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.

A stroll through the countryside with views of the lavender fields, passing close to the horses at Château de la Ronzière, ending by crossing the once-fortified village of Chadeleuf; do make a detour to visit the church.

A walk through the plain where there used to be many orchards, now reduced to just a few. Depending on the season, the Veyre and its tributary, the Monne, have a good flow. As you climb, there are lovely views of the surrounding plain.

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.

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.