The Montfaucon Rock

A loop on the first hills of Livradois, to the knoll of La Grive and then to the Montfaucon rock, which overlooks the mining basin and offers a beautiful view of Nonette, Ysson, Montcelet, the Sancy massif and the Cézallier.

Details

46784
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.76 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 339 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 331 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 710 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 398 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the former post office in Jumeaux.

(S/E) Take Rue du Stade and at the end, turn right (green signpost).

(1) At the crossroads, at the fire hydrant, take the steep road on the left, Chemin du Chasseix, still marked in green. At the three-way junction, turn left, but it doesn't matter which way you go: you will rejoin the path on the right a little further up, at the entrance to the oak wood, where you turn left to continue the climb.

(2) Thirty minutes after setting off, below the Knoll de la Grive, you will come to a wide path (panorama: Cézallier and the Sancy massif) which you take on the left and follow the yellow signs to the D33.

(3) Cross the road and leave the yellow markings to take the path almost opposite. Climb towards the woods. Follow the main path straight ahead, leaving one path on the right and then another on the left. Shortly after the high-voltage line, you will reach a crossroads.

(4) On the left, a 50-metre detour along a path leads to the Rocher Montfaucon viewpoint (sign).
On your return from the viewpoint, turn left and continue straight ahead on the main path (green markings).
Leave a path on the right, then a second one on the left to reach a crossroads. The path furthest to the left, which is less well marked than the others, leads to the top of the hill but does not offer any views.

(5) Take the wide track that descends to the left and goes around this hill. At the three-way junction, turn left, then leave two paths on the right to reach a crossroads (on the left, in the bushes, there is a hut) where you turn right.

(6) Under the high-voltage line, go straight ahead (you are on theGRP® Autour d'Issoire). Pass in front of a property and leave the Chemin de la plantation on your right.

(7) At the kennel, continue on the left. The path descends along the stream to the D33. Cross the bridge and go up the road.

(8) Take the first path on the right. Pass a dovecote before entering Jumeaux.

(9) At the first crossroads, take Rue de Riouvey on the left, then Rue du Stade on the right, which will take you back to your starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 398 m - Post office in Jumeaux - Allier (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.42 - alt. 404 m - Fire hydrant junction
  3. 2 : km 2.01 - alt. 572 m - Under the Knoll of La Grive
  4. 3 : km 2.45 - alt. 584 m - D33
  5. 4 : km 3.96 - alt. 708 m - High-voltage power line. Path to the Rocher de Montfaucon
  6. 5 : km 4.45 - alt. 701 m - Wide downhill track
  7. 6 : km 5.61 - alt. 658 m - Under the high-voltage power line
  8. 7 : km 6.98 - alt. 519 m - Kennel
  9. 8 : km 7.76 - alt. 463 m - Fork in the road, take the path on the right
  10. 9 : km 8.49 - alt. 406 m - Rue de Riouvey
  11. S/E : km 8.76 - alt. 398 m - Post office in Jumeaux

Notes

Shops in Jumeaux.
No particular difficulties.

Worth a visit

From Saint-Jean-Saint-Gervais, there are two yellow-marked trails: "Rocher de Montfaucon" and "La Vialle".
From the church in Jumeaux, there is a 15 kmPR® marked in green towards Saint-Jean-Saint-Gervais.
From Vézézoux:PR® marked in yellow "Le Chemin des Grives" (Chamina guidebook "Pays d'Auzon").

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.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 25 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
jany69210
jany69210

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We took a wrong turn but quickly retraced our steps (500m)

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GuyLeroy
GuyLeroy

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello, very pleasant hike with superb views. There is no one else on the trail. The circuit is very easy. Enjoy the view from the falcon rock and have a picnic.
We highly recommend it.

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montanini
montanini

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
Thank you for this hike with beautiful views (perhaps they are easier to admire if you reverse the direction of the hike?)
The description is very reliable.
The landscapes are very beautiful.
Perhaps the hike could start from the town hall square (Place de la Virade) to get to the start of the trail more quickly?
Enjoy your hike.
Daniel Montanini

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ARMENIE 1900
ARMENIE 1900

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The Esteil forest is absolutely magnificent.
It's a joy to discover it again and again.

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mick15
mick15
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

nice walk

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Monfru
Monfru
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

On a winter day, well protected from the wind
Beautiful climb
Beautiful panorama
Very nice

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mayekeul
mayekeul

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with stunning scenery (be sure to turn around to enjoy it). Take the path on the left when descending from the Monfaucon rock, the one with a green cross. As for the hut given as a landmark in 5, you'll need to keep your eyes peeled to spot it among the bushes.

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Natou56
Natou56

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike with varied landscapes and, at the top, breathtaking views of the Sancy and the Puy de Dôme from the Montfaucon rock. Make sure you wear good walking shoes as there are some steep climbs and several stony paths.
The duration stated in the description is 3 hours and 25 minutes, but we did it in 2 hours and 30 minutes as we are good walkers and took breaks to take photos. Please note that some of the paths on the route have crosses on them, but you should still follow them. Follow the written description carefully at this point. (We printed out the PDF file.)
I would just add: be careful, a little further than Rocher Montfaucon, we pass near a hunting area. We encountered three hunters in static positions and heard others with their dogs below in the forest.

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bcg243
bcg243

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A bucolic hike with beautiful views of Rocher Mont Faucon and several spots along the climb in the snow, which added to the enjoyment of this route. The app was very useful for guiding us, as the trail markers often change colour.

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djorb66
djorb66

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk to discover the Livradois countryside.

For your information, please be careful with children and dogs, and watch where you put your feet/paws. On Montfaucon rock, a pretty little viper looked at us before slithering away.

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REDONDIE ARLETTE
REDONDIE ARLETTE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 29, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

a very beautiful hike with lovely panoramic views. The broom is beginning to bloom and gives off a pleasant scent.

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zmarc
zmarc

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Please note that the post office has been replaced by a mini-market in recent months. This is not a problem if your GPS knows the street where the stadium is located, and parking is easy. There are picnic tables in the park next door, which are perfect for a snack when you arrive.
It took us 2 hours and 40 minutes with an 8-year-old child and two 5-10 minute breaks.
We'll definitely try it again in the other direction for the scenery.
Marc

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Samwolf63
Samwolf63

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 14, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A beautiful hike, but on the climb, which takes up the first third of the walk, remember to turn around to enjoy the view.
At point 7, I turned left thinking I was at the kennel, but it was just a hunter's lodge. Seeing that the route was different, I returned to the main path, which was the right one.
The rest is easy to follow.

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beaugerj@orange.fr
beaugerj@orange.fr

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 26, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

beautiful hike, first part fairly easy uphill, stunning views from the rock and on the descent, trails in good condition...highly recommended...

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beaugerj@orange.fr
beaugerj@orange.fr

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 26, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Beautiful hike with lovely panoramic views

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