Malauzat walks

A walk around Puy Marcoin offers a unique opportunity to explore the commune of Malauzat, with its market town and the villages of Saint-Genest-l’Enfant and Les Moulins-Blancs.Magnificent views of the Chaîne des Puys, the Puy-de-Dôme, as well as the town of Volvic and Tournoël Castle.

Leaving Sayat, discover the wine-growing village of Châteaugay on the way out through the orchards of the Plateau de Lachaud and on the way back through the Plateau de Bade. Along the way, you'll discover the market towns of Malauzat and Blanzat.

Walk on one of the plateaus north of Clermont-Ferrand, where cultivated fields, orchards, vineyards and wild bushy groves alternate. On the way back, discover T. Courtadon's series of sculptures "Ondoyer" on the banks of the Bédat.

Walk on the Champ Griaud plateau, on beautiful paths that once served pastoral plots now colonised by oak trees and wild vegetation, then through vineyards that have been restored to their former glory, before ending with a visit to the cellar district and the medieval centre of Châteaugay.

Starting from the "city of stone and water", this route takes you through cool valleys to the moors of the heights, where you will have the Chaîne des Puys and the Monts du Livradois-Forez as your horizon, then takes you back down to the village through an ancient lava flow, a refuge for Auvergne bats.

Starting from Volvic, this walk first takes you through the Cheire de Bruvaleix forest before climbing to the heights, which offer unobstructed views of the Chaîne des Puys. You’ll pass by Tournoël Castle and the foot of Notre-Dame de la Garde.

A pleasant walk with woodland cover along much of the route. Ideal in hot weather. Don’t hesitate to venture a little way into the forest to admire the beautiful trees, some of which are truly majestic.

A short, half-day walk to visit the Abbey Church of Mozac along a picturesque path. Return via the same route.

A long walk through the heart of the Gorges d'Enval leading to the Eaux de Volvic, passing by the Château de Tournoël and Notre-Dame de la Garde.

In Enval, the playful Ambène stream rises in the chestnut groves and offers dazzling views of the Château de Tournoël and the Chaîne des Puys in the distance. This site is classified as a natural area of ecological, faunistic and floristic interest. This hike can be done in hot weather as it is very shaded.

An urban walk in Clermont-Ferrand to discover two beautiful murals from 2022 around Montjuzet Park.

The discovery of Thierry Courtadon's sculpture "Contempler" is the pretext for this hike starting from the Fontaine du Berger. The route, along the edge of the Limagne fault, takes you through varied landscapes, cultivated fields, wetlands, pastures, summer meadows, woods and forests, as well as villages and hamlets still rich in traditional buildings.

A circular route passing through a must-see of the Chaîne des Puys, the crater of Puy des Goules, which offers a superb panorama, passing by a few curiosities: an old military barracks, an old pozzolan quarry, and a relay antenna cross!

A walk offering beautiful views of the Puy de Dôme and some of its neighbours, as well as a panorama of the Limagne and the Monts du Forez.Please note! This off-trail route through the mountain pastures is only accessible from early December to late April.

Short hike to the summit of Grand Sarcoui and the magnificent volcano with its perfect crater, Puy des Goules. A magnificent view of the volcano park from each of the two summits. This hike is not technically difficult and is suitable for families who want to discover the magic of volcanoes. Moderator's note added on 13/09/2021: access to the Sarcoui caves is difficult and the summit is now off-limits (see comments).

Set off from the foot of the volcanoes and descend to the old Hercynian base of the Plateau des Dôme, right on the edge of the Limagne fault, in peaceful countryside alternating between crops, woods and pastures. There are some beautiful views of the puys to the west and Clermont-Ferrand on the Limagne side to the east.

Riom, a town designated as a ‘Pays d’Art et d’Histoire’, has been one of the main towns of Auvergne since medieval times. A rival to Clermont, the region’s historical and cultural capital, Riom was nevertheless the capital of the Duchy of Auvergne and retains a remarkable architectural heritage.

Best done on a sunny winter's day, this snowy outing offers magical landscapes. In the woods, the trees, bending under their white blanket, cover the paths with a canopy that creates beautiful light effects. When you emerge at the top of the puys, you are greeted by a magnificent landscape.

A magnificent hike, without any great difficulty, which will take you through the Parc des Volcans north of the Puy de Dôme. You will discover the Sarcoui and its cave, the Puy des Goules, the Puy de Côme, the Cliersou and its caves, the Petit and Grand Knolls, and the grandiose Puy Pariou. At the top of each puy, you can enjoy 360° views of the Chaîne des Puys, the Puy de Dôme, the Limagne plain and Clermont-Ferrand.

