Puy de la Combegrasse

Park in the car park on the edge of the D2089 at La Cassière: coming from Clermont, take the La Cassière exit and follow the signs to the car park. This car park is at the intersection of^{the GR®®30}and the new^GR®®441route.
Please note! This hike is not fully signposted.

(S/E) Follow the red and white^GR®® markings until otherwise indicated. With your back to the D2089, take the path perpendicular to the road that leads to the car park, following the^GR®®30westwards. After about 100 metres, ignore a path on the right. The path crosses the beautiful forest that covers the solidified lava flows of the Cheires Hautes, the upper part of the Puys de la Vache and Lassolas lava flow.

(1) At the next intersection, continue straight ahead, following the^GR®®30and^GR®®441. Shortly afterwards, ignore the path on the right that leads to Fontfreyde. You will arrive at a car park on the edge of the D5. Cross it and the road and continue on the path opposite and slightly to the left (^GR®®). About 200 metres further on, ignore the steps on the right (path leading up to the summit of Puy de la Vache).

(2) At a fork in the path, leave the^GR®® markings and turn left, following the yellow disc markings towards Montlosier.

(3) At the crossroads, with a logging area on your right, leave the yellow markings (and the direction of Montlosier) and continue straight ahead. At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead towards Puy de Boursoux. Further on, ignore two paths on the right before reaching a crossroads and continue straight ahead towards Puy de Boursoux.

(4) On the D2089 exit ramp, turn right and then follow the left-hand bend to pass under the D2089. On the other side, turn right and continue on the right-hand side of the road for about 100 metres. Turn onto the first road on the left. At the intersection with another road, at the yellow signs, ignore the directions and turn right.

(5) At the next intersection, turn left. At the crossroads of five paths, turn left, leaving two paths on the right and one path on the left. Cross a stream, the Randanne, then turn onto the next path on the right. At the fork, ignore the path on the right.

(6) At the next intersection, opposite a small agricultural waste collection point, take a few steps to the right and then take the path on the left. Ignore a path on the right. At the four-way crossroads, at a recently cleared plot of land, continue straight ahead. Ignore another path on the left and you will arrive at the D983.

(7) Cross (carefully!), immediately ignore a path on the left, leave the car park and an information panel about the Chaîne des Puy and the Limagne Fault on your right, and continue straight ahead towards Puy de la Combegrasse (yellow sign). Further on, ignore a path on the left, then arrive at a picnic area.

(8) Take the path on the left for a round trip to the summit of Puy de la Combegrasse (yellow sign). Go through a gate, leave a reservoir built of volcanic stone on your right, pass to the left of the old pozzolan quarry, enter the summer pasture area via a winding path, then follow the yellow markings to climb straight up the slope to a small orientation table facing the Chaîne de Puys. Continue to follow the yellow markings to reach the second orientation table, facing the Monts Dore.

(9) Take the same route as on the way up (see Practical Information) to descend to the picnic area (at the top, ignore the sign for the car park, which leads back to the D963).

(8) Turn left towards Narse d'Espinasse. At the next crossroads, look for the red and white markings for^{the GR®®441}, which you will follow until the end of this route.

(10) Turn left onto the path, go around the small Garandie campsite and continue left on the road, which immediately turns into a path. Further on, ignore a path that branches off to the right (on the slope of Puy de la Rodde). The path passes below Puy de la Combegrasse then turns right to descend to a crossroads.

(11) Follow the signs to the right towards Puy de Charmont. About 200 metres further on, ignore a path on the left and continue straight ahead, following the new^GR®®441route (sign). Continue to follow the^GR®®441signs, turning left 500 metres further on. After a right-hand bend, ignore a path on the left.

(12) At the next crossroads, turn left. Further on, ignore a path on the left and reach a busy road, the D213. Cross it with caution!

(13) Immediately afterwards, ignore a path on the left, then one on the right, then another path on the right further on. Continue straight ahead at the next crossroads.

(14) At the edge of the woods, ignore a path on the right and enter the undergrowth. Cross this beautiful mixed forest that covers the chaotic terrain of the Cheire d'Aydat, a solidified lava flow from the Puys de la Vache and Lassolas.

(15) Shortly after leaving the forest, you will come to a road. Follow it to the left to pass under the D2089. On the other side, turn immediately right onto a small road that runs alongside the departmental road (view of Lac de la Cassière on the right) to finally reach the car park (S/E).

Medium difficulty hike, standard hiking equipment required. There is little elevation gain on this hike, the only difficulty being its length.

Please note! The route of^{the GR®®441}has changed. Do not follow the route shown on the IGN map at (1) and then from (11).

Please note! During the summer grazing season (May-October), dogs are not allowed on the Puy de la Combegrasse.

(9) Instead of returning by the same route, it is now possible to take a short circular loop that also ends at (8).

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

Some photos here

Beautiful mixed forests between (S) and (4) then between (14) and (15).

The Cheires Hautes, between (S) and (1), and La Cheire d'Aydat, between (14) and (15), correspond respectively to the upper and lower parts of the Puys de la Vache and Lassolas solidified lava flows. (A cheire is a solidified lava flow). These solidified lava flows are extremely chaotic terrain: large boulders, deposited there by the lava flow, lie alongside deep depressions. This lava flow blocked the course of the River Veyre, creating the Lacs de la Cassière and Aydat lakes.

Between (4) and (8) is the typical agricultural landscape of the Plateau des Dômes, alternating between fields and pastures.