hamlet of La Bastide, you are in a wild, solitary and magnificent world.

A walk in the mountains among cows and typical Cantal landscapes. Niervèze, a lively mountain village, and the geological curiosity of Chaos de Casteltinet and its impressive Lion's Gate are on the programme. Yellow markings.

This hike allows you to discover "forgotten" places, away from the GR®400, on the section between Puy Gros and Plomb du Cantal. You will discover many restored burons (stone huts), amazing sites and, especially in spring, a rich variety of wild flora and animals with their young. However, this circuit is often off the beaten track, taking you closer to the wildest areas where you are most likely to encounter animals or see rare plants.

From the village of Niervèze, this route, mainly along summer pasture paths, takes you to the summit of Puy Gros and its plateau, passing close to magnificent restored burons (private) and the old Chapelle du Cantal, of which only a few ruins and a basalt cross remain.There is a magnificent view over the Cère valley and the main peaks: Puy Chavaroche, Puy Mary, Puy Griou, Peyre Arse, Téton de Vénus and Rocher du Bec de l’Aigle.