Place de Jaude - Beaumont via Puy de Montaudoux

Start in the centre of Clermont, at Place de Jaude, at the foot of the equestrian statue of Vercingétorix.

(S) At the foot of the statue, on the “A Vercingétorix” side, head straight on down Rue Blatin. Stay on the left-hand pavement so as not to miss the Grand Passage, which opens up on the left. Turn into it and emerge onto Rue du Maréchal Foch. Turn right and, at the junction, turn left onto Rue Bonnabaud (with some fine buildings). Cross Avenue Julien, then Rue Eugène Gilbert, and you’ll come to a large junction. Turn right onto Boulevard Pasteur (which is also lined with some beautiful buildings). 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 imposing Banque de France building, take a detour to the right and back.)

(1) Cross over and follow Avenue Pasteur straight ahead for about 150 m, then turn left onto Avenue Jean Jaurès and continue to the end of the street. Turn right onto Rue des Galoubies for a few dozen metres, then turn left onto Rue Édouard Branly. You’ll come out onto Boulevard Gambetta.

(2) Cross it and continue straight ahead along Rue de Bellevue. Keep going straight on until you reach the tunnel under the railway line. Go through it very carefully (it’s 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 an entrance to Parc Bargoin.

(3) Enter the park and wander around at your leisure, heading uphill and then keeping to the right to find the park’s second gate. Exit and follow the road running alongside the park, keeping as far to the left as possible. You’ll reach the junction with Rue des Montagnards.

(4) Go straight on along 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, signposted as very steep (and it really is). Then ignore a path on the left, another path towards the summit on the right (even steeper) and then a path on the right, until you reach a junction.

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

(6) Follow the path to the left. Go straight on until you reach the first house in the Matussat neighbourhood, then turn left onto a path just in front of it. Shortly afterwards, at the junction with a path branching off to the right, follow it. Then stay on this main path, ignoring the paths to the right and left, as these lead back towards the old quarry (which you may wish to explore further). At a fork in the road, when you can see the clinic buildings on your right, keep left and you’ll come to a cross-path. Turn right to leave the chestnut grove immediately and arrive at the clinic car park. Follow the access road to the car park on the right to reach Rue du Matharet, the clinic’s southern entrance.

(7) Turn left, then follow Rue de la Courbe to the right. Ignore Rue de la Châtaigneraie on the left; then, at the Fork in the road, head left into the cul-de-sac. At the end, take the path leading up to the left of a gate and, at the junction, turn onto the path leading to the left. This leads out onto Avenue du Mont Dore.

(8) Cross the road very carefully and take Rue Saint-Verny opposite. Continue straight on past the Chapelle de l’Agneau. At the end of the street, at the junction in the old town of Beaumont, go straight on along Rue de la Liberté, then, at the next junction, turn right (Rue du Commerce). You’ll reach Saint-Pierre Church; walk past it on your right, continue straight on, ignore Rue Pascal on your right and turn right onto the next street, Petite Rue de la Poste. At the end of the street, walk a few metres to the left and turn right down Rue de l’Escalier, cross one street, then continue along Rue de l’Escalier straight ahead. Cross another street, then continue straight down the narrow street. At the bottom, walk about twenty metres to the left (Rue de Gergovie) until you reach a junction.

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

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

(11) First turn right then left to follow the Chemin de la Ronzière. You’ll reach the sports grounds, with an entrance on the right. Carry on along the path for about 50 metres until you find a footpath branching off to the right. Follow this to reach the very edge of the Artière, then walk alongside the river, cross a footbridge and reach the sports complex car park.

(12) Cross the car park to reach Rue de l’Artière. Turn left, cross a bridge over the river straight away and, at the Fork in the road, keep right onto Rue de l’Artière. At the end of the street, take the stairs straight ahead, under a house (not very visible from a distance but there is a Yellow Disc sign). You’ll come to a path; follow it to the left to reach Avenue du Mont Dore. The bus stop for line 4, Les Roches (E), 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 walks in this area, complete with descriptions, via the Visorando app here, and more generally in the Puy-de-Dôme region here

The first part of this stage takes you along some of Clermont’s avenues, often lined with beautiful buildings.
The architecture then becomes more ordinary, although there are a few lovely examples of Clermont-style chalets scattered along the streets leading up to Parc Bargoin.
Although very close to the Royat spa, Bargoin Park is actually in the municipality of Chamalières. It is adorned with some very beautiful trees.
On the slopes of the Puy de Montaudoux, there are lovely views over Clermont. It is possible to climb to the summit of the Puy and descend via two paths that branch off from the route, but be warned: the slopes are very steep indeed!
The route then passes along the edge of a former pozzolan quarry and through an old chestnut grove, once planted by the nuns of a convent.
You then walk through the peaceful hills above Beaumont before heading down to explore its old wine-growing village.
See also this [very interesting link] on the village’s recent history
Finally, the route follows the Artière, a pretty river that runs through the village and which you’ll encounter again during the next two stages.