Monts du Cantal walks

The highest peak in Europe's largest volcanic complex, the Plomb du Cantal (1,855 m) offers unobstructed views of the Monts-Dore (Puy-de-Sancy) to the north and the Cézallier and Aubrac plateaus to the south.

A beautiful three-day hike, sleeping in a bivouac, with interesting variations in altitude.

A beautiful, not too difficult walk with magnificent scenery. Ideal for discovering the landscapes of the Cantal.

Climb to the summit of the famous Puy Mary from the south-east, via a very pleasant trail, leaving your car quite far away to avoid the crowds of visitors who gather at the Pas de Peyrol. Some hikers may find this hike a little difficult, see reviews.

A long walk along the ridges allows you to enjoy the view of the Puy du Cantal, the Puy de Sancy and the Plomb du Cantal. Pass through the Brèche de Roland and return to the Cirque d'Eylac with the marmots.

A day's walk in magnificent surroundings, using theGR® trails in the area. We are within sight of Puy Chavaroche and Puy Mary.

The circuit offers magnificent panoramic views of twelve valleys from the summit. Puy Mary, a veritable pyramid when seen from the sky, rises to 1,783 metres. In the heart of the Cantalien Massif, it is surrounded by exceptional landscapes formed by volcanic activity and glacial erosion, representing the largest volcano in Europe (2,700 km²).

This route invites you to discover the pretty village of Albepierre-Bredons and explore the Pays de Murat national forest, which is home to many remarkable trees. In the cool woods, the Prés Long, Vergnes and Prapsou waterfalls are the main attractions of this shaded route. Route not accessible from December to April due to snow.

Visit this peak overlooking Super Lioran, avoiding climbing (or descending) the ski slopes. This route via theGR®4is remarkable. Attention hikers: the IGN map shows theGR®4on the Alpins ski slope, but theGR® is now further east on a very pleasant path. To avoid this, follow the route described below.

The summit of Puy Griou has a characteristic cone shape and can be seen from afar. Located in the heart of the Cantalian volcano, it offers a superb panorama. The proposed route, which is fairly short, has the advantage of avoiding the Super Lioran ski resort facilities.

This is an unmissable walk in the Cère valley, where you can discover the gorges carved out by the glacier and then the river, on a beautiful marked trail.

A short hike but with a steep climb through the woods, the Roche Percée site is well worth a visit.

This easy walk will take you to the summit of Puy Violent, where you can admire a superb 360° view of the Aurillac plain and Puy Mary. Above the Croix des Vachers, an orientation table will tell you the name of each peak.

A superb hike along a ridge with views of the Cantal mountains.

An extraordinary ridge route allowing you to visit three peaks and enjoy a splendid panoramic view of the entire Cantalian puys for much of the route.

A walk in the mountains among cows and typical Cantal landscapes. Niervèze, a lively mountain village, and the geological curiosity of Chaos de Casteltinet and its impressive Lion's Gate are on the programme. Yellow markings.

Cross the beautiful high-altitude beech forest in the Bois Mary, then follow the path along the ridge of the Monts du Cantal. This hike alternates between shade in the first half and sunshine and magnificent views in the second half.

Waterfalls, undergrowth, stream, at the bottom of the magnificent Brezons valley. Forests and pastures, magnificent Cantal landscapes; old stone burons, summer pastures, view of the Plomb du Cantal peaks. Three options: easy (40 mins), medium (1 hr 30 mins), complete (3 hrs 30 mins). Well-designed facilities to make the most of the beauty of the site without spoiling it.

A beautiful walk along the Cantalian ridges. Open landscapes and magnificent views. To be done in good weather.

A short route to a legendary summit, offering beautiful panoramic views of the Puy mountains in the Cantal region.

Its height of 1855 metres make Plomb du Cantal the second highest peak in the Massif Central after the Puy de Sancy. Starting from the Col de Prat de Bouc, this hike initially leads to the summit ascent and descent on the northern slope, followed by a climb up the slopes of the Puy du Rocher before returning to Prat de Bouc.

The Montagnes are isolated burons (shepherd's huts) on the Carladès summer pastures. This easy walk offers views of the typical landscapes of this Auvergne high plateau.

A short, easy, shaded circular walk from Cheyssac (in the commune of Vebret in Cantal) to the Saut de la Saule, a steep-sided gorge on the Rhue. The Rhue is a tributary of the Dordogne that separates Cantal and Corrèze (and therefore Auvergne from Limousin) near Bort-Les-Orgues.

A magnificent tour on the plateau where the village of Girgols is located. A short stretch of tarmac road at the beginning, then paths and fields. From the hamlet of La Bastide, you are in a wild, solitary and magnificent world.

A very pleasant short walk to discover the Salins waterfall, the Monzola stream and the village of Salins, mostly in the shade of the undergrowth. There are many points of interest along the route to keep children interested (waterfall, rope bridge, river, etc.). The path is fully marked in blue. A huge thank you to the Communauté de Communes du Pays de Mauriac for developing and maintaining this walk.

