Saint-Genès-Champanelle walks

Starting from the village of Saint-Genès-Champanelle, a walk through the village of Beaune le Chaud and the hamlet of Chatrat, rich in traditional housing and small heritage sites linked to water, passing on either side of the Cime de la Côte, a ridge offering beautiful views of the Puy de Dôme to the north and other puys and the Sancy massif to the south.

This fourth stage marks the beginning of a wilder route that leads to the foot of the puys, through mountain pastures and woods. It also allows you to discover a pretty village, Beaune le Chaud, which has a beautiful traditional architectural heritage.

A pleasant and easy walk for the whole family through varied landscapes with the Puy de Dôme in the distance.

Two essential links in the Chaîne des Puys, accessible from Fontfreyde via a double circular loop offering a pleasant walk through the forest before beginning the ascent of the famous twin puys with their cratered peaks.

A circular route through the solidified lava flow of the Cheire de Mercœur forest, passing through the two twin jewels of the Chaîne des Puys, the extinct volcanoes of Lassolas and La Vache.

An easy walk to enjoy the forest covering the solidified lava flow of Mercœur, passing through the large pasture meadows of Beaune, which offer beautiful views of the puys.

A very easy walk to enjoy the forest covering the solidified lava flow of Mercœur, passing through summer pastures.The Visorando app is recommended for certain sections.

At the foot of the volcanoes, alternating woods and pastures in a landscape typical of the Chaîne des Puys.Between (2) and (4), a GPS or the Visorando app may be useful.

A circular route to discover the lovingly preserved heritage of a few hamlets and villages in Saint-Genès-Champanelle.

From Fontfreyde, walk along the solidified lava flow of the Puys de la Vache and Lassolas in the undergrowth, then climb to the summit of the Puy de Vichatel before crossing the Domaine de Montlosier. Finally, take a detour to the old quarry of the adventitious crater of the Puy de la Vache

This is a long circular route at the foot of the puys, through forests, fields and pastures, with a climb to the summit of Puy de la Combegrasse for a panoramic view of the Chaîne de Puys and the Monts Dore.

A circular route around these two lakes formed by lava flows from the Puys de la Vache and Lassolas. You will walk along the shores of the lakes but also explore the heights, where you will have beautiful views of the surrounding puys.

A hike that climbs through a forest of pine, fir, oak, beech and chestnut trees, then winds its way through fields and pastures.

Close to Clermont-Ferrand, rolling meadows dotted with a few farms and a fast-flowing stream, the Ruisseau de Saint-Genès, also known as the Artière.

An easy walk on the outskirts of Clermont-Ferrand in a cool valley.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A third, very "geological" stage, allowing you to discover an impressive rock chaos, evidence of the Limagne Fault that borders the Plateau des Dômes, and the small gorges of the Artière. The itinerary also allows you to continue your discovery of Ceyrat with a visit to its second ancient village, Boisséjour.

This route allows hikers to walk among the granite rocks that bear witness to the Limagne Fault, which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018.

Circular loop of geological interest among the rocky chaos of the Limagne Fault, on the heights of Ceyrat. A slightly challenging first part followed by a more leisurely return with a passage through the old village of Boisséjour. Update 2025: Please note! The circular pattern is temporarily closed due to a landslide between (S) and (1).

A short circuit that can also complement another hike. This route is in the woods, flat, and on well-maintained trails.

A short hike to climb two volcanoes with their typical open craters to delight amateur geologists and curious hikers. A beautiful view from the top of the Puy de Lassolas on over the Chaîne des Puys to the north and Monts Dore to the south.

Easy walk, accessible to all without any difficulty. Wide paths, gentle slopes. Beautiful varied landscapes, mostly in the forest but on the way back, you walk along vast meadows. (5) Alternative route possible by incorporating the fitness trail at the end of the route.

A stroll through wooded hills and meadows.

At the end of the Second Empire, when thermal spas were booming in Auvergne, Puy de Dôme became the place to visit. Tourist guides of the time stated that "it is not permissible to leave Auvergne without having climbed Puy de Dôme"!

And finally, here is the fifth stage, marked by the ascent of Puy de Dôme. The route takes the Chemin des Muletiers for the ascent, then the Sentier des Chèvres to descend towards Orcines. There is, of course, a vast panorama from the highest point of this stage, overlooking the city of Clermont-Ferrand, the chain of puys, the Combrailles, the Plateau des Dôme and the Massif du Sancy.

A circular route, on paths and trails, with the first part in the forest and the second part through meadows, with beautiful views of the nearby Puy de Dôme and the Massif du Sancy.

