Discover Condat, Cantal, Auvergne: hidden gems

Guided by the Bonjon stream, you'll enjoy a breathtaking view of the Massif du Sancy, Mont Chamaroux and a lovely view of Marcenat, where you can see the dome of the Orthodox monastery.

This hike takes you deep into the forests of the Artense to experience the wild, primitive aspect that once characterized them. As you turn the corner of a beech or spruce tree over a hundred years old, you may be lucky enough to spot wild boar, roe deer and other large animals. In and around the forest, discretion is a must! The trail also offers lovely panoramic views of the Cantal mountains and the Sancy massif (at La Vidal, Champredonde and Coudert). Departure point: Hameau de La Vidal. Follow the road towards Coudert for 200 m to reach the starting point. At the fork in the road, turn left and follow the track upwards.

This easy hiking trail takes you around the Crégut natural lake to discover the unique landscapes of the Artense region, with its forests, meadows and panoramic views of the Cantal and Sancy mountains. The Lac de la Crégut is the largest natural lake of glacial origin in the Massif Central, covering almost 37 hectares. Its depth (two pools of 16 m and 26 m) and the fact that its natural water supply is low in nutrients have prevented it from becoming a peat bog. Departure point: Lac de la Crégut parking lot. Take the road towards the hamlet of Crégut and follow the blue markings. Two variations are possible. Variant n°1: A 2.8 km path (signposted from the Lac de la Crégut parking lot) leads to the beach of Lac de Lastioulles (Pavillon Bleu) and its nautical base. Variant n°2: The Lac du Tact trail (3.3 km) extends the hike with an itinerary designed for birdwatching and awareness-raising.

A hike from the Rhue valley to the Artense plateau, via Lac de Laroche and ancient "charreires" lined with dry-stone walls typical of the region. The Artense granite plateau was shaped during the last ice age. Ice from neighboring volcanic massifs converged on the plateau to form a vast piedmont glacier. This glacier carved out depressions, deposited moraines and carried blocks of gneiss, granite and basalt. From the plateau, you can see all the surrounding area, as far as the Sancy massif. Departure point: Hameau d'Embort, route des Hurquets. The parking lot at the starting point is on the climb out of the hamlet. The circuit starts on the track opposite the small parking lot.

A very easy hike, between forest and meadow, around the Lac du Tact, ideal for birdwatching. A 23-hectare artificial lake, Lac du Tact is the result of the impoundment of a former peat bog, which explains its shallow depth (around 2 meters). Numerous animal species can be observed here, including birds (lapwing, red-winged warbler, green-winged teal, etc.), dragonflies, amphibians, crickets and European otters. A thematic trail has been laid out along the way, for birdwatching and awareness-raising. The trail features interpretation panels and an observatory for a reasoned approach to the species. Departure point: Lac du Tact parking lot. From the parking lot, walk along the road to the right towards the Tact dike. Variant : The Lac de la Crégut trail (5 km) extends the hike around the largest glacial lake in the Massif Central.

Marvel at the Orthodox monastery, cool off next to the Saillant waterfall and enjoy the peace and quiet of the great outdoors.

Return trip to Chaos de Landeyrat, Espace Naturel Sensible du Cantal, from La Roussille parking lot, beside the D679 road (Allanche exit on the right, towards Marcenat).

At Landeyrat, we take the opportunity to ride the vélorail, then wander through the estives and around the peat bogs, passing through the basaltic chaos, not forgetting the Roche d'Apcher - a great program!

A wonderful way to discover the Artense, a land of stone and water. A must-see is the peat bog of the same name at La Pignole. Start at Place de l'Eglise in Marchal, take the D622 towards La Crégut for 100 m, then fork right onto a path lined with low walls that joins the D422. 1. At a ruin, follow the low-walled path into a meadow, and climb up the meadow on the left to the road. 2. Junction with PR 1. Climb left to Coustal. Off the circuit, continue straight ahead to reach the Pignole peat bog (400 m). 3. At the entrance to Lavergne, level with the first houses, leave the road and turn left onto a grassy path lined with spruce trees.

Departing from Champs-sur-Tarentaine-Marchal and covering a distance of 44km, the route takes you to La Tour d'Auvergne and the "Dôme-Sancy" itinerary, which lasts from 2 to 7 days.

