Saint-Nectaire thermal baths via the Route des Croix

A walk allowing you to explore the thermal spa district of Saint-Nectaire starting from Boissières, which makes it easy to park away from the village during the tourist season. The route is dotted with several stone crosses, some of which are ancient and very simple, but you will also discover the beautiful Croix du Marchidial in Saint-Nectaire Haut, as well as a Christianised menhir, the Croix Saint-Roch. You will also enjoy beautiful views of Murol Castle and the Sancy massif.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.91 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,099 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,079 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,756 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,182 ft

Description of the walk

On the D996, at the junction with the Route de Boissières (D145) and the educational farm, park in the rest/picnic area.

(S/E) With the D996 on your left, cross the D145 (Route de Boissières) carefully, then the small car park opposite (private), cross the bridge over the Frédet, rejoin the D996 and follow it to the right, passing the educational farm, then cross carefully to reach the Pont de Boissières signpost, at the start of a path, marked in red and white (GR®30). Follow this path towards Bouche.

(1) At the fork in the road, with the ‘Bouche’ sign a little further along the edge of the GR® path, leave the GR® markings and head diagonally to the right (mountain bike markings). Shortly afterwards, there is a viewpoint over Murol Castle. You will come out onto a road at the ‘Pont de Sapchat’ sign.

(2) Turn right, with no signposted direction, and head for the bridge over the Couze Chambon. Take the path on the left, before the bridge, towards Les Couverts. About 600 m further on, you’ll notice a pretty little stone cross set back to the left of the path. Continue on and you’ll reach a crossroads, at the Les Couverts signpost.

(3) Turn right towards Jeanson. Ignore a path on the left further on and, about 150 m further on, look out for a small stone cross on the left-hand side of the path, slightly higher up, in a bend. You will arrive on a street in the hamlet of Les Granges.

(4) Follow the street to the left, then, at the bend in the road (signposted Rue des Fontaines Hautes), continue straight on along the path. Stay on this path which goes round the Puy d'Eraigne. Ignore a path leading uphill to the left along the way. Further on, you’ll reach a very rugged, downhill section.

(5) Take care on this section: at the Fork in the road, take the slightly less eroded path on the left to reach a T-junction with a path not shown on IGN maps but present on OSM. Turn right and continue downwards with care. You’ll reach a road (D150) on the outskirts of Saint-Nectaire Bas, at the Jeanson signpost.

(6) Follow the road to the right towards the Casino and you will immediately reach this marker. Continue straight on down the road until you reach the main street of Saint-Nectaire Bas, Avenue du Docteur Roux.

(7) Directly opposite you, the tourist office is housed in the beautiful old spa building of Saint-Nectaire Bas. In the foreground is the old refreshment bar that used to serve water from three springs. Walk up the avenue to the left for a few dozen metres, until you reach the bend in the road, to discover some beautiful mansions: a very pretty house with turrets, the Villa Russe, its neighbour the Villa Serrane, and then another one a little further on. Then head back towards the tourist office, then continue along the avenue, passing the Chapelle des Baigneurs and a few fine buildings: the Bains Romains (now a hotel) and, opposite, the former Hôtel de Paris, which would be superb if it were renovated, the Villa Castel Marguerite and some restaurants. Pass the Hôtel Régina.

(8) Just behind it, turn left and go up this path. When you reach a road, follow it to the left, then after the bend take a track on the left (Chemin de la Parre). Shortly afterwards, you’ll notice a small restored cross on the right. Further on, the track becomes tarmac and leads to the entrance of the Parc du Dolmen, marked ‘Dolmen’.

(9) If you haven’t been there before, take a detour towards Dolmen to explore this wooded park and its beautiful dolmen (several picnic tables). Otherwise, or later on, continue along the road towards La Parre. Pass an information sign reading “Face au Sancy”. Further on, you’ll see a tall stone cross on the right. You’ll then reach a fork in the road in Saint-Nectaire Haut.

(10) Continue straight ahead down the one-way street; on the right is an information sign for Saint-Nectaire Haut. When the street bends to the left, go straight ahead into a small courtyard and look for steps on the left leading to a street. Follow it to the left, then turn right at the next junction until you reach a car park on the right, the Place du Marchidial (sign almost illegible), where you’ll find the beautiful Calvary cross of the same name, a 15th-century carved mission cross resting on a similarly carved lava base.

