Puy de Sancy via the Chaudefour valley

The very secluded and beautiful Chaudefour Valley is a designated nature reserve, enclosed by the steep slopes of a glacial cirque. Jagged peaks, spires and Puys: all serve as defences for a valley that remains unspoilt and well-preserved.

⚠️ This hike passes through the Chastreix-Sancy and/or Chaudefour Valley nature reserves, where regulations must be strictly observed (see ‘Practical Information’ section)

⚠️ 22/07/2026: the GPX track around Puy Ferrand and Puy de Chamgourdeix has been slightly modified to follow the current signposting on the ground.

Details

n°105305

Creation:
07 Mar 2015

Last update:
22 Jul 2026

Last review:
08 Sep 2026

Activity: Walking
Distance: 10.11 mi
Average duration: 7h 25
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 3,140 ft
Descent: - 3,143 ft
Highest point: 6,152 ft
Lowest point: 3,734 ft

Country: France
Areas: Massif central, Monts Dore, Vallée de Chaudefour
City: Chambon-sur-Lac (63790)
Start/End: N 45.540206° / E 2.861082°
IGN map(s): Ref. 2432ET, 2432ETR
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Description of the walk

Start from the car park at the Maison de la Réserve Naturelle on the D36, between Le Chambon-sur-Lac and Courbanges.

(S/E) Follow the nature trail heading south-west, which passes close to the Pérouse Waterfall.

(1) Take a round trip to the waterfall (signs on site). Then continue along the nature trail, heading north-west towards the chalet and the Source Sainte-Anne (a former spa resort project). Cross the Pont Sainte-Anne and reach a junction.

(2) Turn left, heading south-west for about 600 metres until you reach the next junction.

(3) Leave the path on your right – which you’ll take on the way back – and head straight ahead, heading south.

(4) After a left-hand bend, ignore the path on the right which climbs to the Waterfall de la Biche and continue up a steep slope, first north-east, then south. This leads through the woodland to grassy moorland on a plateau and on to the Puy de Champgourdeix (1,570 m).

(5) Turn west onto the ridge path that runs along the edge of the valley (ignore the tracks on the left that rejoin the main path), passing close to the Puy de la Perdrix, then the Puy Ferrand. Following this ridge north-westwards, descend to the Col de la Cabanne.

(6) Begin the ascent of the Puy de Sancy via a steep climb.

(7) Descend via the path at the Pas de l’Âne.

(8) Turn right, heading north, towards the cable car mast.

(9) Keep to the right, cross a dip heading north-east and then east, following the^GR®®4Efor about 1.2 km to reach the Mât de la Dore.

(10) Turn right at a right angle, heading south along the path leading to Pan de la Grange, 500 metres away.

(11) Turn left and follow the^GR®®4, which runs along the ridges formed by the Puys and marks the boundary between the Chaudefour valley and the Dore valley.

(12) When you reach the mast at Puy des Crebasses, leave the^GR®® 4 on your left and head north-east towards Chambon-des-Neiges.

(13) At the next junction, head down to the right towards the Chaudefour Valley, taking time to admire the Liadouze rocks, the Dent de la Rancune, the Crête de Coq and the Crête du Moine, as well as other volcanic dikes. Return to the junction where you joined the circular route on the way out.

(3) Continue to the left until you reach the Nature Reserve Centre and the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,737 ft - Car park at the Nature Reserve Centre - Couze Chambon (rivière) - Affluent de l'Allier
1 : mi 0.5 - alt. 3,904 ft - Cascade de Pérouse
2 : mi 0.84 - alt. 3,980 ft - Sainte-Anne spring and chalet
3 : mi 1.06 - alt. 4,045 ft - Go straight on at the junction
4 : mi 1.24 - alt. 4,081 ft - Junction, turn right
5 : mi 2.48 - alt. 5,128 ft - Champgourdeix Plateau and Puy de Champgourdeix
6 : mi 4.22 - alt. 5,846 ft - Col de la Cabanne
7 : mi 4.43 - alt. 6,073 ft - Puy de Sancy
8 : mi 4.63 - alt. 5,951 ft - Pas de l’Ane
9 : mi 4.81 - alt. 5,810 ft - Cable car pylon
10 : mi 5.31 - alt. 5,436 ft - Mât de la Dore, 1,670 m - Cascade de la Dore
11 : mi 5.63 - alt. 5,653 ft - Pan de la Grange mast, 1,720 m
12 : mi 6.7 - alt. 5,768 ft - Puy des Crebasses mast, 1,762 m
13 : mi 7.69 - alt. 4,688 ft - Descent towards Liazoude and the Chaudefour Valley
S/E : mi 10.11 - alt. 3,737 ft - Car park at the Nature Reserve Centre

