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From Hell to Spinning Wheels
Description
An emblematic route of the Livradois-Forez region, it traverses landscapes of valleys and volcanic peaks, but also traces the history of the town's cutlery industry. Physical effort is quickly rewarded by exceptional views.
Technical Information
Altimetric profile
Starting point
Additional information
Distinctions
Listed PDIPR
Tips
- The town of Thiers: the "valley of factories", the Creux de l'Enfer contemporary art center, the Saint-Roch chapel, the cutlery museum, the medieval old town, Saint-Genès church, Saint-Jean church and cemetery.
- View of Thiers, the Chaîne des Puys and the Sancy massif.
- The Rouets valley.
- Nearby: the Durolle valley, where the Durolle river rises not far from Noirétable. The river flows for 24 km. This little river used to turn wheat mills, power sawmills
sawmills and, above all, spinning wheels, the mills used to sharpen the blades of knives made in Thiers, the stopover town for this river that winds its way through the industrial city and has led to the development of the cutlery and paper industries.
Updated by
Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme - 02/06/2026
www.puydedome-tourisme.com/
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Environments
Forest location
Mountain location
Presence of livestock and guard dogs
Open period
From 01/01 to 31/12 daily.
Subject to favorable weather.
Contact
Phone : 04 73 80 65 65
Email : office.tourisme.thiers@wanadoo.fr
Website : http://www.thiers-tourisme.fr
Location complements
From the large Chambon roundabout (whether you're coming from the D906 or the D89), take Avenue du Général De Gaulle, which later becomes Avenue Léo LAGRANGE. Continue to the 3rd roundabout and take the "center ville" direction via the Vallée des usines (Escoutoux).
Topo guides and map references
Topo guides references :
2015 - Randos au fil de l'eau - Discovering the Puy-de-Dôme - Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme.
2019 - Volcano hikes - Discovering the Puy-de-Dôme - Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme.
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/ Cross the road, take rue des usines. Cross the bridge and turn right up the street. At the top of the stairs, turn right. Follow the path and cross the bridge. Turn left onto the road. At the Centre d'Art Contemporain, take the footbridge and climb the stairs to the right of the building. At the top, turn right, leaving a footbridge on your right, enter the gardens via the chicane. Exit the gardens via another chicane. At the top, turn right.
2/ Cross the bridge and cross the road. Go straight up Rue des Papeteries and continue along Rue Saint-Roch. Cross this street to reach the Saint-Roch chapel. Climb up alongside the houses, take the stairs and reach Dégoulat (view of Thiers, the Chaîne des Puys and the Sancy massif).
3/ In the hamlet, turn left and follow the path along the mountainside. 250 m after the penstock, turn left down the path. Continue straight down to the stone bridge. Cross the bridge and continue straight ahead. At the next crossroads, go back down into the valley and continue straight on to the first spinning wheel in the Vallée des Rouets. Continue straight ahead. Cross the bridge over the Durolle river and climb uphill. Keep to this path until you reach the reception building.
4/ At the promontory, go right then left. Cross the footbridge, pass behind the spinning wheel and follow the path to the left. Pass under the viaduct; at the crow's feet, turn right. Cross the railroad line and take the path opposite to Membrun. Go through the hamlet. At the crossroads, turn right onto the D102, then immediately right onto the road to Pigerolles. 300 m before the hamlet, take the track on the left. At the crossroads, turn left, staying on the main track. Take the road on the left (view of the Chaîne des Puys and the Sancy massif). At the crossroads, go straight ahead on the footpath.
5/ Follow the road to the right as far as Pont-Bas. At the crossroads, follow the road towards Dégoulat (point 2). Turn left down the stairs to the chapel. Turn left again, cross the road and go down Rue Saint-Roch. Take the bridge and walk up rue Durolle. At Place du Corps-de-Garde, turn left into Rue des Murailles. At the Porte de Saint-Jean, turn right along the cemetery into Rue Anna-Chabrol (with views of the factories, the Chaîne des Puys, the Sancy massif and part of the Cantal). At the end of the street, turn left down rue des Rochers, then right at the crow's-foot. Take the first bridge on the left 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
