Haute-Loire walks

The first part of the route follows an old railway line that has been converted into a very wide carriageway. It continues with a tour of the small heritage sites (old bread oven and wash house) in the hamlet of Chastel. Finally, at the end of the route, when the trees open up, there is a view over the unusual Corbœuf ravine.

Climb Mont Mézenc from the Croix de Peccata - car park.

Discover Mont Mézenc and its two peaks and take a detour to admire the Cirque des Boutières.

This hike, in the heart of the Meygal forest, is ideal in the heat of summer. It offers beautiful views, especially from the summit of Testavoyre, where you can look out over the Meygal mountains.

This excursion takes you from Arlempdes, listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France since 1999, to Saint-Arcons-de-Barges... for a particularly pleasant stroll.

Short circuit to visit the Beaume waterfall. Wear good shoes for the descent to the waterfall. Avoid pushchairs. In summer, you can swim.

As you follow this route, discover Le Puy-en-Velay (the starting point of the Way of St James) and its monuments: the cathedral, Rocher Corneille and the Statue of Notre-Dame de France, the Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe Chapel, the cloister, the town hall, the theatre, the Crozatier Museum and the Henri-Vinay Garden.

A Cluniac site thanks to its priory and church, Grazac has been famous for some time as one of the two access points to the largest Himalayan footbridge in France. This route will take you there via a short walk through this wooded valley.

Discover the Chibottes Valley, a site classified as a landscape of outstanding beauty since 8 March 2016. These small dry stone huts, built from stones cleared from the plots of land, were used as shelters by shepherds and farmers who cultivated orchards and terraced vineyards (known as "chambées"). This trail forms a loop, partly following the Way of St James on the way back.

This tour of part of the Chaspinhac plateau offers numerous views of the Puy en Velay basin, Mont Bar and the Loire Gorges. It is an opportunity to discover Saint Quentin, a hamlet abandoned for more than fifty years that enthusiasts have restored and brought back to life in the summer months with exhibitions, shows or simply by sharing a drink.

This circuit takes you to the summit of the Grand Testavoyre (pronounced testa-wouaire), the highest point of the Meygal. From up there, you can see the entire massif, dotted with numerous conical peaks. Another highlight of this hike is discovering the rural heritage, in particular the typical houses of the hamlet of Villaret and the false church of Monedeyres.

This circuit allows you to discover the feudal castle of Chalencon (Baronnie des Chalencon), perched on a promontory, nestled in the Ance valley, in the heart of a 25-hectare protected site At its feet lies the feudal village, and spanning the Ance are two bridges: the Pont du Diable with its two arches, one of which is 15 metres high and certainly dates from the 12th century, and the 15th-century Bounery bridge.

This hike starts in Coubon, a village that marks the southern boundary of the Puy-en-Velay basin and opens onto the Loire Gorges.The route makes a wide loop around the Serre de la Fare, a site that was the subject of fierce debate between environmentalists and developers over a dam project that was abandoned in 1991.The hike takes place in wild surroundings with remarkable views of the Loire and the Devès plateau.

A short hike, accessible to children in all seasons, to discover a 360° panorama from the summit of Pic du Lizieux (1388m): the Lignon valley to the north, the Monts du Vivarais to the east, Mont Mezenc to the south, Meygal to the west and, beyond, the Pilat Massif, Mont Blanc, etc. .

This route runs beneath the watchful eye of the Château d'Artias, perched on its rocky spur. From its ruins, you will discover a unique view of the loops of the Loire as it flows through the dome-shaped hills typical of the region, known as knolls.

This tour of Mont Mézenc allows you to admire the landscape stretching far in all directions: the Massif Central, the Ardèche, the Alps, the Pilat Massif... It is possible to climb Mont Mézenc during the circuit. The hike offers the best possible view of the beautiful Boutières cirque. The circuit also includes a return trip through the village of Chaudeyrolles and a tour of Mont Signon.

Twenty to thirty thousand walkers set out from Puy-en-Velay every year to do the pilgrimage along the Way of St. James. Discover the Way of St. James by doing the first stage by foot. You can return to Puy-en-Velay in the evening in a special coach.

A variation on the climb up Lizieux that takes you to Mounier, a little-known peak overlooking Freycenet and the menhir above Monbuzat-La Chieze.

This walk offers a beautiful view of the hilltop village of Arlempdes (pronounced "Arlende"). Listed as one of "The Most Beautiful Villages in France", it occupies a stunning site on a rocky spur overlooking the wild gorges of the Loire.

Rochebaron Castle is the emblematic site in the Bas-en-Basset and Monistrol-sur-Loire area. Beautiful views, first over the Loire and, on the return journey, over the Meygal massif.

This route takes you on a discovery of the villages of Riou, with its wash house, and La Blache, with its bread oven. It also offers beautiful views of the Emblavez plain and the rounded or slightly pointed hills known locally as "les knolls".

This is an easy hike that offers beautiful views of the Saint-Julien basin and a visit to the ruins of the Château du Seigneur de Chapteuil. There are very few sections on small roads. This is a great hike if you have friends who are not used to hiking; they will come back delighted!