Notes

REGULATIONS: This route passes through the Chastreix-Sancy and/or Chaudefour Valley nature reserves. Dogs are not permitted, even on a lead, except on the signposted^GR®® 30 and GR®4 trails.
Mountain biking, foraging and camping are prohibited. Please stay on the marked paths.

Stay on the marked paths: common adders (they do not stay on the paths; they ‘flee’ at the slightest vibration and move slowly).

This route passes through multiple protected areas, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

- Pérouse Waterfall.
- Sainte-Anne Spring.
- Dent de la Rancune, Crête de Coq: remarkable dykes on the right as you ascend, near the Sainte-Anne spring.
- Nature Reserve Centre.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 80 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5

Route interest
5 / 5

Joked

08 Sep 2026 at 20:51 7200 • Edited: 08 Sep 2026 at 20:53 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent walk. It’s a shame the car park charges a fee (7 euros). We completed the route in 6 hours, walking at a leisurely pace and without a lunch break, with 1,000 metres of elevation gain. The only downside was the crowds at Puy de Sancy – far too busy for my liking. Thank you for this lovely walk; it was a real treat for the eyes!

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User 2561943

14 Aug 2026 at 11:29 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very busy at Puy de Sancy, but everything else’s fine.

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natbop

10 Aug 2026 at 18:49 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 16, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We were practically on our own for much of the route! Only the Puy de Sansy was packed,
Make sure you take a jacket as it’s very windy up there.
Breathtaking scenery!

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Virflothe

20 Jul 2026 at 10:13 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk, shaded at the start and finish.
The scenery along the ridges is magnificent.
We set off at 8.45 am and could have had lunch at the inn at the top of the cable car coming from Mont Dore. The Besse tourist office had told us there was nowhere to have lunch in a restaurant. Never mind, the view whilst we were having our picnic was brilliant.
There were far too many people on the climb up to Puy de Sancy. This meant we couldn’t really enjoy the scenery.
The descent along the ski lift track after the Mont Dore cable car terminus is dangerous. There are too many stones; it’s very slippery and unpleasant, and there’s nothing to see. It’s better to take the path below the Puy de Sancy and walk along the mountainside to rejoin the route a few hundred metres further on.
Otherwise, it’s a lovely walk; we really enjoyed this route.

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croc-trotteuse

26 Jun 2026 at 15:54 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

What can I say about this hike? Extraordinary, unforgettable, magical!!!! The temperature was very pleasant, even during a heatwave. The start is very shaded, with paths that climb gradually. The climb up to the Puy de Sancy follows very well-signposted paths; at one point you think you’ve reached the top, but there’s still a good climb up a stretch of stony path to reach the orientation table right at the summit. We had a picnic on the wooden platform just below, with spectacular views; we popped into the inn for a drink and then began our first descent, which is a bit gravelly – do take care, as it’s slippery. The rest of the route is pleasant, but do be careful towards the end when you head back into the woods – the ground is sometimes slippery and quite narrow… Make sure you’re wearing sturdy footwear, have walking poles, and well-filled water bottles, and you won’t forget this magnificent hike in a hurry!

