Thermes du Mont Dore walks

A hike for the whole family (but suitable footwear is essential) which, from the summit of Puy de Sancy, will take you along the ridges to the Grande Cascade. A challenging route alternating between ascents and descents, offering stunning 360° views as far as Puy de Dôme, Puy Mary and well beyond, weather permitting.

The summit of Capucin, starting from Mont Dore, is one of the first summits accessible from the town, offering a superb panorama and a breath of fresh air. You can also see the Capucin Funicular, the oldest electric funicular in France.

The aim of this walk is to complete a route taking in the four main waterfalls of Mont-Dore: the Grande Cascade, Rossignolet, Queureuil and Saut du Loup.Three of the waterfalls are in roughly the same area. This leaves the option of visiting the Grande Cascade at a later date. In that case, simply take the Chemin de Chappes on the right as you set off from the town hall; this leads up to the Melchi-Roze path, and then continue the route to the left.

The start is in front of the thermal baths, on Place du Panthéon. Initially, the route passes through the town to the Qeureuilh district where, after the landscape cemetery, you’ll find the paths leading to the Col de la Croix Morand, where Laurence and Christophe’s Buron welcomes you for an Auvergne meal or a snack featuring an excellent blueberry tart.For the return journey, you’ll need to leave a car at the Col de la Croix Morand or retrace your steps along the same route.

This walk first takes us through the streets of Mont-Dore, from the thermal baths to the old railway station. After a short detour along the River Dordogne, you’ll need to cross the municipal workshops to take a footpath between the old railway line and the River Dordogne, before heading up towards Rigolet Bas and the golf course, then Rigolet Haut, and finally down again to join the Chemin des Artistes, followed by the Chemin des Mille Gouttes, before returning to the town near the Tourist Office.

The suggested circular route is a route around the town of Le Mont-Dore. It takes us along the three paths mentioned in the title. The start and finish are on the Place du Panthéon, opposite the thermal baths, so that you can access the Chemin de Melchi-Roze via the Chemin de Chappes on the way out and via the Chemin de la Banne on the way back. In the area around the gendarmerie and the old railway station, there is no alternative but to take a few tarmac-surfaced streets.

Le Mont-Dore is a tourist destination for three main reasons: hiking in the Sancy massif, the winter sports resort and the spa town. For all these good reasons, there are numerous hiking trails around Le Mont-Dore and the surrounding area. It would be a shame not to mention that this is a welcoming region where life is good. Who wouldn’t be tempted, whilst out on a hike, to stop for a snack of bread, cheese and cold meats, not forgetting to finish off with a slice of blueberry tart! It is against this backdrop that the suggested walk is a circular route starting from the thermal baths, running alongside the funicular railway, reaching the Salon du Capucin after working up quite a sweat, then winding gently back down through magnificent woodland and countryside, passing through Rigolet and Les Vergnes before returning to Mont-Dore and its thermal baths. The walk can also start from the Tourist Office in the town centre.