Plauzat walks

A walk in the Plauzat countryside before exploring this beautiful village in Limagne: rich winegrowers' houses, crosses, fountains, wash houses and a beautiful Romanesque church.

Between Issoire and Clermont-Ferrand, the broad, agricultural Limagne plateau boasts a number of beautiful villages with a rich built heritage: forts and ramparts, towers and keeps, fine winegrowers' houses, fountains and wash-houses.

A walk in the countryside around La Sauvetat, followed by a tour of the village centre, home to the beautiful Commandery of the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem.

From Ludesse, on the plateau, descend into the Couze Chambon valley to explore two citadel villages, Champeix, the City of Gardens, and Montaigut-le-Blanc, the City of Cats (personal name).

The route starts in Champeix, passes through the hills with views of the Couze Chambon valley, crosses the large site of the Saint-Julien cellars, then wanders through the pretty village of Montaigut-le-Blanc, before following the Couze back to Champeix, where you can visit the old Marchidial district and its gardens.

Starting from Montpeyroux, this circular route takes you to the banks of the Allier and the village of Coude. The medieval fortress of Montpeyroux, "the most beautiful village in France" built with local golden arkose stone, can be visited at the end of the route. You can climb up to the keep-museum, which offers a beautiful view.

The hillsides of the Allier in Puy-de-Dôme were once an important wine-growing area, as evidenced by the architecture of the villages you pass through on this hike. Among them is Montpeyroux, one of the most beautiful villages in France.

This walk on the plateau allows you to walk on paving stones from the old Montpeyroux quarry, visit this magnificent wine-growing village and discover the banks of the Allier in the undergrowth.

In the Pays des Couzes, set off to explore the villages of Chadeleuf and Sauvagnat-Sainte-Marthe along wide paths criss-crossing an agricultural plateau offering superb views of the Monts Dore, the hilltop villages of the Limagne and the Puy de Dôme.

A return trip to the summit of Puy de Gourdon, offering a beautiful panoramic view, is added to a circular route around and on Puy de la Rodde, starting from the medieval village of Montaigut-le-Blanc.

Circular route around Puy de Peyronère, whose northern slopes are covered with orchards, which are characteristic of this part of the Monne valley. The route offers beautiful views and passes through two ancient villages rich in architectural heritage: Saint-Saturnin (castle and remarkable church) and Saint-Amant (castle, old bridge, etc.).

This route is linked to a quiz walk that allows you to discover the town's iconic sites and learn about its history and heritage in a fun way. Find the "Au fil de nos histoires" poster on the church square and scan the QR code to start the game (free, no registration or app download required). You can choose the "adult" trail or the "adult + child" trail (with additional questions for children aged 6 to 11). The description below refers only to the "adult" route.

This walk begins in Saint-Saturnin, a village between the Monne Gorges and the Veyre Valley. The village is home to one of the most important Romanesque churches in Auvergne and a royal castle. The walk continues to Notre-Dame de Randol Abbey, passing through green, rolling countryside.

A circular route offering beautiful panoramic views of the Chaîne des Puys, the Limagne and the Sancy massif, passing through the ancient villages of Parent, Yronde and Buron. Of note: a pretty church in Yronde (open every time we passed by), the basalt mound of the old feudal castle of Buron called the Citadelle de Buron, fountains, wash houses and traditional dwellings.

This hike allows you to discover the Montepo site, which has been developed by the Arkose Association. You will discover stromatolites, a geological curiosity of the tertiary limestone rocks of the Limagne plain. The view before you highlights the Limagne Fault and the associated volcanic activity (informative panels are provided). In May and June, many species of orchids bloom on these dry grasslands. Finally, the balcony trail along the cornices of the old terraces cultivated in the last century offers beautiful views of the medieval village of Saint-Saturnin and its castle.

The winegrowers' houses in the village of Corent are huddled together on a narrow terrace on the eastern slope of the Corent Plateau. On the plateau, an archaeological site highlights the remains of an important Gallic and then Roman settlement. The slopes of the plateau are covered with vineyards producing the Côtes d'Auvergne Corent AOP. You may even spot some chamois. At the bottom of the plateau, the banks of the Allier are rich in carbonated springs.

Between Saint-Maurice and Mirefleurs, two former wine-growing villages, the Vallon des Bouys, overlooking the Allier, consists of dry grasslands whose flora and fauna are protected. Below the valley, old lime kilns bear witness to the local exploitation of limestone. On the site of the former Sainte-Marguerite spa, a geyser awaits your arrival, perhaps to wake up.

The route first follows the Couze Pavin, whose white water flows down from the crater lake of the same name, then climbs the plateau towards Chazeras, offering beautiful views of the magnificent village of Saint-Floret, then Tourzel, before descending to Saint-Cirgues-sur-Couze and its château.

The village of Saint-Saturnin, one of the most beautiful villages in France, boasts one of the five most beautiful Romanesque churches in Auvergne. On the other side of the Veyre valley, discover the nine fountains of the wine-growing hamlet of Chadrat, built on the slopes of the Montagne de la Serre, amidst ancient terraces.

