The wind turbines around Saint-Nicolas-des-leat

This hike takes us on a journey between modernity (the wind turbines) and the past (the old glassmakers' village, the Château des Hormières) and offers beautiful views of the surrounding valleys.

Details

1518830
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.95 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 303 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 299 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,070 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 818 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The hike starts at the edge of the village (D120 towards Croix du Sud), after the bridge over the Coindre, near a grey cross. Park behind the church or at the cemetery.

(S/E) Take the dirt track going up between the two houses. At the broken cross, turn right, pass in front of a house and take the second track on the left. The track climbs through the woods and leads to the Verrerie plateau.

(1) Pass the site of the old village (cross and sign), then arrive at a road. Follow it to the left.

(2) At the crossroads, cross the road and head right onto the plateau.

(3) Turn left onto a grassy path closed by a barrier

Red and white markings forthe GR®3A

. When you reach the motocross track, follow the tarmac road to the left and you will come to a road which you follow to the right until you reach a crossroads.

(4) Cross and take the track starting to the left of the cross. Follow it in a north-westerly direction

(5) At the fifth wind turbine, turn left.

No more signposts

A long descent down a steep, stony path leads to the Fayot road. Follow it to the right.

(6) In the hamlet, take the first street on the left, then turn left again. The street turns into a beautiful, shaded dirt track which you follow for a long time. The track leads to a road. Take it to the right, along the wall of the Château des Hormières.

(7) In the hamlet, after a white cross, turn right onto a path between a stream and an abandoned house. The path runs alongside a pond and, further on, leads to a large crossroads. Turn right to see the imposing statue of the Virgin Mary.

(8) Return to the crossroads and descend to the right to Saint-Nicolas-des-leat via the road (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 887 m - Parking near the cemetery
  2. 1 : km 1.23 - alt. 1,014 m - Old Saint-Nicolas
  3. 2 : km 1.98 - alt. 1,012 m - Car park
  4. 3 : km 2.5 - alt. 1,026 m - Gate
  5. 4 : km 3.79 - alt. 995 m - Road crossing (cross)
  6. 5 : km 5.44 - alt. 1,054 m - Fifth wind turbine
  7. 6 : km 7.61 - alt. 838 m - Fayot
  8. 7 : km 9.68 - alt. 859 m - White cross
  9. 8 : km 10.42 - alt. 902 m - Sanctuary
  10. S/E : km 10.95 - alt. 887 m - Parking near the cemetery

Notes

Wind turbines can be noisy. It is much more pleasant to do this hike on a windless day when the turbines are not running.

The route includes a long, steep and rocky descent. High-top shoes and walking sticks may be useful.

The wind can be freezing on the plateau, so dress appropriately.

Close the gates behind you.

Take your rubbish with you.

Worth a visit

(3) The plateau is named Verrerie in reference to the glassmakers who settled there in the 17th century. The Verrier Museum in Saint-Nicolas-des-leat recounts this page of history and shows the processes used. The Tourbière du plateau de la Verrerie hike allows you to discover another part of the plateau.

Commissioned in 2014, the seven wind turbines provide the equivalent of the production for 20,000 households (excluding heating).

(7) The hamlet of Les Hormières was a refuge for refractory priests during the Revolution. The castle was built in the 9th century.

(8) The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes was established in 1896. The cult of Mary was very present in the Montagne Bourbonnaise and led to the creation of important open-air sanctuaries, with monumental buildings and statues.

(S/E) In Saint Nicolas des Leat:

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

4.8 / 5
Based on 17 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Odeon69
Odeon69

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route,
The section that runs alongside the wind turbines is not particularly interesting.
Be careful when it rains, as some sections are very wet and muddy.
The landscapes you pass through are very beautiful.

Machine-translated

Pglja
Pglja

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent hike, enjoyable even in the heat

Machine-translated

Joel Auray
Joel Auray

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Perfect description and signage.