This hike allows you to discover the "perfect" crater of the Puy des Goules and the much more complex crater of the Puy des Gouttes, with the protrusion of the Puy Chopine. Beautiful views of the Chaîne des Puys.The Visorando app is recommended for certain unmarked sections.

An easy walk that takes you up Puy Pariou. A very pleasant forest at the start and end of the route, with stunning views of the Puy de Dôme on the way back. ⚠️ (3) It is forbidden to descend into the volcano or to walk all the way round it.

A classic in the Chaîne des Puys to admire Puy de Dôme and Le Puy de Pariou, amongst others.

A beautiful circular route passing through three peaks with stunning panoramic views and lovely sections in the forest, starting from the centre of Fontaine du Berger, a car park that is less busy than Parking des Goules. The Visorando app is recommended as some paths are not marked. Very busy in summer.

Discover the route of the old railway line from Riom to Châtel-Guyon via the heights of Saint-Don.

Starting from the village of Orcines, this circular route first passes by the Pariou solidified lava flow before climbing up to the plateau for a view of the Croix de Ternant site. The return trip is via the Chemins des Gouris, once used by shepherds to travel from the farms of Fontaine du Berger to the summer pastures at the foot of the Dôme.

Between Orcines and Durtol, there is a circular path in the shade of the forest that covers the solidified lava flow of Puy Pariou, on trails that wind through rugged, wild terrain. However, this land was once used for farming, with small plots enclosed by stone walls for crops and chestnut trees, of which some beautiful specimens remain, as well as for grazing sheep.

This sixth stage takes you gently closer to the city of Clermont-Ferrand, passing through the hamlet of Villars, which has preserved its beautiful old buildings, before following the stunning Chemin des Crêtes, overlooking the Tiretaine valley, to reach the old village of Royat.

One of the favourite walks for locals, along a beautiful stream, through the woods, very close to the spa centre.

In 1630, the Edict of Troyes imposed the union of Clermont and Montferrand, with the transfer of tax administration to Clermont. Montferrand, a former royal town, never recovered from this political decision. Far from the city centre of Clermont-Ferrand, the now neighbourhood of Montferrand, with its exceptional architectural heritage, is well worth a visit, especially as it is easily accessible by tram.

From village to village, at the foot of the Puy de Dôme, this hike is punctuated by the sound of water flowing from numerous fountains, passing by the basalt columns of Puy de Montrodeix.

A walk to discover the beautiful architecture and thermal park of Châtel-Guyon.

From Clermont city centre to Montjuzet Park, located on the small hill of the same name, preserved from urbanisation, offering beautiful views of the Clermont metropolitan area and the surrounding mountains in a Mediterranean atmosphere.

After visiting the new Place des Carmes, take a stroll through the tree-lined cemetery of the same name, then through the streets to discover some beautiful examples of street art.

One of three short walks (Saint-Genès, Saint-Pierre, Le Port) offered by Clermont Auvergne Tourisme to discover Clermont's historic center.

One of three short walks (Saint-Genès, Saint-Pierre, Le Port) offered by Clermont Auvergne Tourisme to discover Clermont's historic center.

One of three short walks (Saint-Genès, Saint-Pierre, Le Port) offered by Clermont Auvergne Tourisme to discover Clermont's historic center.

A city route taking in second-hand clothing shops of various standards, as well as a few dressmakers' workshops, fair trade shops, a luxury accessories shop, an antique and regional jewellery workshop, and second-hand bookshops. It's also a good excuse to explore some of the neighbourhoods on the central plateau of Clermont-Ferrand and take a gourmet break in one of the city's iconic cafés.

On 19 September 1648, Blaise Pascal stood before his Torricelli tube in the Jardin des Minimes – now Place de Jaude – in Clairmont (Clermont). His brother-in-law, Florin Périer, had set off earlier with his own Torricelli tube for the summit of the Puy de Dôme. Over the course of the day, 17 experiments were carried out to measure the mercury level in the tubes, which had been placed at different altitudes; these experiments would go on to confirm the hypothesis of the “weight of the air”, which would later become known as atmospheric pressure. At both locations, once filled to the brim, the tube was turned upside down so that its open base was in contact with the mercury contained in a vessel. Due to its weight, the liquid inside the tube dropped under the effect of gravity. In Clermont, the mercury remains at a height of 71.2 cm. At the summit of the Puy de Dôme, it drops to 62.70 cm. This difference of a few centimetres is the result of a height difference of 1,078 metres, which I invite you to appreciate for what it is.