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User 29263247

11 May 2026 at 18:23 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Unforgettable

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User 5580250

18 Aug 2025 at 12:35 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

It's a shame that it's not marked with coloured markers on visarando. Beautiful hike

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Christophe Rhein

01 Aug 2025 at 20:15 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Excellent route, especially when you leave the car park at 5 a.m.
However, it's impossible to pay for parking that early. The parking meter refuses to accept the time.
When descending into the Chaudefour valley, there are one or two sections where you need to use your hands to climb down.
If you're lucky like we were, you'll see ibexes at sunrise ☀️

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Addvi

07 Jul 2025 at 08:46 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike that we extended by going to the Biche waterfall, which is definitely worth a visit!
We also made a detour to the restaurant at the top of Sancy for a quick coffee after our picnic (four crème brûlées, one chocolate mousse and four coffees: £48... not cheap).
The variety of trails and landscapes is really nice.
We were lucky to have exceptional weather and were therefore able to fully enjoy the magnificent views offered by the Sancy massif over the Limagne plain, the Forez mountains, the Cantal mountains, etc.
With the detours, we covered over 20 km in 6½ hours, including picnic and coffee breaks.
The climbs are quite challenging and there are a few technical sections on the descents, especially towards the end of the route as you head back down into the valley.
We ended the day by driving down to swim in Lake Chambon before going for dinner at Le Buron du Col, which I highly recommend!

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SpaceKwata

07 Jul 2025 at 08:20 7200 • Edited: 07 Jul 2025 at 08:24 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful loop along the ridges completed on 7 July. 9:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., two adults, taking our time.
We hesitated to go to the waterfall shortly after setting off, as suggested in another comment, and decided to stick to the route and go straight up. But it's probably worth it if you have time.
On the second half, due to changes caused by repair work on the trails, you have to stray a few metres from time to time to follow the new trail, but it's always obvious. So stay on the trails to respect this incredible site.
Hike completed in very windy weather. Be careful on the ridges and at the foot of the Sancy, where there are some very windy sections.
Save your energy for the descent into the beautiful but technical Chaudeffourd valley.

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Mélanie Gelhausen

23 Jun 2025 at 20:22 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent discovery during our stay in Auvergne, we left the children behind for a long hike as a couple and made a detour to see the Cascade de la Biche waterfall, which was really worth it.
The hike starts in a beautiful forest, then continues up these magnificent hills, offering spectacular views that took our breath away.
A very beautiful discovery that I highly recommend, but you do need to be in good shape as there are a few technical sections.
My Garmin watch showed 20 km and 1,248 metres of elevation gain in 8 hours and 50 minutes, including a lunch break, snack break, micro-nap and a leisurely pace.

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laclau sebastien

28 Oct 2024 at 08:28 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very nice walk, between forests and ridges, but it's a shame we had our heads in the clouds with limited views.
It's a sporty hike, with a diversion to the Biche waterfall. You need to allow 20km for this loop.

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suzie0405

24 Oct 2024 at 15:28 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

As a small variation, we went up to the Biche waterfall and back, following the blue signs, it's well worth the detour.
We cut across the Pan des Granges, and didn't go back down to the Pas de L'Ane ski lift, a lovely ridge path.
Only a few people at Puy de Sancy, but parish specific to Brittany.
Magnificent tour of this parish specific to Brittany.
On the way out, we spotted a herd of wild animals. I couldn't tell because I didn't have my binoculars with me, but it could have been chamois.
The technical return was on small paths through undergrowth, with leaves, roots and rocks, which are dangerous if wet, and you need to be careful.
I wouldn't take young children.

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MAGMA19

21 Oct 2024 at 09:39 7200 • Edited: 22 Oct 2024 at 10:55 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Good morning,

lovely autumn walk in 17°C weather.
Beautiful views and lovely shady paths.
I completed the walk in 7 hours without exerting myself (adults aged 55/65 who are used to hiking and running): despite everything, it's still a physical hike!
Of course, don't forget your windbreaker, cap, etc. as the weather can be extremely changeable from one side to the other.... and high boots etc. as the paths are muddy, steep and even slippery...

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Fredow

30 Sep 2024 at 10:49 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful route, certainly one of the most magnificent in the Auvergne. The weather was fine and the views were magnificent. For an autumn weekend, it was a bit crowded, especially on the ascent of the Sancy. The path was very wet and even muddy in places, which means you have to be very careful not to slip.
Thanks for the ride!

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