On the Puy d’Ecouyat

In Parent, park in one of the car parks near the town hall.
Green markings and^PR® signpost ‘Puy d’Ecouyat’

(S/E) Set off along Rue des Écoles towards the centre of the village, leaving the town hall behind you, and continue straight on along this street to reach Place du Quaire (fountain). Turn left onto Grand’Rue, then take the first street on the right, Rue des Lilas. Immediately afterwards, turn left under a portico to cross a square and join Rue de la Poste. Follow it to the right, ignoring the streets branching off to the right, until you reach the church; walk alongside it on your left until you come to the junction with Rue des Frères Mirallès.

(1) Follow this street, ignoring the side streets and cul-de-sacs, and at the Fork in the road, stay on this street as it curves to the left. Go to the end of the street, then continue in the same direction along the path that extends from it. You’ll come to a junction with a cross.

(2) Turn left, then at the next junction, turn left again, ignoring two paths on the right. Shortly after the second one, turn left onto a footpath. At the Fork in the road just after this, stay on the main path to the right. Further on, the path turns left and reaches the summit of the Puy d’Ecouyat.

(3) Panoramic view, orientation board. Head back down towards the south-west; the path is signposted. Continue in this direction to descend towards Parent, following cairns on sections where the path is barely visible. Caution: stony descent. Join a better-marked path further down, then come out onto a road.

(4) Follow it to the right, pass the cemetery and, at the Fork in the road, keep to the right on the track. Walk for about 150 m until you reach a junction with a cross.

(5) Turn right.

(6) Further on, the path bends to the left, then reaches a T-junction. Follow the path to the left.

(7) At the junction, turn onto the path on the right and follow it – ignoring a small track on the right – until you reach a street in Parent.

(8) Follow it straight on. Join a main road and follow it in the same direction. You’ll reach a crossroads at a square, Place du Courtiol. Follow the road to the right, then, at the Fork in the road, keep left onto Rue du Coin. Stay on this road at the next junction by turning right, then you’ll reach the car park near the town hall (S/E).

An easy hike with a fair bit of elevation gain. Standard hiking kit.

Please note: in wet weather, the descent from the summit, which is quite stony in places, can be slippery.

Short alternative route: At (4), turn left to quickly reach the church (1), then return to the car park (S/E) via the reverse route of the outward journey, or via other streets in the village.

The Puy d’Ecouyat is the only ‘dyke’ in the Comté (canton of Vic-le-Comte). It is an imperfectly exposed lava wall, 200 m long, whose crest, 1 to 5 m wide, forms an irregular profile.

From the summit, and also along the route, there are views over the Allier valley, the Sancy massif and the Chaîne des Puys.