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.

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.

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.

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.

Hike on the mountain pastures of the Limon Plateau, where beautiful Salers cows graze from May to October. From these heights, you will enjoy beautiful unobstructed views of the surrounding valleys and mountains, in particular the Puy Mary. This circuit follows part of the Sentier des Quirous, remarkable for its ancient stone signposts.Visorando app essential

From the village of Niervèze, this route, mainly on summer pasture tracks, takes you to the summit of Puy Gros and its plateau, passing by some magnificent restored burons (privately-owned) and the old Cantal chapel, of which only a few ruins and a basalt cross remain. There is a magnificent view over the Cère valley and the main peaks, Puy Chavaroche, Puy Mary, Puy Griou, Peyre Arse, Téton de Vénus and Rocher du Bec de l'Aigle.

This route is ideal in hot weather. You will enjoy the coolness near the waterfalls and especially in the forest. In spring and autumn, this route will undoubtedly allow you to discover the wild flora and fauna in the Cirque. You will leave the coolness behind at the Col de la Molède, just long enough to descend towards Albepierre. ⚠️ At the point (3) , the hamlet of Raveyrol is replaced by Buron de Joaniol haut. This is a naming error on the IGN map.

Tour of the Cantal in seven stages: Murat [Laveissiere] - Meije Costes - Le Falgoux - Le Fau - Mandailles - Le Lioran - Prat de Bouc - Murat [Laveissiere] Very beautiful stages between the Cère, Jordanne and Alagnon valleys. Between the ridges offering unforgettable views (360° panoramas), the ascent of the puys adding a touch of "mountain" to the experience, the summer pastures dotted with flower-filled meadows and encounters with both the flora and fauna and the people who live in this corner of the Cantal and are happy to share their territory.

A short, fairly easy hike from the Puy Mary campsite in Mandailles, which allows you to walk in the hills east of the village and return via the Gorges de la Jordanne (when the water level allows).

This loop, which starts a few kilometres from Mandaille, will take you to the Col de Cabre and the foot of Puy Griou. With panoramic views of the Cantaliens mountains and forests, this hike, with its varied terrain, is particularly enjoyable in warm weather.

Short hike along the ridges with breathtaking views of the Cantal mountains. You can reach the starting point by taking the cable car from Le Lioran or by following the same route in the opposite direction. After enjoying the view from the highest point in this beautiful department, you will reach the Pas des Alpins by following the GR®4/GR®400 marked trail. You will then climb up to the Puy du Rocher to enjoy another breathtaking view of the Plomb du Cantal and its surroundings. Then you will descend towards the Lioran resort on the ridges. The walk ends in the Lioran forest.Please note: after passing Puy du Rocher, two areas may seem a little difficult for some as they require descending the rock, but aids have been put in place.

This hike allows you to discover "forgotten" places, away from the GR®400, on the section between Puy Gros and Plomb du Cantal. You will discover many restored burons (stone huts), amazing sites and, especially in spring, a rich variety of wild flora and animals with their young. However, this circuit is often off the beaten track, taking you closer to the wildest areas where you are most likely to encounter animals or see rare plants.

Stage 7 of our Tour du Cantal. This is the final stage of the Tour du Cantal, with another change to the GR®400 route: instead of returning to Murat, we head back to Laveissière (where we left our vehicle, see episode 1). Most of this stage is in the shade, but the descent brings the heat..

Stage 6 of our Tour du Cantal. A beautiful climb from the Lioran resort to the Plomb du Cantal, starting with a forest section, then a steep climb to reach the Puy du Rocher via the Aiguillon; cross over to reach the cable car station and a final (moderate) climb to the Plomb du Cantal.Panoramic views in all directions. Discover the landscapes of several valleys as you pass through. It's a feast for the eyes!

Stage 5 of our Tour du Cantal / GR®400A forest stage (therefore shaded) with two potential climbs: the Puy de l'Usclade and the Puy Griou. * Editor's note: we have also decided not to follow the original GR®400 route, which makes a long detour to the Col de Pertus, which we don't think is worth the effort. We will reach the Col de Gliziou via the PR® (orange and green markings) which climb up the Ruisseau du Luc valley.

Stage 4 of our Tour du Cantal / GR®400 Another beautiful stage alternating between summer pastures, forests, ridges, peaks (puy) and passes. Long, with quite a lot of elevation gain and loss. Bring plenty of water!

Stage 3 of our Tour du Cantal / GR®400. Departure above the hamlet of Récusset, at the end of the long forest track. The upper part of this hike is on open tracks with no shade. The descent, although some sections are shaded, remains exposed.

Stage 2 of our Tour du Cantal / GR®400. A long and challenging stage due to the heat in June. It might be better to split the stages differently. Some very beautiful sections, particularly the arrival on the ridge before Puy Mary, the area around Puy de la Tourte, etc. More difficult sections: the Brèche de Rolland, the Luchard plateau and the long descent to Falgoux. It should be noted that the ascent of Puy Mary is not compulsory.

Stage 1 of our Tour du Cantal / GR®400 First "glitch" of the route from Murat. It turns out that the GR®400 route has been changed due to right of way issues (from what we understand). So, instead of climbing from Murat up to the ridges and following them to the Bec de l'Aigle rock, we had to descend to the village of Laveissière and climb back up from La Bourgeade. We decided to start from Laveissière.

Starting from Saint-Flour, this tour of the northern part of the Planèze de Saint-Flour allows you to appreciate the diversity of the landscapes of this high basalt plateau in just three days of walking. The stages in Paulhac and Valuéjols offer accommodation in stopover lodges. The route follows part of a variant of the GR® de Pays de Saint-Flour and part of the GR®4.

Third and final stage of the Planèze tour. Entirely on the GR®4. This stage crosses varied environments and allows you to discover some very interesting, albeit little-known, sites. In particular, the route runs alongside the Narse de Nouvialle (a remarkable wetland) and passes close to the Château du Sailhant and the Babory waterfall.

Second stage of the Saint-Flour Planèze tour. This is the shortest and highest stage. It takes place in the foothills of the Plomb du Cantal and crosses the wildest parts of the circuit.

This is the first of three stages of the Saint-Flour Planèze tour. It is the longest stage, passing through several small villages typical of the Planèze with their bread ovens, which provide welcome shelter for a short break in rainy weather. The very quiet paths and small roads run alongside meadows grazed by numerous herds of cattle in season.