Luxury gîte for 8 to 10 people. All comforts on 1 hectare of land surrounded by forests and set in the owner's Auvergne farmhouse. This tastefully renovated gîte is located in the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne, with a magical panoramic view of the Sancy massif and close to Lac de Lastioulles, which has been awarded the "Pavillon bleu" label (equipped beach, supervised swimming in July and August). Living room with fully-equipped kitchen, dining room, sitting area with TV, WIFI, library, board games. -2 bedrooms, each with 2 boxspring beds, shower and washbasin. -2 bedrooms with 2 boxspring beds each, using the large bathroom with oval bathtub, shower and two washbasins. This room has 4 additional beds and a cot. -Washrooms and two toilets. -3 terraces equipped with outdoor furniture. -Heated swimming pool surrounded by a deck and adapted furniture as well as changing room, heated shower, washbasin, WC and heated outdoor shower. -Washing machine, dryer and barbecue on request. -private parking Minimum stay 7 days from Saturday to Saturday (less than 7 days on request).

House in the woods, in the heart of the lakes, between Puy de Sancy and Puy Mary. Relaxation guaranteed. Lovers of nature, hiking, fishing, skiing, Auvergne gastronomy... It's the ideal place. Wake up in the company of deer, martens and squirrels, with only the sound of birdsong or the distant bells of Salers cows. The property is located on the edge of a forest, 15 minutes from all amenities. The exterior is very peaceful, with a dining and relaxation area, a brazier, board games and outdoor games. 3 bedrooms (1 with en-suite shower room), fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, 2-settee living room with 180° view of the forest, 1 veranda with dining table, the feeling of being outside, even in winter, but warm! 2 terraces, private parking. Not overlooked. Wood (stove) + electric heating.

Classified 2*, this old house is located in the heart of the forest where you will appreciate its location, calm and comfort. Close to Lake Lastioulles. Enjoy the pleasures of the water (beach, pedal boats, swimming), fishing, hiking and mountain biking trails. 16 km from Bort-les-Orgues, 30 km from Super-Besse. Perfect for couples, families, groups and a dog. The house is large, with a ground-floor bedroom with shower room, WC, living room with inglenook fireplace (wood provided) and kitchen. Other bedrooms upstairs. Beware, 1 km of stony road to get there. Land not enclosed.

In the heart of the "Dailles" region, 5 km from the village, 2 guest rooms at Le Sellier are the perfect place to recharge your batteries, a stopover at the end of the world, on the edge of nature and surrounded by animals. A kitchenette is available for meals. Breakfast and catered meals available by reservation only. Shared bathroom and WC for both rooms. We welcome riders, hikers and mountain bikers.

Come and relax at La Tanière, and enjoy one of our rooms and moments of conviviality. Located in the authentic village of Champs-sur-Tarentaine-Marchal, our rooms are open all year round, offering a wide range of activities. In winter, the ski resorts are just an hour's drive away; in autumn, you can enjoy the fire-colored mushrooms; in summer and spring, you can swim in the lakes or stroll along the footpaths. And if you feel like taking a stroll, the garden and living room welcome you for outdoor games, board games or simply reading.

House located in a quiet hamlet 1 km from the village where you'll find a bakery, grocery stores... 4 bedrooms (3 beds 140 + 1 double bed 90 + 1 single bed + 1 child's bed), living room, dining room, 2 bathrooms. Other shops are between 8 and 12 km away (Ydes, Bort-les-Orgues, Riom-ès-Montagnes and Champs-sur-Tarentaine). We're equidistant from the Cantal and Sancy mountains to discover the Auvergne volcanoes. Several hiking trails close to the gîte. Water sports and swimming (pool, beaches) nearby.

Between the Monts du Cantal and the Massif du Sancy, at the gateway to the Cézallier, Patrice welcomes you to his 4 spacious guest rooms. The rooms are located in the house adjoining his home in a small hamlet. You'll benefit from a large plot with landscaped parking and a living room with wood-burning stove, pool table, flat-screen TV, microwave, fridge, hi-fi system and wifi internet access. On the second floor, you'll find three spacious, air-conditioned bedrooms in the attic: 160x200 or 2 90x200 beds, bathroom or shower room, private WC.

Detached house in small village 9km from Lac de Lastioulles and Bort-les-Orgues dam. Communal dining room with fully-equipped kitchenette, 4 bedrooms available, no table d'hôtes. Wifi on request.

Photographs, objects and documents, texts and audiovisual testimonials illustrating the affection Georges Pompidou, Prime Minister, Deputy, and President of the Republic maintained for his birth place.

Gothic-style church. Year of construction: 14th century. Listed as a historical monument in 1980. The building, constructed by monks from La Chaise-Dieu, is nestled within the village of Trémouille, a commune situated in the unspoiled natural setting of the Artense region, between rivers, lakes, and hills sculpted by glaciers. The bell tower, with its four openwork openings and wooden gallery, gives it a distinctive silhouette. One of its most remarkable features is the "Saint Martin's Wheel," or bell wheel, suspended in the chancel at a height of approximately 3.5 meters. It was traditionally turned during weddings and baptisms. This wheel has been listed on the Supplementary Inventory of Historical Monuments since 1975. The lever system allows the small bells mounted around the rim to ring, creating a rather rare and symbolic sound. Visit and access: Self-guided tours are possible; keys can be obtained from the Trémouille town hall (04 71 78 50 76).