Lavaudieu is one of the most beautiful villages in France. This walk invites you to leave the village and stroll through the surrounding hills, passing through villages such as Buze, whose houses are built of red arkose.

This short route takes you to Mont Recours in the commune of Beaulieu, north of Le Puy-en-Velay. From the summit of this ancient volcanic vent, you can enjoy beautiful panoramic views of the Emblavez hills.

This is a gentle hike that leads to the summit of Rocher Tourte before circling around it. The summit, which is easy to climb and offers a beautiful panorama, is nevertheless very quiet with a wild moorland atmosphere; it is also a biological reserve. Throughout the circuit, except for the sections in the forest, the view is splendid.

The Bourianne lava flow is the result of an interesting geological phenomenon. Halfway through this hike, walkers will discover an imposing scree slope of basalt columns at their feet and, in the distance, the Forez Massif.

This short hike offers many views: Mont Mézenc, Monts du Pilat, and even Mont Blanc when the weather is clear. An orientation table at the highest point allows you to identify the many mountains around you. The circuit is largely open, with passages on dry hillsides. Particularly pleasant in spring and autumn, it is therefore best avoided in hot weather.

Starting from Saint-Privat-d'Allier, a large mountain village at an altitude of 870 metres, follow this route to discover the imposing Treuil cave, with the added bonus of beautiful views of the Allier Gorges.

Starting from the charming village of Les Estables, this hike takes you on a tour and ascent of Mont d'Alambre (a ski resort in winter), with a 360° view of the surrounding peaks and a magnificent view of Mont Mézenc, the highest point in the region.

This short hike takes you through a cave to reach the Madeleine volcanic plateau, which offers a 360° view. Views of the Loire Valley, the Mezenc, Meygal, Pilat and Forez massifs with three orientation tables.

This easy hike takes you along theGR® 65 (the famous Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle trail) to discover the chapel and keep of Rochegude, which dominate the Allier valley. Then a beautiful descent through a forest will take you to Pratclaux for a return to the village of Saint-Privat.

This loop between Aiguilhe and the village of Polignac, classified as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France", combines sustained climbs, flat sections and fast descents. As you climb, it offers beautiful views of the town of Le Puy-en-Velay and the Polignac Fortress perched on its volcanic hill. Return via the path along the Borne.

Starting from Le Vernet, this walk offers beautiful panoramic views of the Devès at the summit of La Durande.

Second stage of a complete journey along the Chemin de Stevenson between Le-Puy-en-Velay and Alès. It's at Monastier-sur-Gazeille, and thus with this second stage, that Stevenson's real route begins. From this point on, the route follows the GR®70 (Red and White markings). Please note: the markings have been slightly modified from those shown in violet on the IGN map (in particular to avoid a few short stretches of road).

This route is the third stage of a complete journey on the Chemin de Stevenson between Le Puy-en-Velay and Alès. This is undoubtedly the easiest stage of the tour. The route follows the GR®70 (follow the well-known GR® markings). Please note the route may have been slightly modified from what is shown on the map, in particular to avoid a few short stretches of busy road.

This is the 4th stage of a complete journey on the Chemin de Stevenson between Le Puy-en-Velay and Alès. This stage marks the transition from the Pays des Puys du Velay, with its open, hilly landscapes, to the Gévaudan, with its more enclosed landscapes and deep woodlands. The route follows the GR®70 (Red and White waymarkers).

This route is the first stage of a complete journey along the Chemin de Stevenson between Le-Puy-en-Velay and Alès. Please note that the signposting to follow the Chemin de Stevenson has been modified since 2016. On this first stage, following road repairs on the Le Puy bypass, this description follows this modified itinerary.

A short circular walk from La Séauve-sur-Semène, following the Semène river, with a return journey partly through the countryside and partly through ancient forest.

A 13-stage journey along the famous route described by Robert Louis Stevenson in his 1878 travel notes. This tour follows the complete route from le Puy-en-Velay to Alès.

A walk to discover the village of Saint-Didier-d'Allier from above. A beautiful descent from Chier to Saint-Didier overlooking the Allier valley, the Rouchoux Gorges and the castle of Saint-Didier.The return to Saint-Privat d'Allier is partly along the road, but it is narrow and very beautiful.

This geological trail allows you to discover an ancient small volcano, Mont Signon, which became a peat bog, then an ancient maar, or marshy crater, home to several peatlands. Numerous information panels from the Geopark help you understand these different volcanic formations.

A beautiful long loop, rich in scenery and built heritage, on the heights of the Allier.

Short loop starting from the Meygal Forest. After crossing the forest, a balcony path with beautiful views of the surrounding knolls leads you to the village of Queyrières, which is topped by a remarkable basalt dyke. After crossing the village of Monedeyres, you climb back up through pleasant undergrowth.

A very beautiful walk, with views in all directions over the peaks of the Haute-Loire. An easy hike, although there is a slightly uneven descent at the end of the route, requiring good footwear.

A lovely hike with little elevation gain. In the distance, the peaks of Mézenc. Alternating meadows, pretty hamlets and forests. Château de Vachères at the start.

A short, easy walk. Beautiful scenery throughout, and two pretty villages (Le Betz and Auteyrac) with beautifully restored houses. Also worth seeing is the Betz Observatory.