Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule walks

A family hike that passes through the vineyards of Saint-Pourçain.

An easy hike in the hills overlooking Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule, west of the Allier valley, partly following the GR®300 trail with a few short stretches on minor roads. Easy, well-marked and signposted paths. Beautiful views of Saint Pourçain-sur-Sioule. Unshaded route, best avoided during heatwaves.

Walk around Fleuriel. A bit of tarmac but on a quiet road, a bit of woodland, a bit of meadow. A varied landscape for a walk during which you can bring a picnic.

A walk through the Giverzat Forest suitable for families and even mountain bikers, except around the point (8), where it is advisable to walk alongside your bike.

A short 8-shaped walk at the foot of Saint-Vincent de Chantelle Abbey.

The walk takes you to Bois Coutayon on the border between the municipalities of Vendat and Saint-Pont. In the wild boar park, with a little luck and patience, you may spot wild boars and piglets or deer and fawns!

A very pleasant hike through countryside and forest between Charroux and the banks of the Sioule, with superb views of the Chaîne des Puys and the Bourbonnais mountains on a clear day.

Discover an oak tree over 300 years old that lived through the French Revolution! Blue markings and signposts.

A circular route in the commune of Montaigu-le-Blin, voted the most beautiful village in the Allier in 2012. This route allows you to take a leisurely afternoon stroll to discover some of Montaigu’s heritage, including the large wash house, the fortified castle, Presles Castle, the Roman road, the Celtic cross and St Anne’s Church. It has been created by combining several ‘heritage routes’ offered by this small village, where time seems to stand still out of season. On this easy-to-moderate route, which takes just under 3 hours, the effort is sustained and mostly on tarmac, but the breaks to admire the local heritage treasures and the panoramic views allow you to recover. Only the grassy slope between the wash house and the fortified castle is more demanding, but it can be bypassed by climbing up to the fortified castle from the village centre rather than directly from the wash house.

A walk around Saint-Félix, fairly easy and offering some lovely views.

This easy walk will take you past some of Neuilly-le-Réal’s key landmarks, as well as a château and a few ponds. You’ll see numerous boundary walls and building walls made of multicoloured bricks, laid in a diamond pattern.

A pleasant walk around Saint-Bonnet-de-Rochefort.

I suggest a short urban hike to discover Vichy, nicknamed "the Queen of Waters". This circuit takes you through the emblematic streets of Napoleon III's beloved city, lined with beautiful houses of eclectic architecture, as well as the shopping streets of the modern city and the parks along the Allier River. You can quench your thirst at the famous Source des Célestins.

A circular route, mostly on tracks and farm roads, starting from Cognat-L'yonne and passing by Rilhat Castle and Monpensier Golf Course. Beautiful view of the Gannat plain on a clear day, of course.

This short walk starting from Ébreuil offers panoramic views of the Sioule valley. At the (2), the narrow path leading up to Sainte-Foy is not regularly maintained. The grass may be a little overgrown.