Vendeix, the stream, the rock and the hamlets

In La Bourboule, leave your vehicle in the large car park opposite the fire station, along Parc Fenestre, on the west side.

Yellow markings,^PR®® (Balirando) signs and directional markers

(S/E). Head towards the end of the car park on the village side to find the hiking signs, including the one for the Balirando La Roche de Vendeix hike, which this route follows for most of its length. Take the footbridge on the right behind the hiking signs to cross the Vendeix stream and enter Parc Fenestre. At the end of the footbridge, go down the steps on the left to join the path along the stream and follow it to the left. Ignore the footbridge on the right. Just before going under a footbridge, turn right and stay between the railway line on the left and the stream. At the directional signs, follow the direction Les Investisons, ignoring the footbridge on the right. Shortly afterwards, you will see the Les Investisons sign a little way back on the left. Go to it and follow the signs for Le Creux straight ahead on the grass, cross a tarmac path and climb two flights of steps opposite to leave the park. You will come to a road at the Les Sagnats sign.

(1) Turn right onto the road towards Le Creux. When you reach this signpost, continue along the road towards Le Siège. Cross a bridge over a tributary of the Vendeix stream, then immediately take a path on the left before a sawmill. You will soon reach a track; follow it to the left. You will come to a road.

(2) Follow it to the right. Shortly afterwards, ignore a path on the left. Further on, ignore a path on the right and cross another tributary of the Vendeix. Leave the road and take a wide path on the right to reach the Le Siège signpost.

(3) Ignore a footbridge over the Vendeix on the right, turn right towards Vendeix Haut and immediately cross another tributary via a footbridge. Further on, at a fork in the path, follow the path on the left which starts with steps. Climb until you reach the hamlet of Vendeix Haut. Continue straight ahead to reach the corresponding signpost.

(4) Temporarily leave the yellow markings to follow the path on the left that climbs to the top of Roche de Vendeix and back.

(4) Back at the Vendeix Haut marker, head towards Chamablanc. Cross a small bridge over a stream and you will come to a road. First turn right then left to continue on the path. You will come to a road; follow it to the left to reach the hamlet of Vendeix Bas.

(5) At the fountain-trough, leave the road and take a path on the right. At the T-junction with another path, find the Chamablanc signpost and follow it to the left towards Rocher de l'Aigle. You will soon reach the signpost of the same name at a fork in the road.

(6) Keep left towards La Platoune. Shortly before a house, walk a few metres along a concrete path, then take a path on the left before turning right a few metres further on. Continue climbing until you reach Rocher de l'Aigle, which offers a view of La Bourboule (only).

(7) Begin the descent straight ahead. At the fork shortly afterwards, keep right and ignore another trail marked with a red mountain bike sign on the right. The path turns right. About 150 m further on, at a fork, take the path on the left which starts with steps. Further down, you will come to a house and pass behind a water catchment. Then turn left to join a path. Follow it to the left, returning towards the house, then join the La Platoune signpost.

(8) Follow the small road to the left towards Les Plates. You will arrive at the hamlet of Le Pregnoux.

(9) At the crossroads, at the Les Plates signpost, continue left towards Quardoux. Pass the Fontaine de l'Âne fountain and continue along the path that extends the street. At a fork, keep left. At the top of the hill, turn right, then immediately left at the fork and then immediately right again.

(10) At the intersection of grassy paths, go down to the right. When you reach the Quardoux signpost, turn left towards Fenestre. As soon as you reach this hamlet, take the second street on the left, then turn left again at the next intersection, then take the first street on the right, at the cross, towards Parc. When you reach an intersection of streets in the village of La Bourboule, turn left onto Avenue d'Angleterre.

No signposts

(11) Leave the yellow markings for a short stroll through the village. Turn right onto Avenue d'Angleterre, go straight ahead and cross the bridge over the Dordogne.

