The village of Saint-Héran, the Source de Bard and the Auvergne ‘Colorado’

Coming from Issoire, pass through Saint Germain Lembron, then head towards the village of Boudes via the D48.
Park your car in the car park on the left-hand side of the D48 before entering the centre of the village of Boudes. A car park has been set up there with numerous information boards about the Vallée des Saints.

(S/E) Leave the car park and turn left. Join the D48. Follow it to the left for a few metres, then turn left onto Rue du Coufin towards the village centre. Pass the first junction and continue to the second.

(1) Take Rue des Forts on the left. Turn right as the road bends and you’ll reach a junction. Turn left onto Rue du Theur and cross the Couzilloux stream. As you come off the bridge, turn right.

(2) At the junction immediately ahead, carry on straight ahead. Then turn left onto Rue de l’Avoiron towards the cemetery. Walk past the cemetery on your left.

(3) After the cemetery, take the first path on the right. Continue straight on, heading north-west, and ignore a path on the right followed by one on the left.

(4) At the hamlet of Pouilloux, carry on straight ahead along a track. Ignore the turn-offs to the right and walk alongside a wood on your left. You will arrive near the hamlet of La Croix.

(5) When the path turns right towards the hamlet, take a path on the left that is not shown on the IGN map. Follow the^{GRP® route} around Issoire heading south (the purple line on the 1:25,000 map is out of date). Join a road near Saint-Héran, follow it straight on and you’ll soon reach a crossroads.

(6) Turn left and, at the Fork in the road that appears immediately, turn left again and head for the church.

(7) Retrace your steps back to the crossroads.

(6) Take the first left, Rue du Moulin, and follow the^GRP®. After about 150 m, turn left into Rue du Cor and head downhill. Cross a bridge over a stream and continue along the road, which climbs steadily.

(8) Take the first road on the left, still following the^GRP®, and continue uphill. At the junction (elevation 628; cross), carry on straight ahead along a track.

(9) At the junction, turn left. Follow the^GRP® and ignore the side paths. Head downhill towards Bard.

(10) About 200 m before the village, take a path on the left (leaving the^GRP®). You’ll reach the Source de Bard with its beautiful pool. Continue along the path which climbs towards the first viewpoints of the “Auvergne Colorado”, with sediments of every colour standing out against this magnificent landscape. Continue along the path to the altitude of 549 at a junction.

(11) Turn sharply right (south-east) and follow a marked path to the Cirque des Mottes and its first fairy chimneys.

(12) Retrace your steps.

(11) Turn right and reach a junction after about fifty metres.

(13) Turn left onto the marked path which descends to the Belvédère des Saints and the Vallon des Fosses, with its beautiful fairy chimneys in shades of ochre, yellow, red and, at times, bluish hues. Please note that the path is quite steep and can be slippery.

(14) Retrace your steps.

(13) Turn left and head gently downhill.

(15) At the junction (cross), rejoin the^GRP® and follow it to the left along a track. Immediately ignore a path branching off to the left and head north until you reach a junction you passed at the start of the walk.

(2) Turn right and, retracing your steps from the outward journey, return to the starting car park (S/E).

Natura 2000 site: stay on the paths and follow the signposts.

Wear good trail or hiking boots. In wet weather, some areas are very slippery.

Bring plenty of water.

For an overview of the walk, watch this video.