Saint-Nectaire walks

North of Saint-Nectaire, the Plateau de Sailles offers beautiful views of Murol and the Couze Chambon valley. You will discover an ancient troglodyte settlement and some of the megaliths that dot the area around the village, known for its beautiful Romanesque church and cheese.

On the heights of Murol and Lac Chambon, discover the Rajat caves, Murol Castle, the Cirque and the Dent du Marais, as well as the villages of Chautignat and Beaune-le-Froid.

A beautiful climb through undergrowth from Mareuge, on the heights of the upper Monne valley, a stream that rises from the Puys de Baladou and Védrine brooks. From the heights, there is a magnificent panoramic view of the Monts Dore, the Chaîne and the Plateau des Puys. Traditional architecture and heritage in the villages of Mareuge and Pessade.

A circuit that forms a figure of 8 around Lac Chambon, with panoramic views of the lake and the Sancy range, the Valley of Chaudefour and a section through Murol via its castle.

A hike on a volcanic plateau with views of the Chaîne des Puys, a world of stones and pastures; a few isolated villages, cows and a glimpse of the civilisation of the Arverni (Gauls of Auvergne) through standing stones and dolmens. A magnificent walk in all seasons.

This is an easy hike that allows you to explore the Puy de Vichatel, whose crater is the second deepest in the Chaîne des Puys. You are allowed to go down inside! From the summit, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the other puys further south, Lake Aydat and the Sancy massif.

An easy hike with one of the most beautiful panoramic views in the region, overlooking both the Chaîne des Puys and the Sancy Massif. Between May and October, sheep graze on these puys, much to the delight of young and old alike!

An easy and enjoyable hike on this little-visited volcano. Despite the path being in the woods, there are several viewpoints offering views of both the other volcanoes in the Chaîne des Puys and the Sancy massif. A good option for hot days.

Discover the Chaudefour Valley, located in the nature park of the same name.

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.

A return route to Mont Dore, taking care to avoid the same paths as the previous day.

A wander among the underbrush along the Couze Pavin, from bank to bank, flowing in cascades.

A very beautiful and varied hike, between 1,300 and 1,500 metres, which can be done in half a day in the mid-mountains (pastures, forests, peaks). Superb 360° panorama of the Sancy mountains and the Dômes chain. Good paths. Bring a map or GPS, essential for the return journey through the forest.

Starting from the Le Clos hotel in Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise, this loop takes you around Lac Pavin using the discovery trail and theGR®30.

Hike in the Auvergne Volcanoes Park, starting from Besse (located an hour's drive south of Clermont-Ferrand). The discovery trail starting from the Hôtel le Clos combines wooded areas and open countryside, passing by Lake Pavin and Lake Montcineyre (swimming is prohibited in both). The trail is very well marked throughout (markings and signs).

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.

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.

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.

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 snowshoe routes at the Pertuyzat resort, a very pleasant hike around Lake Pavin. You may be asked to pay €2.50 per person for the right to use the routes, for signposting and maintenance.

A loop on the Plateau de Dôme, starting from Vernines and passing through several hamlets where the inhabitants have preserved the traditional way of life, with fountains, wash houses, blacksmith's forges and communal ovens. A few sections on small roads at the end of the route, which are very quiet and offer unobstructed views of the Chaîne des Puys.

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.

An interesting hike due to its diversity: peat bogs, volcanic lakes, chasms and, depending on the season, a few orchids between (6) and (7).

A Grand Tour of the beautiful and mysterious Lac Pavin, passing by the Puy de Montchal and the Creux de Soucy chasm.

This hike takes you to four volcanic lakes: Lac Pavin, which is 92 metres deep and 700 to 800 metres in diameter; Lac de Montcineyre, formerly owned by the Michelin family; Lac de Bourdouze, which is partially covered by peat bog; and finally Lac de l'Estivadoux, which is almost completely dry.

The route, mostly through forest, passes by the unmissable Lake Pavin before climbing Puy de Monchal and returning via the only chasm in Auvergne, Creux de Souci.