On the heights of Ceyrat

On Avenue de Royat, at the village of Boisséjour, turn onto Rue Pierre Curie then left twice to find a small grassy car park, next to an electricity substation, the "official" starting point for the trails and fitness trail.
Please note! This hike is not marked as such, even though there are numerous markings along the route. They will be mentioned in the description where necessary.

(S/E) Take the access road to the car park, turn right, then, just after the bridge over the Artière, turn right again onto Rue Pierre Curie. Cross Avenue de Royat, turn opposite into the village of Boisséjour and follow the yellow disc markings. Ignore Rue du Pont on the right, pass the post office and then, at the crossroads, at a large iron cross on the left, continue straight ahead to find a wash house, a drinking trough and a fountain on the right.

(1) Continue straight ahead to the church, then turn left onto the small square in front of it and note the fountain on the left. At the intersection, continue straight ahead, ignoring Rue du 8 Mai on the left, turn left, then right. At the intersection (Rue Blaise Pascal sign on the wall on the left), take a few steps to the right and then turn into the alley on the left (at house no. 13, Rue de Gravenoire, but with the street sign at the other end). Continue straight ahead on this street until you reach Avenue de Royat, at the traffic lights.

Walk a few metres to the right, then cross at the pedestrian crossing to follow the signs for Le Chorigier opposite, still following the yellow disc markings. For the rest of the route, ignore these markings, which are very common in the city.

(2) At a small Volvic stone cross on the right-hand side of the street, turn left. Ignore the alleys on either side and, further on, follow the street as it curves to the left. Start a second left turn, but in this turn, leave the street and take a path between two houses on the right, at an electrical substation.

When you reach a road, take a few steps to the right and then follow Chemin de Bourgailloux to the left. Ignore a street on the left and continue along the path that extends the tarmac road. At a trail junction (which is not shown on the IGN map but is present on OSM), with steps on the left marked Salamandre, continue straight ahead following the Écureuil markings.

After walking along the Artière at the top, you will come to a wider path and turn left to cross the Artière. Shortly afterwards, turn right onto a path (marked with a yellow cross). The climb continues, still on the heights of the Artière, sometimes aided by a few steps.

(3) You will arrive at a crossroads with a marker numbered 10 and Salamander markings in the opposite direction. Turn left. Further on, turn right, ignoring a path on the left (which is not shown on the IGN map).

(4) Ford a small tributary of the Artière, then ignore a private property on the left. You will come to a crossroads with several paths and climb a little to the left to reach a road.

(5) Follow it to the left, staying on the left side of the guardrail for about 150 metres. When you see a path on the right side of the road, step over the guardrail, cross ( with caution) and continue on this path, marked Salamandre in the opposite direction.

(6) When you reach a fork at marker no. 6, turn left. Turn left (the path marked on the IGN map at this point no longer exists). At the next intersection, follow the path on the right, indicated by a small^PR®® sign^. Ignore two paths on the right marked by a variant of the Circuit de l'Artière and arrive at a road at a hairpin bend.

(7) Descend to the right on the path that runs alongside the road below (caution: narrow path). You will arrive at a tarmac road and continue to the crossroads. Turn left and then, in the bend, turn right onto the path marked by marker post no. 16 and signposted Salamandre in the opposite direction. At a fork, follow the path on the right leading to the Notre-Dame-de-Belou Oratory.

(8) Pass by this simple little oratory (information panel) and continue along the path, which soon joins the path you left earlier. Follow it to the right. At the next fork, turn left (Salamandre sign in the opposite direction) to go uphill and come out onto a wide path, which is also a fitness trail.

(9) Follow this path to the right, passing by a reservoir. Further on, you will find an information panel about the birds of the forest. On the other side of the path, note a fallen stone supporting a superb enamelled lava rock that marks "Site 4" of a Game of the Goose. Ignore a path that descends to the right further on and continue along this wide path.

(10) At another glazed lava rock, "Site 3," climb the few steps that lead to four other beautiful glazed lava rocks behind the sign. Continue along the path to find the main table of this Game of the Goose a little further on, then arrive at "Site 2."

(11) Leave the path and descend the trail on the right. Ignore a trail on the left at post 17a of the fitness trail. Arrive at a path and turn left to reach a street, then continue straight ahead on the trail to return to the fitness trail car park (S/E).

Moderate difficulty hike, standard hiking equipment

Some photos here

(1) Old village of Boisséjour, wash house fountains.

(8) The Notre-Dame-de-Belou Oratory was once much more imposing, but was dismantled at the beginning of the 20th century, as explained on the information panel. This place still serves as an oratory, but is now very simple.

Between (9) and (11): Magnificent enamelled lava stones from the Game of the Goose.

A route that allows you to find yourself in the heart of nature within the city itself. Bus line 4 takes you to the village of Boisséjour from Les Salins.