Place de Jaude - Beaumont via Puy de Montaudoux

Departure from the centre of Clermont, Place de Jaude, at the foot of the equestrian statue of Vercingétorix.

(S) At the foot of the statue, on the "A Vercingétorix" side, go straight ahead onto Rue Blatin. Stay on the left-hand pavement so as not to miss the Grand Passage, which opens up on the left. Go through it and come out onto Rue du Maréchal Foch. Turn right and, at the crossroads, turn left onto Rue Bonnabaud (some beautiful buildings). Cross Avenue Julien, then Rue Eugène Gilbert and you will come to a large crossroads. Turn right onto Boulevard Pasteur (also lined with some beautiful façades). At the end of the boulevard, pass a large roundabout on your right (with a fountain at the back) and arrive at Boulevard Aristide Briand / Boulevard Duclaux. (To see the large Banque de France building, turn right and walk back.)

(1) Cross and follow Avenue Pasteur for about 150 metres, then turn left onto Avenue Jean Jaurès and continue to the end of the street. Turn right onto Rue des Galoubies and continue for a few dozen metres, then turn left onto Rue Édouard Branly. You will arrive at Boulevard Gambetta.

(2) Cross it and continue straight ahead on Rue de Bellevue. Keep going straight until you reach the tunnel under the railway line. Take it very carefully (it is narrow, so wait until there are no cars in sight), then, on the other side, take the first street on the right, Chemin Saint-Gilbert, and continue until you reach the entrance to Parc Bargoin.

(3) Enter the park and stroll around at your leisure, going uphill and then turning right to find the second gate in the park. Exit and follow the street that runs alongside the park, keeping to the far left. You will arrive at the junction with Rue des Montagnards.

(4) Go straight ahead on Chemin de Montaudoux. Turn onto the first path on the right. Ignore the path that branches off to the right towards the summit of Puy de Montaudousx, which is marked as very steep (and it is). Then ignore a path on the left, another path towards the summit on the right (even steeper) and a path on the right, and you will arrive at a crossroads.

(5) Follow the track on the right until you reach a junction with a path branching off to the left, next to an information board about the Bois de la Châtaigneraie and the old quarry, which you can explore by straying slightly from the path. Then continue along the track until you reach a four-way junction.

(6) Follow the path to the left. Continue straight ahead until you reach the first house in the Matussat neighbourhood, and turn left onto a path just in front of it. Shortly afterwards, at the intersection with a path leading off to the right, follow it. Then stay on this main path, ignoring the paths to the right and left, which lead back to the old quarry (which you may wish to explore further). At a fork in the paths, with the clinic buildings visible on the right, keep left and you will come to a cross path. Turn right to leave the chestnut grove and arrive at the clinic car park. Follow the access road to the car park on the right to reach Rue du Matharet, the southern entrance to the clinic.

(7) Turn left and then follow Rue de la Courbe to the right. Ignore Rue de la Châtaigneraie on the left and then, at the fork in the road, keep left into the cul-de-sac. At the end, go up the path that starts to the left of a gate and, at the intersection, turn onto the path that starts to the left. It leads to Avenue du Mont Dore.

(8) Cross very carefully and take Rue Saint-Verny opposite. Continue straight ahead at the Chapelle de l'Agneau. At the end of the street, at the crossroads in the old village of Beaumont, go straight on Rue de la Liberté then, at the next intersection, turn right (Rue du Commerce). You will come to the Church of Saint-Pierre. Walk past it on your right, continue straight on, ignore Rue Pascal on your right and turn right into the next street, Petite Rue de la Poste. At the end of the street, walk a few metres to the left and go down Rue de l'Escalier on the right, cross a street, and continue on Rue de l'Escalier opposite. Cross another street and continue down the alley straight ahead. At the bottom, walk about 20 metres to the left (Rue de Gergovie) and you will come to a crossroads.

(9) Turn right and you will come to a roundabout. Take the street on the left (Chemin du Petit Ronat). At the end of the street, follow the path on the right and join the edge of the Artière. Ignore the bridge (towards the Botanic shop, small artificial waterfall accessible on the other side of the bridge), continue with the river on your left. Cross a street and continue straight ahead on the path. You will come to a street with a bridge on the left.

(10) Take this street to cross the Artière, leaving Rue de la Ronzière on your right, and continue straight ahead for about 50 metres, then turn right onto a path (metal barriers) which joins Rue de la Ronzière further on. Continue straight ahead on the footpath until you reach a T-junction with a street.

(11) First turn right then left to follow Chemin de la Ronzière. You will arrive at the sports grounds with an entrance on the right. Continue along the path for about 50 metres and you will find a path leading off to the right. Follow it to reach the edge of the Artière, then walk along the river, cross a footbridge and you will reach the sports complex car park.

(12) Cross it to reach Rue de l'Artière. Turn left, immediately cross a bridge over the river and, at the fork in the road, keep right on Rue de l'Artière. At the end of the street, take a staircase straight ahead, under a house (not very visible from a distance but there is a yellow disc marker). You will come to a path; follow it to the left to reach Avenue du Mont Dore. The Les Roches (E) bus stop for line 4 is on the right.

Difficulty: Easy. Standard hiking equipment recommended, but this stage can be completed in regular sportswear.
Please note that in strong winds, the parks are closed, so you will need to go around Parc Bargoin via the streets on the north side.
I recommend the Visorando app

Return: Beaumont Les Roches, line 4 (Trémonteix Charcot) => Maison de la Culture then line A (Les Vergnes) => Jaude

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

The first part of this stage allows you to discover the avenues of Clermont, often lined with beautiful buildings.
The architecture then becomes more mundane, although there are a few nice examples of Clermont-style chalets scattered along the streets leading up to Parc Bargoin.
Although very close to the Royat spa centre, the park is located in the commune of Chamalières. It is adorned with some very beautiful trees.
The slopes of Puy de Montaudoux offer lovely views of Clermont. It is possible to climb to the top of the hill and descend via two paths that branch off from the main trail, but be careful, as the slopes are very steep!
The route then passes by an old pozzolan quarry and through an old chestnut grove, once planted by nuns from a convent.
You then walk through the peaceful hills of Beaumont before descending to discover its old wine-growing village.
See also this very interesting link on the recent history of the village
Finally, the route runs alongside the Artière, a pretty river that flows through the commune and which we will encounter again during the next two stages.