The lime trees of Blot and Château-Rocher

In Saint-Rémy-de-Blot, park in the car park of the town hall/tourist office and fire station. Tourist information signs.

Please note! This route is not marked as such.

(S/E) With your back to the town hall, join the main road and follow it to the left until you reach the hamlet of Les Gouyards. Turn left at the first street to reach the centre of the hamlet, with a well covered in vegetation, a picnic table by the pond, and a magnificent lime tree on the right.

(1) Ignore the streets opposite and head left between the farm buildings. The tarmac quickly gives way to a path which initially follows a line of electricity poles. It then veers off and winds down through the undergrowth to the bottom of the valley. Climb up the other side to reach a road.

(2) Follow it to the right and turn onto the first path on the left, which descends into a wood. It climbs again further on and joins a path.

(3) Follow it to the right, climbing steadily. Turn around from time to time to enjoy the view of Château-Rocher⁽¹⁾, which you will reach later. You will come to the hamlet of La Chabasse. In the centre, note the well, flanked by a beautiful lime tree.

(4) Continue along the road that crosses the hamlet to discover the most remarkable lime tree in the village, which has been pruned, probably to relieve it of the weight of dead or diseased branches. Shortly afterwards, notice two other beautiful lime trees on the left, flanked by old carts. At the crossroads with a path, shortly afterwards, before reaching a busy road, turn right. You will come to a small road and follow it to the right.

(5) Follow it around the bend to the right for a return trip to the hamlet of Les Radis. In the centre stands another beautiful lime tree. You will also notice a beautiful farm typical of the region with its stepped gables⁽²⁾. Leave the hamlet by retracing your steps. Continue to the right on the path to reach the hamlet of Les Lamis.

(6) Turn onto the first road on the right (no vehicles over 12 tonnes). Continue straight ahead on this very quiet little road for about 1.5 km. Pass a sign marked "510m" and continue straight ahead on the road towards "Blot-Rocher", then ignore the path on the right that you took on the way there and continue on the road, following the same route as on the way there for about 200m.

(2) When you reach the path on the left coming from Les Gouyards, leave the route you took on the way there and continue straight ahead on the road, passing through the hamlet of Busseret. Continue straight ahead on the path that extends the road and offers views of Château-Rocher⁽¹⁾, the destination of this second circular loop. You will arrive at a stream at the "415m" marker. Do not follow any of the suggested directions, but climb up to the left. You will soon find the "745m" marker and continue towards "Blot-Rocher".

(7) At a fork about 100m further on, follow the red disc markings to the right. You will arrive at a road at the entrance to Blot-Rocher (possible return trip: picnic area near a wash house, a few metres to the left). Follow the road to the right to reach the centre of the hamlet, at the "Blot-Rocher" signpost.

(8) Follow the signs for "Château-Rocher" for a round trip. Pass to the right of a house with a curious sculpture above a window and continue until you reach the car park on the left. Enter the car park and take the steps opposite that lead downhill. Continue along the path to the castle ruins⁽¹⁾ (information panels).

(9) When you leave the castle, take the yellow-marked path on the left. Ignore the stairs on the right and continue to the intersection at the "Château-Rocher" signpost and follow the signs for "Blot-Rocher" on the right. Join the road and return to the hamlet via the same route as on the way there.

(8) Back at the "Blot-Rocher" signpost, leave the outward route and turn right towards Saint-Rémy-de-Blot. Note a traditional farmhouse with a well and a stepped gable⁽²⁾. Continue along the path that extends the road. Further on, you will come to a small road; follow it straight ahead.

(10) You will come to a larger road. Follow it to the right to reach Saint-Rémy-de-Blot. Take the third street on the right, then turn left at the war memorial to reach the church and a beautiful lime tree (heavily pruned). Continue along the street to reach the town hall (S/E).

Medium-difficulty hike, standard hiking equipment

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here and more generally in the Puy-de-Dôme here

Some photos here

⁽¹⁾ Château-Rocher site, ruins of a medieval castle that guarded the Ménat bridge at the entrance to the Sioule Gorges.

Traditional rural architecture, with numerous stepped gables and wells.

⁽²⁾Stepped gables are also called "sparrow's step" gables and are the remains of old thatched roofs.