(12) Pass in front of the church (worth a visit), join Boulevard Georges Clémenceau, cross it and follow it to the left. Pass in front of Maison Rozier, Brasserie Cyrano and Les Grands Therme on the left side of the boulevard. Then turn right onto Rue du Centre, towards the Choussy establishments, follow Rue Mabru to the left for a few metres, then turn left onto Passage Choussy (Mosaïque aux Poissons). You will arrive at Avenue Maréchal Foch, opposite the casino on the other side of the Dordogne. Cross the road and turn left, then take the first bridge over the Dordogne. Follow Quai Gambetta to the left, passing the confluence of the Vendeix and the Dordogne on the bridge decorated with beautiful mosaics.

(13) Turn right onto the street passing in front of the town hall (open to visitors, with a tourist office inside). Shortly afterwards, you will find the entrance to Parc Fenestre on your left. Enter and continue straight ahead along the path. Just after a white kiosk, the mini train station, turn right to find a staircase leading down to the footbridge over the Vendeix. Take it and then turn left to return to the car park (S/E).

Moderate difficulty, some steep climbs and descents. Standard hiking equipment required.

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here and more generally in the Puy-de-Dôme here

Photo album here

The Vendeix is a stream that rises in the west of the Sancy massif and flows into the Dordogne at La Bourboule. In the Vendeix valley are the localities of Vendeix-haut, Vendeix-Bas and Chamablanc. The most famous site in this valley is the Vendeix rock, which rises to an altitude of 1,166 metres. In the Middle Ages, this rock was overlooked by a fortified castle, which became famous for having been besieged in the 14th century. Details here

La Bourboule. The first traces ofthermal activity in La Bourboule date back to the 15th century: Jean Lacombe's rudimentary baths with wooden tubs are mentioned as early as 1463. The hamlet took the name 'La Borbola', which comes from the Celtic god Borvo. Interest in the future spa resort grew in 1604 with the discovery of a new hot spring. Treatises on the waters of La Bourboule were published in 1670 and then in 1734. These baths seem to have gained local renown: 'La Borbola' took the name 'Bains de Murat-Le-Quaire' in the 17th century. The urbanisation of the future spa resort began in the early 19th century, in 1875. The town stretches out on either side of its central axis: the Dordogne.

Some must-see sights:
Saint Joseph's Church, with its capitals and its Way of the Cross in enamelled lava.

The former tea room of the Rozier patisserie. Built in 1920 by Clermont-Ferrand architect Louis Jarrier. On the ground floor was a patisserie and tea room; upstairs was a dance hall with a bandstand, opening onto a loggia. A wide variety of materials. Art Deco-style façade. Listed as a historic monument since 2001, abandoned for a long period, now occupied by the Subirana cheese shop.

The Mosaïque aux Poissons (Fish Mosaic), Passage Choussy, created on the site of the former Rozier bakery, information panel on site.

Beautiful façade of the Le Cyrano brasserie

Les Grands Thermes. In 1875, the Compagnie des Eaux Minérales de La Bourboule undertook to build a thermal baths complex on the same scale as that of Mont-Dore. The project was entrusted to Agis Ledru, an architect from Clermont-Ferrand. It opened to the public in 1879. The materials used were tuff, known as La Bugette stone, trachyte and andesite. The building is topped by four small domes at the corners and a larger one above the north entrance.

The Casino Chardon. This majestic building is the result of several construction campaigns. The left wing (the oldest part) dates from 1892. Extension work began in 1928: symmetry was maintained, a balcony supported by columns was added along the entire length, and the elevations were decorated with gold-accented mosaics featuring floral motifs. The current slot machine room is the best-preserved original room, with stucco decorations, column capitals, pilasters and other features inspired by 17th-century motifs.

The Town Hall. This former casino at the thermal baths (1891), known as the Cariatides in reference to the Greek goddesses supporting the balcony and façade, houses the town hall, tourist office, post office and theatre. It is characterised by Italian-style towers and a two-tone tiled roof. Inside, the grand staircase, made of cast iron, rests on a complex set of trachyandesite pillars and basket-handle arches. The highly ornate pediments of the doors on the landing are surmounted by a set of door tops painted on canvas in 1893.

Fenestre Park. A pleasant walk along the banks of the Vendeix.

Subirana cheese dairy in La Bourboule.