Vassivière and Lac Pavin

Walk around Lake Pavin, including a visit to the Chapel of Vassivière, where the Black Madonna is housed during the summer.

Details

n°15556372

Creation:
06 Oct 2021

Last update:
09 Oct 2025

Last review:
yesterday

Activity: Walking
Distance: 8.76 mi
Average duration: 5h 20
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 1,460 ft
Descent: - 1,450 ft
Highest point: 4,603 ft
Lowest point: 3,855 ft

Country: France
Areas: Massif central, Monts Dore
City: Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise (63610)
Start/End: N 45.501752° / E 2.890525°
IGN map(s): Ref. 2432ET, 2432ETR
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Description of the walk

Park in the car park at Lac Pavin.

(S/E) Take the road leading to the small jetty at Lac Pavin.

(1) Turn right and walk along the lake for about a hundred metres. Turn right again at the path junction; here, leave the path running alongside the lake to begin a gentle climb. You will reach the junction with^{the GR®30}.

(2) Turn right onto it, making an almost 180° turn, and follow the red and white markings. Then leave the path leading to Puy de Montchal on your left. Continue until you reach another junction.

(3) Keep to the right until you reach the double power line. Keep to the left on the path to walk alongside the lines, then turn right to enter the forest. You’ll come to another junction of paths.

(4) Carry on to the right along the^GR®. On leaving the woods, join the D978 road and stay on the^GR® which runs parallel to it. You’ll reach the Baraque de Vassivière. Cross the road and you’ll soon come to another junction marked by a cross.

(5) Leave the^GR® and turn right onto the Way of the Cross; this leads to the Vassivière site and its chapel, where you’ll also rejoin the^GR®4.

(6) Turn left onto the tarmac road, then return to the crossroads you passed on the way out.

(5) Follow the same route as on the way there until you reach the path junction you also passed on the way there.

(4) Leave the^GR® and turn right onto the path. Walk through the woods, cross a stream, then turn left at the next junction. Walk a few metres along the edge of the woods until you reach the power line.

(7) Carry on straight ahead and you’ll come to a wider track. Take this to the left and you’ll emerge at the junction you passed on the way out.

(3) Join the^GR® again to the right, follow it for a few hundred metres, then turn right to make a round trip to the Puy de Montchal. Back on the^GR®, turn right. You’ll reach the crossroads above the lake.

(2) Keep to the right on the^GR®, reaching the monument overlooking the lake. Continue along^{the GR®} before leaving it by turning left. Make a short descent to reach the lakeshore. Carry on straight ahead and arrive at the jetty you passed on the way out.

(1) Turn right and follow the same route as on the way there to return to the car park at Lac Pavin (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,855 ft - Lac Pavin car park
1 : mi 0.28 - alt. 3,924 ft - Boat landing stage - Lac Pavin
2 : mi 1.09 - alt. 4,259 ft - GR junction
3 : mi 1.95 - alt. 4,268 ft - Path junction - Puy Montchal
4 : mi 2.87 - alt. 4,055 ft - Crossroads: circular return loop
5 : mi 3.47 - alt. 3,960 ft - Crossroads. Near the - Couze Pavin (rivière) à finaliser
6 : mi 4.13 - alt. 4,245 ft - Chapelle Notre Dame de Vassivière
7 : mi 6.31 - alt. 4,134 ft - Power line
S/E : mi 8.76 - alt. 3,865 ft - Lac Pavin car park

Worth a visit

Between (3) and (2) Below the Puy de Montchal, at a place known as ‘le Cratère’, the Sancy Tourist Office, through the Horizons association, displays works of art depicting the massif. One of these works can be seen here.

Reviews and comments

4 / 5

Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.7 / 5

Ease of following the route
4 / 5

Route interest
4.2 / 5

User 29865110

yesterday at 09:35 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The walking time given on the information sheet is too long. If you walk at a leisurely pace, it takes less than 4 hours and 45 minutes.

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claireyann

08 Oct 2025 at 17:28 7200

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A route offering beautiful views of Lake Pavin and the Puys above Super Besse. I also recommend coming down from the chapel via the Way of the Cross to avoid the road.

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la barrutlaire

21 Jul 2025 at 21:08 7200

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The walk round Lake Pavin was brilliant. We climbed to the top of the volcano. Lovely view of the Sancy massif.
One slight downside: there’s a lot of tarmac road between Pavin and the chapel. The chapel was closed, but the site is interesting.
We walked to the chapel and back along the path. To complete a circular route, you have to take the tarmac road.
Thanks for the route map.

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Alexandre Brax47

21 Jul 2025 at 12:55 7200 • Edited: 21 Jul 2025 at 13:11 7200

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A 15.38 km circuit, but not really, because with the signposts we ended up doing 25.35 km there and back.
Only the Vassiviere chapel and Lake Pavin are pleasant between the two forest crossings, which aren't great, but in sunny weather it's very nice.
The start was at the foot of Super Besse.

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nat56

31 Jul 2023 at 17:35 7200

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A walk starting from Lac Pavin, in the sunshine at 9 am; it’s a good climb from there. The round trip to the Vassivière chapel went smoothly, but it was tricky to follow the route description for the rest of the way and the climb up to the Puy de Montchal; I think we extended our route slightly. We then finished with a walk round the lake, though there were a few more people there.

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