A/R Col de Redondet - Puy Chavaroche - 3,8 kms

Le Falgoux is a forested commune (800 ha of beech-fir forest) covering 31km², nestled under the Puy Mary (1787m) and surrounded by three passes: The Pas de Peyrol, the Col de Néronne and the Col d'Aulac.Le Falgoux is a forested commune (800 ha of beech-fir forest) covering 31km², nestled under the Puy Mary (1787m) and surrounded by three passes: The Pas de Peyrol, the Col de Néronne and the Col d'Aulac. It is the highest and greenest commune in the glacial valley of the Mars, which is a small torrential river, a paradise for brown trout and canyoning activities.... There are many starting points for hiking trails, including a section of the GR400.... A pretty little mountain village at an altitude of 920m, Le Falgoux (oc lo Fogor, pronounced lou Fougou) is home to 128 ‘fougouniers’. You will love the rustic charm of its Auvergne architecture, with its typical houses with thick walls and slate roofs, sometimes grouped together in "barriades". The municipality also has a Puy Mary site centre, and is a member of the Puy Mary mixed syndicate, which was recently awarded the "Grand Site de France" label. It also has 3 retail businesses (1 bar-restaurant, 1 hotel-restaurant, 1 grocery shop with a bread deliveries and cigarettes), as well as a number of furnished tourist accommodation units. Le Falgoux has a thousand surprises and a thousand pleasures in store for those who want to explore it, from the buron du Luchard to the solitude of the plateau, from the majestic panorama of Puy Mary and the other peaks to the gentle beauty of the Biaguin waterfalls and strolls along the terraces. In winter, there is cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

The Pas de Peyrol, at an altitude of 1588 metres, is the highest crossroads in Cantal. Since its opening in the 1930’s, it is still the “mirador” of the Cantal volcanoes. It serves numerous narrow roads and passes and it is the custodian of several valleys. You will appreciate a monumental white rock, 1614 metres at its highest point contrasting strongly with the landscape: this is the Roc d’Hozières.

Designated a ‘Grand Site de France’, the majestic pyramid-shaped silhouette of Puy Mary (1787 m) offers an exceptional panoramic view even including the distant Mont Blanc. Easy to get to by road, climb the face of the remnants of Europe's largest volcano!A volcano located in the heart of the Monts du Cantal and the Auvergne Volcanic Region Natural Park, the Cantal Massif is the oldest of the Auvergne giants. Unlike the Chaîne des Puys (a chain of 80 small volcanoes) in the neighbouring department of Puy de Dôme, the Cantal Massif is made up of a single volcano, Europe's largest stratovolcano, covering an area of 2,700 km²... Puy Mary is one of the peaks of the Monts du Cantal, the result of the erosion of the stratovolcano and the intersection of several glacial cirques. Although it is not the highest peak in the range, the pyramid-shaped silhouette of Puy Mary (1787 m) is instantly recognisable. This emblematic summit has been developed sustainably, reconciling the preservation of the landscape, the "spirit of the site", the quality of public reception and the participation of local residents and partners in the site’s existence. These years of commitment to the landscape have earned Puy Mary a place among the twenty or so sites of the prestigious ‘Grands Sites de France’ network, the label was first awarded in 2012 and then renewed in 2019. Did you know? The name Puy Mary is said to come from Marius, a disciple of Saint Austremoine, the Auvergne’s first evangelist. From the Pas de Peyrol pass, it's a thirty-minute walk (195m ascent)* to the orientation table at the summit of Puy Mary. A path with steps and risers provides access to an extraordinary panoramic view of the stratovolcano: its radiating glacial valleys, roughly triangular-shaped summer pasture plateaux and rocky puys... On the way back down to the pass, a video at the Maison de site explains the landscape and a range of summer events help you appreciate the site’s riches. *You're on a mountain site, beware! the weather can change drastically in very little time. Make sure you are both well-equipped and well-informed about the weather.

The Puy Chavaroche, nicknamed the « stone man » is 1592 metres high. You can reach it by the Col de Legal (5h round trip) or by the Col du Redondet (1h30 round trip) following the watershed to the summit (difficult access).