The Huit Croix (eight crosses)

A hike between rivers and woodland hills, in the Combrailles region.

Technical sheet

36877
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.77 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 259 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 261 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 681 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 545 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S)Set out from the church. After visiting the church and the fountain, take the road to Vergheas-le-Vieux, 100m to your left. Leave the road to go and see the fountain and the cross, then come back to the road again, and at the bend 200m further on the left, there is another cross to mark your way.

(1)Go through the village of Vergheas-le-Vieux, and after la "pêcherie" (fishery), take the path on your right, then the one on the left until you reach the road.

(2)Turn left down the road, then follow it to the right and then left, and carry on to the first village. Ignore the first turning and take the second, on the right. A cross marks the junction.

(3)Go up this dirt track, turn left and continue to the village of Montaudot. There turn left and continue along a small road until you reach the junction. Turn left and carry on towards Vergheas.

(4)On a downhill bend, at a beech grove, you can visit the chapel. After visiting the chapel, turn right, then left following the track until it meets the road.

(5)On the road turn left, then right to go through the village of La Viergne. Take the time to admire the cross and the bridge, and the old mill converted into a home. After the bridge, turn left, follow the path, right, then left and left again, taking you past the only house in the village of Bois.

(6)On the slope, turn along the small path through the woods, until you reach the road, which you cross to go to Chez Paute. From here, take the road to the left, and continue straight on along the track to reach the village of Romagoux. Take the road left through the village (you will see another cross), then cross over the road and take the small path to follow the streams.

(7)On the small road, take a left to go to Bichon mill. After going around the mill, take the third track on your right to go up the hill on the sunken path. At the top, turn left, to reach the village of Puy Gauthier.
There you will find a cross and some hollow, century-old lime trees.

(8)Take the road to the left, being careful of traffic, as far as the next intersection, then take a small road towards the Mills (les Moulins) and then a path on the right towards Vergheas. On the slope, a final cross marks the way at the top of the hill before you reach the village.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 590 m
  2. 1 : km 0.77 - alt. 598 m
  3. 2 : km 1.89 - alt. 622 m
  4. 3 : km 3.1 - alt. 650 m
  5. 4 : km 4.99 - alt. 632 m
  6. 5 : km 5.74 - alt. 587 m
  7. 6 : km 6.65 - alt. 622 m
  8. 7 : km 9.41 - alt. 553 m
  9. 8 : km 10.19 - alt. 597 m
  10. S/E : km 11.77 - alt. 591 m

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Clarity of route map
4 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Bernic19
Bernic19

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

The description lacks references to crossing points, which makes it difficult to follow the description as the walk progresses.
In the end, I left out the description and relied solely on the trace on the map (IGN), and there, no problem...

Automatically translated

dambich
dambich

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 10, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

You absolutely have to follow the tracks to the letter if you don't want to end up in the middle of nowhere. Some of the paths are just about passable, but with good trousers and shoes, there's no need to worry.
Lovely walk, beautiful changes in altitude and superb scenery.

Automatically translated

tafonatu
tafonatu

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

There were several sections where the explanations were not precise enough and the map was not helpful.

Interesting route with beautiful scenery though. Deserves to be better known (and therefore signposted).

Automatically translated

cassier antoine
cassier antoine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

In the absence of any signposting, the step-by-step instructions are excellent, as we had no hesitation in completing the route. Very good work by the author.

Automatically translated

randemp
randemp

I have not done this walk
Friendly
Randemp

Automatically translated

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of the author. Do not copy them without permission.