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The Shepherds’ path
Description
A beautiful hike in the gorges of Courgoul (couze) via a pretty path that leads to an old bridge and then to Auzollette: fountain, carved stone cross, bread oven.... Courgoul is appreciated for its pailhats (terraced gardens).
Starting point - From the starting sign, take the path parallel to the road (view on the "Pailhats", terraces supported by dry stone walls), cross the bridge and go up to the right. 100m further on, turn right onto a wide, steep path. At the top of the hill, ignore the left path, continue opposite and go down opposite until you reach a retrograde path located at mid-slope.
1 - Take it to the left and go up in steep bends to reach the plateau where the path continues between the meadows up to a T-junction.
2 - Turn left and continue for about 500 m (point of view on the Cézallier, the Sancy massif, the Puys chain, the Courgoul gorges, the Brionnet chapel). Ignore the left path, keep going straight down. At the next crossing, continue opposite until the intersection at the entrance to the village of Auzolette.
3 - Cross Auzolette by the main street (cross, bread oven). At the end of the hamlet, turn left and 100 m further on, turn left again. Then go down by a winding path (view of the peak and the chapel of Brionnet), leave a track on the right, continue straight down to reach the Couze valley and, taking on the left, reach the starting point.
Technical Information
Altimetric profile
Starting point
Additional information
Tips
- View of the "Pailhats" (terraces supported by low dry-stone walls).
- View of the Cézallier, the Sancy massif, the Chaîne des Puys, the Courgoul gorges and the Brionnet peak and chapel.
- Small heritage features: cross and bread oven.
Updated by
Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme - 03/06/2026
www.puydedome-tourisme.com/
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Environments
In the country
Forest location
Presence of livestock and guard dogs
Distinctions
Listed PDIPR
Open period
From 01/01 to 31/12 daily.
Subject to favorable weather.
Location complements
From Champeix, take the D28. Turn right at Saint-Floret, then right at Saurier. Take the D26 to Courgoul. Park at the village entrance, near the start sign.
Contact
Phone : 04 73 89 15 90
Email : tourisme@capissoire.fr
Website : http://www.issoire-tourisme.com
Reception complements
For your own safety, always take a bottle of water, a hat, warm clothing and footwear suitable for walking.
Depending on weather conditions, certain itineraries are not recommended in bad weather (fog) or are not practicable, or even forbidden, during the winter season.
Some sites are fragile, so stay on the marked trails. Avoid picking wild flowers and disturbing wildlife. Pick up your garbage.
Animals are not allowed on some routes.
Guidebook with maps/step-by-step
1/ From the start sign, take the path parallel to the road (view of the "Pailhats", terraces supported by low dry-stone walls), cross the bridge and climb to the right. After 100 m, turn right onto a wide, steep track. At the top of the slope, ignore the left-hand path, continue straight ahead and head downhill until you reach a retrograde path halfway down the slope.
2/ Turn left and climb steeply to reach the plateau, where the track continues through meadows to a T-junction.
3/ Turn left and continue for approx. 500 m (views of the Cézallier, Sancy massif, Chaîne des Puys, Courgoul gorges, Brionnet chapel). Ignore the left-hand path and continue straight downhill. At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead until you reach the intersection at the entrance to the village of Auzolette.
4/ Drive through Auzolette on the main street (cross, bread oven). At the end of the hamlet, turn left and 100 m further on, left again. Go downhill on a winding track (view of the peak and Brionnet chapel), leaving a track on the right, continue straight downhill to reach the Couze valley and, turning left, return to the starting point.
Proposed and managed by the Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme - PDIPR.
Animals
Yes. Dogs must be kept on a leash due to the presence of herds.
Data author