Machine-translated

pierre huraux
pierre huraux

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy hike, taking 4 hours, including a half-hour snack break.
The route is varied, taking in footpaths, grassy tracks, forest trails and a few short stretches on quiet roads. The second half of the section between points 5 and 6 is on a stony, slightly sloping track, which is not difficult but requires a little care.
The circuit alternates between forest and open terrain. There are no water sources, but there are a few small streams to cool off in during the final section
A pleasant hike, suitable for families.
Parking is readily available behind the church or next to the cemetery: about twenty spaces in total.

Machine-translated

labombardellaz
labombardellaz

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

As recommended in the hike description, avoid doing this route when it is windy, as the noise from the wind turbines is constant and very annoying (similar to the noise of a jet plane).

Machine-translated

Marcheur solitaire
Marcheur solitaire

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The circuit is very good and must be very pleasant when the sun is shining.
For us, that wasn't the case: fog, scattered showers and 11°C, not great
for the first of August. We did it in three hours, at a leisurely pace, and had a picnic
near the Virgin statue before walking the remaining 600 metres back to the village.

Machine-translated

MARATH42
MARATH42

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Recommended route, very hilly with beautiful scenery - wind turbines to walk alongside and very informative displays
Take care when crossing the bog, see comments made

Machine-translated

Laurenceetseb
Laurenceetseb

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The directions and map are not precise enough at point 3, particularly regarding the crossing of the bog. We don't think we opened the right gate! The route is very pleasant due to the diversity of the landscapes, despite the lack of foliage given the season. The only unpleasant aspect was the motocross track, which was very busy on Sunday and therefore very noisy and polluting (exhaust fumes), all of which was just outside the bog, which is a quiet and unspoilt place. So we enjoyed the gentle sound of the wind turbines and even had a picnic near the fifth one!

Machine-translated

liobrech
liobrech

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant and varied hike (forest, plateau, wind turbines), no problems with signposting, very few roads
picnic spots (tables or tree trunks) along the route; in short, there is something for everyone (passing by a motocross track, beautiful views, tranquillity, rejuvenation

in conclusion, ideal for disconnecting from everyday life and reconnecting with nature, which brings us so much

Machine-translated

sf63
sf63
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very varied and interesting hike (forests, open plateaus, wind farm). This route allows you to form your own opinion about wind turbines. There was little wind on the day we went. Caution! Do not do this hike in winter weather due to the risk of ice falling from the wind turbines. At point 3, don't hesitate to go to the orientation table (5 minutes). Beautiful views.

Machine-translated

vroutch
vroutch

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant hike that allows you to discover and admire these beautiful wind turbines. Why, by the way, was there a warning that it was preferable to do the hike when there was no wind because the wind turbines are very noisy? This is completely false, and comments like this are part of prejudice. There was a wind of about 50 km/h and the movement of the blades was not at all bothersome. What's more, it's a pleasure to see such a clean source of energy, with the masts blending in harmoniously with the pine trees.
There was a small issue with the signposting at point 3. The GR 3A marker seems to have been changed; follow the map and the mountain bike trail markers behind the barrier.

Machine-translated

natilojo
natilojo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 04, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk with magnificent views

Machine-translated

BERTHELIER
BERTHELIER

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great hike. We were able to have a picnic on the trail, somewhat sheltered.

Machine-translated

anne.petitjeanrobert
anne.petitjeanrobert

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A great format for a day trip. There are numerous stops to see the sights or geological features. We took a detour to the nearby peat bogs on the "peat bog trail", which is well worth the effort and doesn't add much to the length of the walk. The wind turbines are impressive and not too noisy. The paths vary greatly in terms of elevation and terrain, from mown grass to rocky descents where stones roll under your shoes! A great walk.

Machine-translated

Granddonneur
Granddonneur

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 08, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A beautiful hike with an easy profile. Travel time approximately 2.5 hours. The weather was on our side and the scenery was magnificent.

The route must be magnificent once the deciduous trees are in leaf. To be repeated in summer!

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.