At the foot of the Puy de Dôme, walk through pastures where cows graze, producing the delicious cheeses of Auvergne. You will pass through a few quiet villages. An idyllic countryside!

A family walk to discover the forest and how it is managed. In the village of Laschamps, keep your spirit of discovery alive and try to make your compass lose its north!

Starting from Laschamps near Puy de Dôme, the route takes you to the village of Beaune le Chaud, then onto theGR®®4andGR®®30to climb the Puy de Lassolas and Puy de la Vache with magnificent panoramic views, before reaching La Cassière and its lake. Please note: Access to the summits of Puys de la Vache and Lassolas will be closed for works between spring 2026 and early 2028. Please note: the Montlosier car park will be closed for works between August 2025 and 2027.

Circular loop, starting from Laschamps, which allows you to climb to the summit of Puy de Dôme via the Chemin des Muletiers and descend via the Sentier des Chèvres.In the footsteps of Roman builders: on the slopes of Puy de Grosmanaux, the route skirts Kilian Crater, the remains of a powerful volcano that was exploited by the Romans to build the Temple of Mercury, which you will discover further along the route.

A circular route almost exclusively in the forest, at the foot of the giant Chaîne des Puys, which can be seen on a few open stretches, with a return trip along a superb avenue lined with hundred-year-old beech trees.

A circular route at the foot of the Puy de Dôme with, in the first part, a walk along forest paths, then a route through the villages of Orcines to discover beautiful wash houses, still in use, made of Volvic stone.

A beautiful hike, not too busy, mostly through the woods. The first climb is a little steep but not particularly difficult. Beautiful views of Sancy, Limagne and Les Puys.

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.

It is very rare not to encounter other walkers on this beautiful granite promontory overlooking Royat and Chamalières. The residents of Royat and Chamalières enjoy walking here in all seasons. This loop follows a forest discovery trail, the beautiful Chemin des Crêtes and part of the Roman road that linked Lyon to Saintes. In the last part of the hike, the beautiful forest paths were transformed into wide tracks at the end of 2022 and tree debris litters the banks. Some of the landmarks mentioned in the description are therefore missing

This seventh and final stage, which is partly urban, allows you to continue exploring Royat, which you started at the end of the previous stage, first in the wooded hills of the town, passing by the Rocher du Salut promontory, then through the streets and park of the spa district, with its beautiful seaside architecture. Finally, the return route to Clermont allows you to discover the centre of Chamalières.

A hike through the forest on little-used paths that is easy going too!

A fairly short second stage between Beaumont and Ceyrat, passing by the pretty Moulin de la Tranchère, a renovated mill on the banks of the Artière, then by the summit of Puy de Montrognon, crowned by a tower that is the remains of a medieval castle.

A grand tour of the Puy de Dôme allows you to admire this local landmark from multiple angles. The ascents of the Grand Knoll and Cliersou, peaks overlooked by most hikers, offer beautiful views of the Chaîne des Puys.

Close to Clermont-Ferrand, walk through meadows and woodland on beautiful paths, such as the Chemin des Crêtes and an ancient Roman road. You can also discover basalt columns and pretty fountains. At the end of the hike, the beautiful forest trails were transformed into wide tracks at the end of 2022. Some of the landmarks mentioned in the description are therefore missing.

Starting from Font de l'Arbre, on the D942, right at the foot of Puy de Dôme, take a short hike to discover the essentials of Auvergne: traditional houses, fountains, wash houses, drinking troughs, streams, springs, basalt columns, Roman milestones, and even a sheepfold... not to mention the cheeses on sale at the Village Auvergnat.

Hike along the slopes of the Montaudoux and Gravenoire puys to reach the viewpoint of the Rocher du Salut. On the way back, you can visit the town and the Royat spa district.

During this walk, you will follow the small, rushing Tiretaine River, which originates near Font de l'Arbre, not far from Puy de Dôme, and disappears into the underground tunnels of Clermont-Ferrand.

In the Clermont-Ferrand area, climb the small puys of Montaudoux and Gravenoire, visit Bargouin Park and Royat Thermal Park. This is an easy hike if you skip the climb to the summit of Montaudoux.

A charming walk around the lake with beautiful views of the lake and surrounding hills and modern buildings that blend in perfectly with the setting.

The hike takes place mainly in the forest that covers the Cheires Hautes, an ancient solidified lava flow from the Puy de la Vache and Puy de Lassolas, passing by Lac de la Cassière, an ideal place for a break, just over halfway along the route.

Walk dedicated to exploring the small Puy de Vichatel: its slopes covered with mixed forest, its crater, and its summit reached by a beautiful trail offering a stunning panorama.The only downside to this hike is its proximity to the D2089 at the start and end of the route.