On 19 September 1648, Blaise Pascal stood before his Torricelli tube in the Jardin des Minimes – now Place de Jaude – in Clairmont (Clermont). His brother-in-law, Florin Périer, had set off earlier with his own Torricelli tube for the summit of the Puy de Dôme. Over the course of the day, 17 experiments were carried out to measure the level of mercury in the tubes, which had been placed at different altitudes; these experiments would go on to confirm the hypothesis of the ‘weight of the mass of air’, which would later become known as atmospheric pressure. At both locations, once filled to the brim, the tube was turned upside down so that its open base was in contact with the mercury contained in a vessel. Due to its weight, the liquid inside the tube sank under the force of gravity. In Clermont, the mercury remained at a height of 71.2 cm. At the summit of the Puy de Dôme, it dropped to 62.70 cm. This difference of a few centimetres is the result of a height difference of 1,078 metres, which I invite you to appreciate for what it is.

In the Clermont-Ferrand metropolitan area, the Transport à la Demande (TAD) service, in addition to regular bus and tram lines, allows you to travel quite far around the city. This seven-stage itinerary takes advantage of this. Each stage begins and ends at a bus or TAD stop. In between, the routes allow you to discover the villages of the metropolitan area's green belt and the foot of the Puy de Dôme: the built heritage of their old wine-growing or mountain villages, their spa resorts, their natural environments and a few geological curiosities. The first stages follow the course of the Artière, and the last ones follow the course of the Tiretaine, two pretty little rivers, tributaries of the Allier, which originate at the foot of the puys.See "Practical information" for a 4-stage variant with accommodation.

This first stage is mainly urban, with a few green interludes at Parc Bargoin in Chamalières, on the slopes of Puy de Montaudoux, in the chestnut grove of Beaumont and in the small parks along the Artière.

Real and fantastical animals, fauna, legendary creatures, mythological delusions and other hybrid monsters swarm the streets of the city. With a bestiary as its guiding thread, this urban hike will introduce you to many other beautiful things in the centre of Clermont-Ferrand.

Exploratory walk through the neighbourhoods north of Clermont's central plateau, discovering recent street art (2022).

Walk around Clermont's central plateau to discover the street art works of the Such'Art 2022-2023 trail. It is also an interesting route for a quick tour of Clermont's historic centre.

This circular loop will take you to the summit of Puy des Gouttes, where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Chaîne des Puys, then into the countryside near Fontètes, a hamlet with a pretty little chapel. On the way back, you will discover a beautiful row of about twenty drinking troughs in a meadow, the Fontaine des Pères.

A circular route that is half mountain, half countryside, passing by the summit of Puy des Gouttes before descending towards the Combrailles to discover the hamlet of Beauregard. A leisurely return via a sculpture in Courtadon. SHHH!

"Human noise becomes silent, nature makes volcanoes chatter; whispering landscapes, and whispering a thousand voices of silence". Caption of the beautiful sculpture by Thierry Courtadon that you will encounter on your route, alongside with great viewpoints.

This route starts at the Vulcania crossroads and begins with a long, fairly flat, open path before crossing the forest to reach these two magnificent volcanoes. The route can be done in either direction.

Discover a small spa town, with its beautiful architecture, and its natural surroundings.

An urban walk for Sundays, when shops and restaurants are closed, to discover some beautiful paintings on shop shutters. The itinerary also allows you to discover several murals in the historic centre of Clermont.

There are many beautiful buildings in Clermont-Ferrand, but they are often hidden among more ordinary ones. This urban walk takes you along boulevards and streets that stand out for their architectural richness. Although this route focuses mainly on the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the itinerary also takes you along a few streets in the historic centre lined with older buildings. The proposed itinerary explores the west and north of Clermont-Ferrand's city centre in particular.

This itinerary dedicated to the many fountains of Clermont-Ferrand also allows you to discover the squares and gardens, shopping streets and historic districts of the Auvergne capital.

An urban itinerary to discover the beautiful late 19th and early 20th century buildings in the eastern districts of Clermont-Ferrand city centre.

An urban hike dotted with pockets of greenery. From south to north, the altitude increases, as does the temperature, passing from the Jardin Lecoq in the centre of Clermont to the Parc de Monjuzet, a small hill rising to 480 m with a Mediterranean garden, then past the beautiful fresco by the End To End collective celebrating the Amazon rainforest, before climbing steeply to reach the ancient Gallic oppidum on the Côtes de Clermont site, at an altitude of nearly 600 m.

A walk to discover all the facets of the city of Royat: the spa district with its superb buildings, the old medieval town overlooking the Tiretaine valley, Bargoin Park, which, although officially part of Chamalières, is well integrated into the centre of Royat, just like the Spa Park.

