Sainte-Agathe - Thiers

(S) From Sainte-Agathe, take the road that climbs up alongside the church on the left.

(1) After 1.5 km, when you reach a crossroads, turn right. When you reach the entrance to the Château de Vaulx (gate on the left) , the path leads to a sloping tarmac road. Follow this road, cross the village of Frissonnet and continue until you reach the D7 departmental road.

(2) Turn left and 200 m further on, at the Frissonnet pass, take the road signposted Celles sur Durolle D7. 50 m further on, turn left onto the D323 towards La Monnerie. Stay on this road for 800 m and take a path on the left for 500 m ,then turn right. At the next three-way junction, leave the main road by turning left. At the house marked Croix des 4 chemins, turnleft and follow the sunken lane rising up opposite (view on the right of Celles-sur-Durolle, Les Bois Noirs, Le Puy de Montoncel and the summit of Montlune). After 250 m, turn right to reach the cross at a place called Le Péage. Go down to the right on the tarmac road, cross the road (D323) and descend opposite into the Obstancie.

(3) At the crossroads in the hamlet, turn left and follow the path. Walk past a fountain, pass a pretty couderc and take the grassy path slightly to the right, passing under the farm buildings (view of Arconsat and the summit of Montlune). At the tarmac road (view of Saint-Rémy sur Durolle on the left), turn right.

(4) At the iron cross, take the path opposite lined with oak trees (view of the Durolle valley opposite). At the three-way junction, take the path on the left. Continue straight ahead to a large T-junction, then turn left. Cross the D323 and follow the path opposite down to the Bouchet stream.

(5) Cross it and go back up towards Luc. At the tarmac, keep going straight ahead and pass the wash house. After the fountain, turn left. Keep going on the same path to pass the reservoir on your left.

(6) At the fork, continue straight ahead and stay on the same path until you reach a road. Continue straight ahead (slightly to the left) to enter Membrun.

(7) Take the first road on the right after the bridge to pass between the factories. Follow the road downhill as it continues into the valley. Cross the railway line. Keep on the same road to pass under the railway viaduct and follow the path behind Rouet 1 (chez Lyonnet).

(8) Take the footbridge on the right just after this Rouet to cross the Durolle. Then turn left and climb up to the promontory (reception building). Then turn right (ignore the road opposite leading up to Château-Gaillard) and follow the path overlooking the river and passing several spinning wheels.

(9) Turn left and cross the Durolle via the stone bridge. Pass the ruins and take the first path on the left, which climbs steeply.

(10) At the intersection, continue to the right and follow the same path for a good kilometre.

(11) Pass under the penstock. Keep on this same path winding along the mountainside; pass through a rocky chaos and continue to Dégoulat. Turn immediately right in the hamlet (view of Thiers, the Chaîne des Puys and the Sancy massif) and go down the stairs towards the Chapelle Saint-Roch.

(12) Before the chapel, turn left to cross Rue Saint-Roch and descend opposite on Petite Rue Saint-Roch. Continue straight downhill and cross the Pont de Seychalles. Go up Rue Durolle opposite, then at Place du Corps-de-Garde (pretty cross on the left), turn left onto Rue des Murailles.

(13) At the door of the Church of Saint-Jean, turn right to walk along the cemetery and take Rue Anna-Chabrol. At the end of the street, go down to the left via Rue des Rochers, then at the end of the street, take the stairs on the right. Take the first bridge on the left and turn left again to return to the Orangerie (E).

Thiers, Rue des Murailles: on the right, numerous workshops with large metal-framed windows; hanging gardens with trellises, wrought iron railings and a small kiosk; former hospital gardens; factories below. On the left bank, allotment gardens.