Montpeyroux, a golden stone fortress on the Allier

When arriving in Montpeyroux from the A75, visitors are immediately diverted to the car parks to the west of the village, towards the educational farm. The hike starts at P1.

No signposts

(S/E) Climb the stairs towards the sculpture, ignoring the tourist office and the direction of the village on the right. Follow the path straight ahead, which runs alongside the car parks on the left, then, at the end of the path, join the access road to the car parks on the left and, opposite the educational farm, continue to the right, with the farm on your left. At the end of the farm, turn right towards P4, then keep left, still towards P4, at the next intersection. Ignore a path on the left and arrive at a street. Follow it to the left, still towards P4, and take the access road to this car park by turning right at the corner of the cemetery. After walking along the cemetery wall, then the car park on your left, continue towards the town centre via the steps.

Yellow Butterfly Markings

(1) Take the first staircase on the left, just before the small private car park. Look for the yellow butterfly markings. Further down, at a pretty little cross, cross Rue de la Croix du Bras and continue along the path opposite. Cross a path (not shown on the map), then come to a small road and follow it to the right. Ignore the paths that branch off a hundred metres further on.

(2) At a bend in the road to the right, ignore the path branching off to the left and, shortly afterwards, continue along the path that extends the road. Ignore a path on the right. When you reach Coudes, at the intersection with Chemin du Rivage starting opposite on the right, continue straight ahead on the path that crosses a recreation area on the banks of the Allier. Before reaching the children's playground, turn right to join the street (Chemin du Rivage).

No signposts

(3) Follow it to the left for about 50 metres, then, just behind an electricity transformer pole and before the fork in the road, take the path on the right (none of the paths in this area, which lead to gardens, are shown on the map). Turn right at the intersection, then take the first path on the left. Walk along the cemetery wall, then follow the paths that go around it, following its walls until you reach the street in front of its entrance. Go up the access road to the cemetery, then, at the intersection, follow the street on the left (^GR®® Red and White markings). Continue straight ahead, ignoring the side streets, until you reach an intersection with an old fountain decorated with a beautiful mosaic, which is unfortunately very damaged. Turn left onto Rue du Nord, then right onto Rue du Vieux Marché. Turn left onto Passage du Pont, then right onto Passage du Nord to reach the church.

(4) Turn left towards the bridge and cross the Allier river. On the other side, go down the steps on the left to reach the fishermen's car park and picnic area, and continue along the path heading north, with the Allier on your left.

(5) Ignore the passage under the railway line on your right (which you will take on the way back) and continue straight ahead on the path. At the fork in the path, stay on the right-hand path which leads to a bridge (which is also a canal bridge) crossing the railway line.

(6) On the other side, continue along the path that climbs uphill, ignoring the path on the right. You will come to a crossroads with several paths (not all of which are shown on the map), and take the second on the right (at roughly a right angle). At the end of the path, continue along a street until you reach the intersection with the D229 and immediately turn right onto Rue de la Varenne. About 150 m further on, look out for a path that branches off to the right, marked in blue. It leads to the railway underpass you saw earlier.

(5) On the other side, turn left, with the Allier on your right. Stay on the reverse route of the outward journey to cross the bridge again and return to the church in Coudes.

(4) Behind the church, turn left, passing in front of the mission cross. At the intersection, turn right and then immediately left for a short round trip to the bridge over the Couze Chambon. Retrace your steps, ignore the streets on the right and arrive at a busier street, at a bridge over a leat of the Couze Chambon. Follow the green markings, cross the bridge and, just on the other side, turn right downhill to join a path running alongside the leat. Follow it, with the leat on your right and gardens on your left. Further on, ignore the path that branches off to the left and climb the stairs on the right to join a street. Follow it to the right and then, at the intersection, opposite a fountain with a fish-shaped tap, take Rue Teyras de Grandval opposite.

(7) At the next intersection, with a fountain leaning against the wall of a school, go straight ahead, then turn left onto Rue Souligoux, then left again at the next street, and you will come back to the intersection with the fountain.

Red and white^GR®® markings

(7) Turn right (Rue du Barry), note the^GR®® markings, ignore Impasse des Noyers on the right and, at the next intersection, turn right onto Rue du Champ de la Reine. Ignore the side streets of the housing estate and, at the intersection, turn left onto Chemin du Cruel. You will come to a fork in the road where the tarmac disappears.

(8) Stay on the^GR®® markings, which veer to the left. Shortly afterwards, you will pass a fountain and a wash house. At the next intersection, at a cross, keep to the right and take the path that climbs towards the keep. Keep right again at the fork in the path and you will arrive at a street in Montpeyroux. Follow it to the right for about 50 metres to reach Place du Chaume.

(9) Turn left onto Montée des Tisserands, heading towards the medieval centre. At the intersection, continue straight ahead up the steps, still on Montée des Tisserands. When you reach a street (Rue du Donjon) at the foot of the keep, turn left and go down the first steps on the left. When you reach a street (Rue de la Poterne), turn right and climb the stairs on the right, Montée du Guetteur. When you reach Rue du Donjon again, turn right to go around the keep via Rue de la Grande Charreyre and you will soon arrive at the entrance to the keep on the left.

(10) After visiting, if you wish, turn left at the exit and you will soon reach a square with a fountain and café terraces. Continue straight ahead to the fortified gate. Go under the gate to see the church on the other side, then go back through the gate in the other direction and turn right onto the Montée des Gardes staircase. Ignore a passage on the left, turn right onto Montée de la Herse and you will come to a street (Rue de la Poterne). Follow it to the right and immediately turn right onto the Montée du Renouveau staircase. At the top, you will find yourself in front of the war memorial. Follow the street to the left.

(11) Make a short detour to the right at Place du Grand Puits, return to the street and continue to the right. At the intersection, continue straight on Rue des Granges, ignore two streets on the right, and arrive at a roundabout. Turn right onto the pedestrian path (information signs), with an old arkose quarry below on the right, pass the tourist office on the left, then turn left towards the sculpture, go down the stairs and return to car park P1 (S/E).

Hike of moderate difficulty, leaning towards easy, requiring standard hiking equipment.

The car parks in Montpeyroux are free in 2023.
During the summer, the car parks in Montpeyroux can be full. It may therefore be a good idea to start the hike in Coudes: between (4) and (5), leave your car in the fishermen's car park, at the bottom of the bridge, on the right bank of the Allier.

Regarding the reviews: hike modified on 18/07/2024 to avoid the unmaintained section leading back up to the village at the end of the hike.

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here

Photo album here (some photos also here)

In Montpeyroux, ranked as one of the most beautiful villages in France, there is a tourist atmosphere with craft and artist shops and terraces. Climb to the top of the keep for €2.50 per person ÷ at the top, there are views and orientation tables; leave your rucksack at the reception.
History of Montpeyroux here and in the keep.
History of some of Montpeyroux's monuments here
History of Coudes here
The Pays d'Issoire is called, on an information panel near the tourist office, Pays de Margo et des Dauphins. Explanation here
History of arkose mining here
Visit to the educational farm here