Set off to explore Chamalières and Royat on a route that climbs to the heights of Chamalières, offering beautiful views of the Clermont-Ferrand conurbation.

This seventh and final stage, which is partly urban, allows you to continue exploring Royat, which you started at the end of the previous stage, first in the wooded hills of the town, passing by the Rocher du Salut promontory, then through the streets and park of the spa district, with its beautiful seaside architecture. Finally, the return route to Clermont allows you to discover the centre of Chamalières.

It is very rare not to encounter walkers on this beautiful granite promontory overlooking Royat and Chamalières. The Royadères and Chamaliérois enjoy walking here in all seasons. This circular route takes you along a forest discovery trail, the beautiful Chemin des Crêtes and part of the Roman road that linked Lyon to Saintes. In the last part of the hike, the beautiful forest paths were transformed into wide tracks at the end of 2022 and tree debris litters the banks. Some of the landmarks mentioned in the description are therefore missing.

Discover the Tiretaine river and its hydraulic basin at the very beginning of its course. After walking along a cool path beside the river, you will discover the small streams that feed it and no fewer than five wash houses. The return route takes you along a balcony overlooking the valley.

A circular route on the edge of the city, almost entirely in the woods, taking the beautiful Roman road, still paved, which linked Lyon to Saintes. Views of the Puy de Dôme in the first part of the hike, then of the city of Clermont-Ferrand.

A short climb at the start to reach the Chemin des Crêtes and its Mediterranean atmosphere, a volcanic detour to the small rock formations, a walk at the foot of the local giant and an end to the walk in the company of the Tiretaine.

Close to Clermont-Ferrand, walk through meadows and woodland on beautiful paths, such as the Chemin des Crêtes and an ancient Roman road. You can also discover basalt columns and pretty fountains. At the end of the hike, the beautiful forest trails were transformed into wide tracks at the end of 2022. Some of the landmarks mentioned in the description are therefore missing.

A very pleasant walk in the oldest part of the Chaîne des Puys. The hamlet of Beaunit is nestled in the hollow of a volcanic maar that was occupied by a lake several hundred thousand years ago.

A grand tour of the Puy de Dôme allows you to admire this local landmark from multiple angles. The ascents of the Grand Knoll and Cliersou, peaks overlooked by most hikers, offer beautiful views of the Chaîne des Puys.

Starting from Font de l'Arbre, on the D942, right at the foot of Puy de Dôme, take a short hike to discover the essentials of Auvergne: traditional houses, fountains, wash houses, drinking troughs, streams, springs, basalt columns, Roman milestones, and even a sheepfold... not to mention the cheeses on sale at the Village Auvergnat.

A beautiful hike, not too busy, mostly through the woods. The first climb is a little steep but not particularly difficult. Beautiful views of Sancy, Limagne and Les Puys.

A very accessible ascent of the Puy de Dôme, despite the elevation gain. After the beautiful 'Chemins de la Roche Pertuisade and des Gravouses', which winds through pastures and woods at the foot of the puy, climb the Chemin des Chèvre, then the old road now used by the cog railway. Descent to the South via the Chemin des Muletiers, then back via the Chemin des Gouris.

At the foot of the Puy de Dôme, take the Chemin des Gouris, named after the young shepherds who once accompanied the cows to the summer pastures, to discover the Puy Pariou crater and its slopes covered with a beautiful beech forest. Further on, explore a few caves before taking the beautiful Chemin des Gravouses to cross the Fontmagnie Forest.

A circular route at the foot of the Puy de Dôme with, in the first part, a walk along forest paths, then a route through the villages of Orcines to discover beautiful wash houses, still in use, made of Volvic stone.

A mainly woodland walk circling the Puy de Dôme, starting from Montrodeix, a hamlet of Orcines. The route passes through beautiful beech woods and the mountain pastures at the foot of the Puys, offering some lovely views of the Puy de Dôme and its neighbouring peaks.

An ideal forest walk for hot days, circling Puy de Côme via the Bacs de Ceyssat, watering holes once used by the sheep that used to graze here. In season, you’ll find raspberries, columbines, gentians, martagon lilies...

A short circular forest loop around Puy de Côme, whose summit is unfortunately not accessible. The route passes by the Bacs de Ceyssat site, a pretty series of drinking troughs (les bacs) fed by a fountain, installed via an aqueduct for sheep.

A magnificent hike to the summits of the iconic Puy-de-Dôme. This route, which follows very well-maintained paths, is mainly on flat ground and offers numerous panoramic views. The ascent via the mule track is steep but fairly short.

