The Chiloza falls

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

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.79 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 159 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 159 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 989 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 837 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: At the end of the little road to the right after entering the winter camping site (the latter is at the exit agglomeration of Besse-en-Chandesse on the road to Murol and is well marked with a large sign). Park in the car park near the shed.

Start: At the house before the shed, take the path that begins along the gable of the house (to ensure that you are on the right path, check the small wooden sign for the waterfalls that is at foot of the trees to the left of the trail).

The trail then runs along the camping site. Reach the football field (1). Walk along it on its left and cross the D978 to head right along a road leading to the rubbish tip. Go past the treatment plant (2), following the left bank of the Couze Pavin, flowing in a succession of waterfalls over 400 metres.

Cross the couze over the bridge (3) and immediately take a path up towards Les Carnians. At the next intersection, turn right towards the Thiaulaire. (Discovery Trail) At the fork at the entrance to the hamlet, continue straight on the road.

Turn left on the D149 then immediately cross it to take the road right to the roundabout (4). Continue across the bridge returning to the starting point after entering the winter camping site (5).

N.B. Couze is an Auvergne word that can be translated as torrent.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 987 m - Parking near a hangar
  2. 1 : km 0.4 - alt. 954 m - Football pitch - Cascade de Chiloza
  3. 2 : km 0.95 - alt. 926 m - Water treatment plant
  4. 3 : km 1.83 - alt. 837 m - Gateway
  5. 4 : km 4.36 - alt. 988 m - Junction D149
  6. 5 : km 4.52 - alt. 982 m - Bridge - Couze Pavin (rivière) à finaliser
  7. S/E : km 4.79 - alt. 987 m - Parking near a hangar

Practical information

A fairly rugged trail, sometimes difficult along the couze, wear good walking shoes.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 119 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
hocine
hocine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Great hike, amazing waterfall and lovely woodland.

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grumes
grumes

Beautiful shaded hike with a stunning waterfall.
Well marked on the map.
May not be suitable for children.

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User 13430637

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A beautiful hike with lots of undergrowth, but be careful if you have weak knees as there are quite a few steps along the river.

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grumes
grumes

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Great hike.

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User 18607164

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Lovely family hike with my dog. Beautiful waterfalls. Shady most of the way.

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Cyri
Cyri

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Very simple with the app. If we'd had to follow the signs, it would have been more complicated to follow our path. Very nice walk.

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Pruvost Alexandre
Pruvost Alexandre

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Incredible, magnificent waterfalls. At first you see a rubbish dump and a sewage treatment plant, so you wonder what's going on, but when you get there it's magnificent. Very nice day.

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Godain
Godain

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Very nice walk (in the sun) Very well explained and well signposted on the ground.
No difficulties to follow. Just be careful on the stairs, which could be slippery with the damp; Thank you.

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KANIBAL81
KANIBAL81

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A lovely walk through the trees on a well-marked route. You then reach the river for the second part with waterfalls and pools to soak in, which is very nice in hot weather... A few passages with natural steps reinforced by pieces of wood or carved into the rock... Difficult for small children I imagine, but it doesn't last long. The return to Besse along the road is not the most pleasant, but you can't have everything...

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J Rapin
J Rapin

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Very pleasant shady walk

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Denis26
Denis26 ★

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

This walk takes in a number of small waterfalls on the course of the Couze Pavin, a beautiful beech forest and a pretty viewpoint at the hamlet of Thiaulaire.

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Zat Marie
Zat Marie
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A great walk with the kids, a well-marked circuit, with some nice little swims! We made the most of it, under a blazing sun, so we were nice and cool!

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Thomas120
Thomas120

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

There were a few people on the forest path, so we didn't feel we were taking full advantage of the quality of the environment.
Otherwise, the route is extraordinary, with breathtaking views of the waterfall.

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Pissob
Pissob

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A short, easy walk in the forest along the river. It's possible to simply start at the waste centre and make an outward and return trip rather than a loop, as what's there before and at the end is of little interest compared with the very pleasant route through the forest.

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Gérard montigny
Gérard montigny

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

The start of the route to the water treatment plant isn't great but after that it's worth it.
Hiking in the snow👍

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