(11) Head back along the street in the opposite direction, towards the village, and continue to the first street on the right; note the red and white GR® markings.

(12) Now is the time to make the most of this walk to visit or revisit the beautiful Basilica of Notre-Dame du Mont Cornadore (the hill on which Saint-Nectaire Haut is built) directly in front of you: walk straight ahead to the building and back.
Alternatively, follow the GR® signposting immediately to the right, and continue on this path almost until the end of the walk. Ignore the steps on the left, then turn left at the Clos du Vallon signpost towards Cornadore (Rue Mandon). At the junction, follow the road to the right and, as you round the bend, you’ll find yourself facing the former Cornadore thermal baths. The site is not particularly well presented; it is partly private and the buildings are unremarkable. However, in the section belonging to the local council, there is a small pavilion that would be worth renovating: the word “Bains” is carved on the façade, and the pediment features a carved snake.
Continue along the street, keeping straight on until you reach the main street of Saint-Nectaire Bas, at the Fontaines Pétrifiantes on the right: a guided tour is available for a fee; these are the caves used by the Romans for their thermal baths, featuring numerous basins formed by the concretions of underground water.

(13) Cross the main street to take the bridge over the Fredet opposite, and on the other side follow the road uphill (the road on the right leads to the Maison du Fromage). Take the first path on the right, towards Girodon. Then at the crossroads, turn right towards the Croix Saint-Roch. Ignore a path on the right further on.

(14) At the Croix Saint-Roch signpost, turn left off the GR® for a short detour to see this Christianised menhir. Unfortunately, it is topped by a rather unremarkable cross. Bretons may be disappointed: the menhirs in this region are often small. At its base is an old small stone altar, a remnant of a forgotten cult (the pilgrimage once associated with Saint-Roch has also been forgotten). Retrace your steps.

(14) Continue along the GR® to the left, towards Bouche. Further on, you’ll come across the ‘circular’ signpost and the junction you passed at the start of the walk.

(1) Follow the signs for Pont de Boissières to reach the car park (S/E) via the reverse route of the outward journey.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,628 ft - Rest area D996 x D145 - Couze Chambon (rivière) - Affluent de l'Allier
  2. 1 : mi 0.27 - alt. 2,687 ft - Intersection of the circular loop
  3. 2 : mi 0.83 - alt. 2,572 ft - Signpost: Pont de Sapchat
  4. 3 : mi 1.47 - alt. 2,684 ft - Les Couverts signpost
  5. 4 : mi 2.06 - alt. 2,392 ft - Les Granges
  6. 5 : mi 3.3 - alt. 2,552 ft - Ravined section
  7. 6 : mi 3.61 - alt. 2,287 ft - Jeanson marker
  8. 7 : mi 3.82 - alt. 2,211 ft - St-Nectaire Bas Thermal Baths - Fredet (cours d'eau) - Affluent de la Couze Chambon
  9. 8 : mi 4.36 - alt. 2,192 ft - Behind the Hôtel Regina
  10. 9 : mi 4.88 - alt. 2,359 ft - Dolmen marker - Dolmen du Parc
  11. 10 : mi 5.28 - alt. 2,457 ft - Street junction - Dolmen du Parc
  12. 11 : mi 5.52 - alt. 2,510 ft - Croix du Marchidial
  13. 12 : mi 5.67 - alt. 2,454 ft - GR - Eglise de Saint Nectaire
  14. 13 : mi 5.91 - alt. 2,326 ft - Crossroads - Fontaines pétrifiantes
  15. 14 : mi 6.93 - alt. 2,644 ft - Return trip to Croix St-Roch
  16. S/E : mi 7.91 - alt. 2,635 ft - Rest area D996 x D145

Notes

A hike of medium difficulty, fairly short but with a succession of ascents and descents, some of which are steep. Standard hiking gear.

Practical information for visiting the Fontaines Pétrifiantes via the link.

Worth a visit

Photo album here

Discover more hikes in this area, with descriptions or via the Visorando app here

Beautiful mansions in the spa district, with a touristy atmosphere in season.
A visit to the Basilica of Notre-Dame du Cornadore, if you haven’t been there before, is a must. Accessible via a short round trip in Upper Saint-Nectaire.
Plenty of unobstructed views along the route, particularly of Murol Castle with the Sancy Massif in the background.
Plenty of farms in the area where you can buy Saint-Nectaire... farm-fresh, of course

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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