Retournac walks

This route runs beneath the watchful eye of the Château d'Artias, perched on its rocky spur. From its ruins, you will discover a unique view of the loops of the Loire as it flows through the dome-shaped hills typical of the region, known as knolls.

During this walk, you will pass near Mercuret Castle and enjoy a panoramic view of Retournac at a place called Les Trois Poteaux. You will then follow the botanical trail. Along part of the route, information boards will introduce you to common local plant species in an engaging way, through stories, symbolism or the uses our ancestors made of them.

This short hike takes you through a cave to reach the Madeleine volcanic plateau, which offers a 360° view. Views of the Loire Valley, the Mezenc, Meygal, Pilat and Forez massifs with three orientation tables.

A fairly short hiking route but offering, at the summit of Rocher de Costaros and Suc de Barthou, a magnificent view of Meygal, the Monts du Velay and the Loire Valley.

This hike combines a walk through the beautiful beech forest of Miaune with its views of the Loire Valley, the Monts du Vivarais and Mézenc, with the discovery of Roche-en-Régnier and its few richly decorated houses, remnants of a bygone era.

An easy hike but rich in discoveries and surprises: the small hilltop chapel of Glavenas, the surprising site of the Moulin du Pinard and the history of the old La Galoche railway line.

This walk is an opportunity to discover the natural and historical heritage around the village of Rosières, particularly the Étang de la Plaine lake. This hike was created for the ECHO project, which ended on 1 October 2023. It is still possible to do the hike to discover the heritage. ⚠️ 13 October 2025: GPS strongly recommended for this hike.

The first part of the route follows an old railway line that has been converted into a very wide carriageway. It continues with a tour of the small heritage sites (old bread oven and wash house) in the hamlet of Chastel. Finally, at the end of the route, when the trees open up, there is a view over the unusual Corbœuf ravine.

A beautiful, unmarked, cultural and romantic nature walk in the wild Auvergne, far from the crowds. Best done in May when the flowers are in bloom or from September to November, in the wild Suissesse valley. Visit the Corbœuf ravine, the Colorado of Auvergne, then walk among a dozen knolls, the small, pointed volcanoes that are specific to the Velay region. Pass through the village of Saint-Julien-du-Pinet, then on to the chapel of Glavenas, located in a small citadel built on a knoll.

This short route takes you to Mont Recours in the commune of Beaulieu, north of Le Puy-en-Velay. From the summit of this ancient volcanic vent, you can enjoy beautiful panoramic views of the Emblavez hills.

This circuit allows you to discover the feudal castle of Chalencon (Baronnie des Chalencon), perched on a promontory, nestled in the Ance valley, in the heart of a 25-hectare protected site At its feet lies the feudal village, and spanning the Ance are two bridges: the Pont du Diable with its two arches, one of which is 15 metres high and certainly dates from the 12th century, and the 15th-century Bounery bridge.

A winding hike near the magnificent Lignon Gorges, crossed by a Himalayan footbridge, with beautiful landscapes over the knolls of the Pays d'Yssingeaux. The path on the Greenway to the south will reveal the beautiful landscapes of the Lignon Gorges.

A Cluniac site thanks to its priory and church, Grazac has been famous for some time as one of the two access points to the largest Himalayan footbridge in France. This route will take you there via a short walk through this wooded valley.

Rochebaron Castle is the emblematic site in the Bas-en-Basset and Monistrol-sur-Loire area. Beautiful views, first over the Loire and, on the return journey, over the Meygal massif.

This route takes you on a discovery of the villages of Riou, with its wash house, and La Blache, with its bread oven. It also offers beautiful views of the Emblavez plain and the rounded or slightly pointed hills known locally as "les knolls".

The Bourianne lava flow is the result of an interesting geological phenomenon. Halfway through this hike, walkers will discover an imposing scree slope of basalt columns at their feet and, in the distance, the Forez Massif.

This tour of part of the Chaspinhac plateau offers numerous views of the Puy en Velay basin, Mont Bar and the Loire Gorges. It is an opportunity to discover Saint Quentin, a hamlet abandoned for more than fifty years that enthusiasts have restored and brought back to life in the summer months with exhibitions, shows or simply by sharing a drink.

Near the small medieval village of Saint-Pal-de-Chalencon, nestled at the bottom of the Andrable valley, the Saut du Bezan waterfall has long remained a well-kept secret, like the best mushroom spots. Share it with your friends!

Fifteenth stage of the Way of St James. In the heart of the Meygal, Queyrières, a village in the Haute-Loire department, stands beside its basalt rock. From there, you begin the descent towards Le Puy-en-Velay, passing through Saint-Julien-Chapteuil and its mills that once lined the Sumène. A gentle end to the route with a leisurely finish as you arrive in Le Puy-en-Velay, a major pilgrimage site.

Short loop starting from the Meygal Forest. After crossing the forest, a balcony path with beautiful views of the surrounding knolls leads you to the village of Queyrières, which is topped by a remarkable basalt dyke. After crossing the village of Monedeyres, you climb back up through pleasant undergrowth.

From Paulin, above Monistrol-sur-Loire, set off to discover an old Cistercian abbey on the banks of the Semène, a tributary of the Loire, via a circular route combining twoPR® trails: Les Dames de la Séauve-Bénite and Le Circuit de l'Ecureuil, developed by the Loire-Semène Tourist Office. The Semène lake, around the former abbey, is an attractive place to stop halfway with its picnic area, children's playground and landscaped banks.

The route follows the Via Gebennensis (GR®65-GR®430) to near Les Araules. Next, discover the Pic du Lizieux and its orientation table, which offers a 360° panorama. The hike continues along the Bonas discovery trail, then joins Arnissac to pass through Pic Testavoyre and ends with the forest road to Chalet Raffy.

This hike, in the heart of the Meygal forest, is ideal in the heat of summer. It offers beautiful views, especially from the summit of Testavoyre, where you can look out over the Meygal mountains.

This route is a pleasant way to spend a hot summer's day, with numerous viewpoints (Forez, Pilat, Alps, Mézenc) and climbs through the forest. In particular, it allows you to fully enjoy the unique relief of the massif, with its very numerous knolls. A refreshing stop in Recharinges (fountain, bar) allows you to tackle the final climb in the best possible conditions.

A route exploring little-used paths and points of interest, an alternative to the marked trails.

A variation on the climb up Lizieux that takes you to Mounier, a little-known peak overlooking Freycenet and the menhir above Monbuzat-La Chieze.