Immerse yourself in the coolness of the superb Monne Gorges. On the heights, enjoy absolute calm in a Mediterranean atmosphere on large rocky plateaus. Discover places of worship from yesterday and today: the Allée Couverte de la Grotte and the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Randol (modern). Please note that the path through the gorges is narrow and slippery, with ropes in some places.

A walk around the village of Saint-Yvoine, with views of the Chaine des Puys, the Sancy and the Allier Valley.

Hike in the hills of Limagne d'Issoire, including a visit to two old wine-growing villages and passing through the small village of Puy Moriot, old arkose quarries and a stonemason's hut.

Hike on both sides of the Couze Pavin valley between the feudal villages of Saint-Floret and Saurier. Each has remarkable medieval bridges and highly historic sites such as the Château de Saint-Floret, the Église du Chastel and the Maison du Louvetier de Saurier.

From the beautiful wine-growing village of Saint-Maurice, climb to the summit of Puy Saint-Romain for a beautiful view of Sancy, Livradois and the Chaîne des Puys. Then descend to the banks of the Allier to discover the springs of an ancient thermal park.Visorando app useful in certain places.

The hiking trail climbs up to the village of Les Roches, a prehistoric site currently undergoing restoration, then leads to Pardines via the plateau before descending through a beautiful acacia forest. Here you can see the outcrop of ancient lacustrine sediments, known as Lahres.

Discover two ancient villages typical of the region, located on either side of the Serre Mountain, an ancient lava flow overlooking the Limagne, offering views of the puys, the Monts du Forez and the Monts Dore.

A circular route starting from Cournols, on the volcanic plateau in the eastern part of the solidified lava flow of Aydat, in the pastures of the monks of Randol, passing through the medieval village of Saint-Saturnin, rich in old houses, a beautiful Romanesque church and a very beautiful castle. Two short return trips can be added to this circular route to discover a wash house in Saint-Saturnin and a covered walkway in Cournols.

Starting from Chanonat, a pretty medieval village, stroll along the Auzon before climbing to the heights of the Montagne de la Serre. This inverted relief, which rises above the Limagne Plain, was created by the erosion of the sedimentary rocks of the surrounding plain by rivers, including the Auzon on its northern slope.

A hike on a volcanic plateau with views of the Chaîne des Puys, a world of stones and pastures; a few isolated villages, cows and a glimpse of the civilisation of the Arverni (Gauls of Auvergne) through standing stones and dolmens. A magnificent walk in all seasons.

Take a loop starting from Mirefleurs to discover this eco-park on the banks of the Allier, a former quarry transformed into a natural wetland. You can observe a number of birds from the observation points, so don't forget to bring your binoculars. There are unobstructed views of the Chaîne des Puys in the first part of the walk. Mirefleurs is a pleasant village with many old houses. There are lots of plum and walnut trees along the route.

Near Chanonat, this short walk takes you across the Auzon twice and past several ponds. It's a great way to stretch your legs, alone or with your family, in the forest. Moderator's note: some difficulties with orientation on this route. See reviews.

This is a short walk on an urban route that follows the green corridor in the village of Le Cendre. A family walk that will allow you to discover this small, welcoming and friendly village.

While the Abbey Church of Saint-Austremoine is the undisputed jewel of Issoire, there are a few other pleasant surprises in store for you in the town, including small canals and beautiful architecture on the Place de la République.

Starting from Nadaillat, a pretty village on the Montagne de la Serre, this circular route takes you through fields and meadows to the shores of Lac de la Cassière in the Veyre valley. On the way back, the route passes through Rouillat Haut, another pleasant village with a beautiful collection of enamelled lava street signs.

Long maintained by humans for livestock farming and crops, the Montagne de la Serre is now only partially cultivated and is returning to its original state, with alternating grasslands, fallow land and woods, which you can discover on this hike. This diversity of landscapes is much appreciated by wildlife, particularly migratory birds, many of which stop off at this site.

On the Montagne de la Serre, the inhabitants have exploited every inch of land for livestock farming, surrounding their small pastures or pailhas with dry stone walls that provide shelter for shepherds in bad weather. On the slopes, there are also rocky outcrops such as the Chaos de Flore, on the banks of the Auzon, in the centre of which a beautiful dolmen has been built.

As you walk around the Puy de la Vigeral, which marks the western end of the Montagne de la Serre, you will almost always be overlooking the surrounding landscape and enjoying beautiful views of the more distant Chaîne des Puys and Sancy mountain ranges. In the village of Rouillat Haut, take the time to discover the enamelled lava plaques on display in the streets.

Nadaillat and Rouillat Haut are ancient hamlets typical of the Montagne de la Serre. This short loop follows pleasant paths, often lined with low stone walls, through terraced plots that were once farmed. Along the paths, you will also discover numerous fountains and small stone shepherds' shelters, known as "courtas". The hamlet of Rouillat Haut is distinguished by its beautiful enamelled lava street signs.