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The Valley of Civadoux
Description
We discover the remains of a great clunisian priory where four popes stayed. The walk continues in the narrow gorges of the Chaméane valley with views of the puys mountain range, Sancy, Cézallier, Allier valley and Forez.
Starting point - From the starting sign at the bottom of the car park, go down the main street. Turn left, cross the Place de l'Ancienne Poste, follow the rue des Coufferts. Cross the bridge (bief or "béal"), take opposite the Petite rue des Coufferts then turn left on the D214 for 200 m and then left again on the D144, go up the road on the left (view on Sauxillanges, Val d'Allier, puy de Dôme, massif du Sancy) and continue until the D144.
1 - Take the D144 to the right. After the transformer, turn left on a steep slope through the woods. At the T-junction, turn left. At the crossroads, turn right towards Ventre. Enter the hamlet from the left. Go down the first path on the left until you reach the fork of the pond.
2 - Turn to the right and then immediately to the left. At the bottom of the valley, cross the stream wading. Go up to the right in the woods. After the clearing, walk along a softwood forest. At the road, turn left towards Chabreyras (view of the Puys chain). Cross the hamlet while staying to the left, then turn left into a wide dirt road. Ignore the side roads up to the D144.
3 - Turn left for 200 m. Turn right into a forest road. At the fork, go left. Follow the path on a steep slope towards the Chaméane river. Cross the wooden bridge and the D49 at Civadoux. Walk between the hostel buildings (old oat mill) and up into the woods. At the intersection, turn right. Go along pastures (view of the Dômes mountains and the Sancy massif). At the exit of the hamlet of Bonnefont, go down the road on the left until you reach the D706.
4 - Go to the right and at the hairpin bend take the road on the left that leads to Saint-Quentin-sur-Sauxillanges. Cross the road and then the square, pass the church (Romanesque church with bell tower) and go straight ahead in the path below which runs along a surrounding wall, ignore the adjacent paths. At La Coierie, turn right on the D49 for 20 m, turn left, cross the footbridge over the Chaméane stream and follow the path on the right. Go down the wooden staircase on the right, cross the bridge downstream of the confluence of the streams of Astrou and Chaméane, continue following the Eau-Mère. In Sauxillanges continue straight on the same road and at the end of the dead end go to the right rue des Tanneries, find rue des Coufferts on the right and get back to the starting point.
Technical Information
Altimetric profile
Starting point
Steps
Additional information
Tips
- The medieval village of Sauxillanges.
- View of Sauxillanges, the Val d'Allier, the Chaîne des Puys, the Sancy massif, the Cézallier and the Forez mountains.
- An old oat mill.
- Saint-Quentin-sur-Sauxillanges: Romanesque church with campanile.
Updated by
Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme - 02/06/2026
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
At Issoire, take exit 13 off the A75. Take the D996 to Sauxillanges. Parking place du 8 Mai.
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 at the bottom of the parking lot, walk down the main street. Turn left, cross Place de l'Ancienne Poste and follow Rue des Coufferts. Cross the bridge (bief or "béal"), go straight ahead on Petite rue des Coufferts, then left on the D214 for 200 m and left again on the D144. Climb the track on the left (view of Sauxillanges, the Val d'Allier, the Puy de Dôme, the Sancy massif) and continue to the D144.
2/ Turn right onto the D144. After the transformer, climb steeply left through the woods. At the T-junction, turn left. At the crossroads, turn right towards Ventre. Enter the hamlet on the left. Take the first left down to the fork of the pond.
3/ Turn right, then immediately left. At the bottom of the valley, ford the stream. Go right up into the woods. After the clearing, walk along a coniferous wood. At the road, turn left towards Chabreyras (view of the Chaîne des Puys). Keep left through the hamlet, then left onto a wide dirt track. Ignore the side paths until you reach the D144.
4/ Turn left for 200 m. Bend right onto a forest track. Turn left at the fork. Follow the steeply sloping path to the Chaméane river. Cross the wooden bridge and the D49 to Civadoux. Pass between the inn buildings (former oat mill) and go up into the woods. At the intersection, turn right. Drive past pastures (view of the Monts Dômes and the Sancy massif). At the end of the Bonnefont hamlet, take the left-hand path down to the D706.
5/ Turn right and, at the hairpin bend, take the left-hand path to Saint-Quentin-sur-Sauxillanges. Cross the road, then the square, pass the church (Romanesque church with bell tower) and go straight ahead on the track below, which runs alongside a wall, ignoring the adjacent tracks. At La Coierie, turn right onto the D49 for 20 m, turn left, cross the footbridge over the Chaméane stream and follow the footpath to the right. Turn right down the wooden staircase, cross the bridge below the confluence of the Astrou and Chaméane streams, and continue along the Eau-Mère. At Sauxillanges, go straight on along the same road and at the end of the cul-de-sac turn right into rue des Tanneries, then right again into rue des Coufferts and back 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