A magnificent hike to the summits of the iconic Puy-de-Dôme and Puy Pariou. This route, on very well-maintained paths, is mainly on flat ground and offers numerous panoramic views.Warning! Immediate danger – Rock falls. Due to rock falls from the cliffs, the Chemin des Muletiers is STRICTLY closed until further notice by municipal decree of the commune of Orcines.

A hike entirely in the forest, in the unique landscape of the Cheire de Côme. You will be left to your own devices in this mysterious forest, on small unmarked paths for part of the route, wherethe Visorando app is almost essential. The Signed Stone is an enigma, perhaps you can try to solve it.

On this comet-shaped route, discover the solidified lava flow of Côme, a remarkable natural area in the Chaîne des Puys. This lava flow from the Puy de Côme, which stretches for almost 10 km, has solidified into extremely chaotic terrain and has been colonised by a beautiful forest of birch and beech trees. To extend this hike, I suggest you then walk around the Puy de Côme, through the beech forest that covers its slopes.

Whilst the main aim of this urban walk is to show you the beautiful tram mural at Les Cézeaux, the route also takes you past some interesting architecture on the campus, along the little river the Artière, through a few parks and past a former site of wine cellars.

A semi-urban walk, passing through the historic villages of Boisséjour and Ceyrat, following forest tracks and paths, running alongside the Artière in places, particularly at the lovely site of the Moulin de la Tranchère.

Hike along the slopes of the Montaudoux and Gravenoire puys to reach the viewpoint of the Rocher du Salut. On the way back, you can visit the town and the Royat spa district.

Set in the Clermont-Ferrand green belt, this walk takes you past an old pozzolan quarry, a beautiful viewpoint at the top of Montaudoux, the Parc des Thermes de Royat and the woods on the heights of Chamalières and Royat, passing via the Puy de la Charité and the Chemin des Crêtes . A ‘Moderate’ difficulty walk if you skip the ascent to the summit of Montaudoux.

An urban walk for residents of Clermont-Ferrand, Beaumont and Chamalière, taking in the Puys de Montjuzet and Montaudoux – two of the city’s ‘green lungs’ – via the western districts of Clermont-Ferrand. There are numerous views of the city from the heights of these two hills. You’ll also come across some lovely architectural surprises as you pass through the neighbourhoods.

In the Clermont-Ferrand area, climb the small puys of Montaudoux and Gravenoire, visit Bargouin Park and Royat Thermal Park. This is an easy hike if you skip the climb to the summit of Montaudoux.

Enjoy a stroll through the forest to take in the scenery and the view of the Clermont-Ferrand conurbation from the Rocher du Salut.

A fairly short second stage between Beaumont and Ceyrat, passing by the pretty Moulin de la Tranchère, a renovated mill on the banks of the Artière, then by the summit of Puy de Montrognon, crowned by a tower that is the remains of a medieval castle.

La Roche de Sauterre offers a beautiful location for observing the surroundings and the majestic alignment of the Chaîne des Puys. This basalt peak, the result of volcanic activity, contains inclusions of peridotite, a semi-precious stone.

A walk in Aubière, first along the Artière and the shared gardens, then on the heights of the puy, a Sensitive Natural Area, before returning to the village via the site of the large wine cellars.

For hot summer days, this route is almost exclusively in the forest, at the foot of the volcanoes, following in the footsteps of the heroes of the Auvergne Resistance. A few crossings of meadows will offer you beautiful views of the Puy de Dôme.

The Sentier des Muletiers, comprising fifteen numbered bends spread over the 350-metre climb to the summit of the Puy de Dôme, is the ancient path that led pilgrims to the Temple of Mercury. It offers superb panoramic views throughout the ascent, taking in the entire 45 km stretch of the Chaîne des Volcans.

The view is as lovely as ever at the top of this legendary route. A longer climb, but more enjoyable and varied than the ascent via the Sentier des Muletiers.

A stunning view of two of the Puys’ most iconic peaks. The climb is longer from this side, but more pleasant and varied than the ascent via the Sentier des Muletiers.

A pleasant, easy walk in the Chaîne des Puys. There are magnificent views of the Puy de Dôme to admire.This walk requires two cars.

Just above Clermont-Ferrand, the inescapable climb to Puy-de-Dôme through the col de Ceyssat is a short but intense hike with an astonishing view over Clermont-Ferrand, the chaîne des Puys, paragliders and Millevaches. Caution, it's a very popular walk so be sure to do it during week days for a bit of peace and quiet.

A hike through the forest on little-used paths that is easy going too!