Thiers - Les Quatre Vents

(S) From the Orangerie, take the D45 for 500 m, then turn left onto Chemin des Belins. At the fork, continue to the right, pass a memorial stone and continue to a T-junction.

(1) Take the road on the left, then quickly turn right onto a sandy path that leads back to the same road. Follow this road to the right to reach the D45. Turn left and continue for about 300 m.

(2) Leave the road and take a grassy path on the right that leads to Lamouroux. Cross the hamlet (adobe houses), then turn left onto the small road towards Souie.

(3) Before Souie, take the path on the left and turn right at the fork that follows to reach Les Giliberts. Cross the hamlet and join the D320. Turn right for about 200 m to reach a crossroads between two houses.

(4) Take the path on the left which goes down along the wall of the house (wet and muddy) then goes back up to a sandy path. Take it on the left for 1 km before reaching a small road. Turn right then take the second road on the left towards Busset.

(5) At the first houses, turn left, go straight ahead at the next crossroads, then take the left-hand path at the pink house. About 50 metres further on, turn right. Cross the stream over a small broken bridge and continue along the path to reach the D58.

(6) Cross over and take the path almost opposite to reach Grand Cognet. Just before the hamlet,
take the tarmac road on the right, cross the D45 (take care) and follow the path opposite (pylon). You will see the Château de Vollore. At the large oak tree, turn left, then leave the road and continue to a junction.

(7) Take the path on the right which descends to the Ruisseau des Roches, cross it and climb up to the altitude of 451 on the map (view of the Chaîne des Puys). Continue straight on to the hamlet of Laurençon where the path becomes tarmac.

(8) At the T-junction, continue straight ahead on a path that leads to a small road. Follow this road to the right to Rouet.

(9) At the crossroads, turn left then right 150 m further on. Turn right at the first intersection then left at the second to reach Chemin du Bourg Ancien in Vollore-Ville.

(10) Turn left to go around the castle, then take a path on the right that leads to the junction with Rue de la Grande Chaussade. Turn right in front of the post office, cross the village and continue to a crossroads.

(11) Turn right, then take the first left towards Le Bouchet. Turn left towards Le Fraysse, then, at the first houses, follow the path on the right. Ignore the paths on the left and continue to a small road at an elevation of 484 metres.

(12) Walk a few metres to the left, then turn left again onto a path. Cross the D45 at a place called La Garbière, take the path opposite and, at the small private lake with a fence around it, turn right. You will come to a road (D311).

(13) Turn left for 50 metres, then follow the path on the right towards La Sauvetat. At the entrance to the hamlet, continue to the right and go straight on for about 1 km to reach the Lodge des Quatre Vents (E).