From the Col du Pertus, discover the village of Mandailles and the hamlets of Larmandie and Liadouze on the banks of the Jordanne. On both the outward and return journeys, gaps in the forest offer beautiful views of the valley, the Chavaroche and Puy Mary massifs, as well as the Gliziou and Puy Griou. Update 2025: see practical information

Round trip above Mandailles, in the vast cirque of Fours de Peyre-Arse and the sources of the Jordanne. Not to be missed: both green and mountainous; magnificent landscapes, moderate difficulty. Climb under the trees, then through the meadows, then walk along an easy ridge path. 360° views in the foreground of the entire Auvergne volcano chain. No difficulty on the route. Marked but regular ascents/descents and a short climb to pass the Brèche de Rolland.

Fond d'Alagnon will be the starting point for your hike. Follow the ridge towards Puy Griou, passing by Bec de l'Aigle and Téton de Vénus. Along the way, you will enjoy numerous views of Plomb Cantal, Puy Mary, Peyre Arse and many other peaks.

This route takes you to one of the prettiest waterfalls in the Cantal. The Faillitoux waterfall, with a drop of around 40 metres, flows over a lava flow with basalt columns at the foot of the waterfall. The pretty hamlet of Lasmolineries, with its renovated bread oven, is also worth a visit.

This hike, leading from the Thérondels plateau to the wooded slopes of the Truyère, offers a bird's eye view of the narrow "fjord" formed by the Sarrans Lake reservoir. The Laussac peninsula and its splendid chapel are one of the most iconic sites in Carladez, north of Aveyron.

An easy, shaded approach to this iconic peak in the Monts du Cantal, with its perfect cone shape and superb views. However, the final climb is quite technical and challenging.

A beautiful hike, lovingly mapped out in the heart of the Cantal between the castles of Chambres and Mazerolles.

Discover the history of this part of the Cézalier through the archaeological and historical remains that dot this route. Prehistoric rock shelters, tumuli, Merovingian sarcophagi, medieval forest trails, 12th-century churches, a monumental 15th-century cross, a communal oven, a wash house and beautiful old houses.

Walk along the Impradine, from pastures to villages rich in beautiful old houses. Like us, you may encounter a herd of horses, deer and a fox.

The summit of Rocher de Laqueuille is covered with magnificent moorland, ideal for a picnic. To get there, you will pass close to the pretty Château de la Cheyrelle. On your return, don't miss a visit to the beautiful village of Dienne, which has a remarkable 12th-century church with a bell tower and some very beautiful old houses.

A lovely walk through isolated valleys, typical of the Cantalian mid-mountains. Beautiful trees, beautiful landscapes, peace and greenery. A marked walk with no particular difficulty, if you enjoy paths and hills.

Walk in the hills above Murat. Beautiful views over the Alagnon and Benet valleys. Beautiful old houses in the village of Bredons and the remarkable site of Bredons Church, an 11th-century Cluniac site.

Les Prés Marty are summer pastures on the slopes of Plomb du Cantal, where beautiful Salers cows graze on lush grass. On the way there, discover three beautiful waterfalls, and on the way back, a renovated buron (shepherd's hut), an oratory and a fourth waterfall. In season, dessert will be provided by the many wild raspberry bushes that line the path.

A family walk offering beautiful views of the Limon Plateau on the other side of the Santoire Valley.

An interesting low-altitude hike above and in the Jordanne valley. Enjoy beautiful green landscapes typical of the Cantal region. Pass through pretty little hamlets with old buildings. Peaceful and natural.

Puy de l'Usclade is little known, but offers a beautiful view of Puy Griou and the other surrounding peaks. The first part of the walk, up to Col de Gliziou, is easy and shaded, and fairly busy, while the second part is less frequented and ends with a steeper section.

Circuit no. 1 in the guidebook of walking, horse riding and mountain biking routes in the commune of Paulhac.

This is a fairly easy short hike to a beautiful promontory offering a panoramic view of the main Monts du Cantal and the Jordanne and Cère valleys.

Hike on one of the must-see sites in Cantal, preferably outside the tourist season, when the Lioran chairlifts are not in operation. After the tranquillity of the summer pastures on the Prés Marty, the Plomb du Cantal reveals superb landscapes. A return trip along the ridge to the Chapelle du Cantal allows you to make the most of these heights.

From Vic-sur-Cère, climb up to the Coyan Plateau, passing several viewpoints: over Vic and the Cère valley, then over the plateau and the more distant mountain ranges. The route passes by the Rocher de Saint-Curiat, an ancient hermitage, and the Grotte des Anglais, a former shelter for Huguenots. In 2023, the trail between (8) and (2) via the Grotte des Anglais is closed due to rockfall. Until further notice, it is still possible to make a round trip to (7) or (8).

A partially shaded hike in the Lagnon valley offering views of two waterfalls.

The Plateau de la Planèze starting from Prat de Bouc. N.B. Following the route with the Visorando app can be very useful in the forest due to the numerous trail intersections encountered.

Visit to a practically perfect cone that could have inspired the builders of the pyramids if they had known the Massif Central and particularly this Cantalian summit.

This beautiful route, starting from the Col de Font de Cère, crosses the pastures of the Cantal, passing successively through the Col de Rombière and the Puy de Peyre Arse, ending at the Puy Mary, the second highest peak in the Cantal, via the iconic Brèche de Rolland, a slightly technical passage. Those who are prone to vertigo should take care on this section. Throughout this hike, the 360° panoramic views allow you to admire the beautiful mountainous countryside of the Monts du Cantal.

The tour of the Font d'Alagnon cirque, passing by two peaks, is the programme for this walk above the small resort of Le Lioran, which offers beautiful panoramic views of the Cantal volcanic massif.