An easy, beautiful walk around the lake to admire the scenery.

Lac de la Crégut is the largest natural glacial lake in the Massif Central, covering almost 37 hectares. Kesako : Glaciers have great abrasive power, eating away at even the most supple rock to create overburden. The passage of the Artense glacier 13,500 years ago left a basin that was filled by runoff from several streams and the sub-lacustrine springs of La Crégut. Its depth (two pits of 16 m and 26 m) and the fact that its natural water supply is low in nutrients, have prevented it from becoming a peat bog. Swimming is forbidden, but you can walk around, fish or picnic around the lake. → PR 2: Water story ←

Perched at an altitude of 800 metres, Lac de Lastioulles boasts a sandy beach ideal for summer water sports such as swimming, sailing and canoeing. Swimming is supervised in July and August. No garbage cans on the beach: please take your garbage with you. Dogs are not allowed in the swimming area. Since 2015, the beach has been awarded the Blue Flag label for the quality of its environment and the activities on offer. The bathing area is supervised in July and August by a professional with training in accompanying people with disabilities. Disabled access to the beach and a tiralo (beach chair for the disabled) are also available. The beach has been awarded the Tourisme & Handicap label.

The Rhue flows through gorges lined with steep forests. This Natura 2000 site is home to one of the few low-altitude populations of chamois. Superb and verdant, they boast a high level of biodiversity, with many protected plant species. The gorges are only accessible by car from Champs-sur-Tarentaine-Marchal, in the direction of Saint-Amandin or Condat.

A 125-hectare lake perched at an altitude of 800 meters. It's a popular swimming and fishing spot. The beach has been awarded the Blue Flag since 2015 and is supervised every year during the summer season. Since 1970, Lac de Lastioulles has also been one of the largest water reservoirs in the Dordogne basin. The lake supplies water to the Bort-les-Orgues reservoir and the Auzerette and Rhue hydroelectric plants. Every year during the summer season, the tourist office organizes events around the lake on the theme of biodiversity, called "Pavillon bleu" events. You can tour the lake by car, motorcycle or bike from the road, or admire the view from the lake's main dike or from the beach located on a peninsula.

This 23-hectare artificial lake is the result of the impoundment of a former peat bog, which explains its shallow depth of around 2 meters. A themed trail has been laid out for the tour, and along the way you'll find a wildlife observatory and picnic tables. There's also a variant of the Crégut tour that takes you to the Tact on foot.

Above the church, the esplanade of the old Château offers a magnificent panorama of the Artense and Sancy mountains. Marchal is a village surrounded by the landscapes of the Artense and considered the capital of fiddlers and traditional music. Its church clings to a rocky outcrop, and the remains of the nearby castle offer a vast panorama of the Monts du Sancy.

This city is composed of two very different lakes. The lake situated at the bottom of the village has a glacier origin, and dates back to 10 000 years. Before wide of 50 ha, it’s only 15 today. The vegetation colonized the lake, forming a peat land after several thousand years. In 1975, this pond and its sides were classified Natural Reserve under the name of Sagnes, to protect the exceptional biodiversity of the peat land. The lake situated in the upper village is a volcanic lake. This lake has a crater old of 113 000 years, and it is 44m deep. It covers a circular area of 14 ha, whose sides in gravels are void of vegetation. Its cold and transparent waters are poor in nutritive elements: it’s one of the most oligotrophic lakes in Europe. It’s also the water reserve of the village.

This restaurant is located close to Lastioulles water sports centre and to the municipal campground. Tourist area for fishing, hunting and mushrooms gathering. Bar - tobacconist’s - restaurant - catering delivered Menu during high season - closed on Mondays during low season

Armegyn and Antoine offer refined cuisine, featuring local produce. Everything is homemade, including the bread and puff pastry. Lovely shaded terrace in summer. Warm dining room with wood-burning stove in winter.

In the heart of the Cézallier, magnificent, fully restored buron. Home cooking, local produce, local meat, quality and tradition.

Located in Champs-sur-Tarentaine-Marchal, Le Saint Rémi offers authentic and generous cuisine. Open from Sunday to Friday, for lunch all year round, and for lunch and dinner in August, the restaurant offers: a daily menu at €17, served at lunchtime. A menu featuring burgers, regional dishes and our specialty: frog legs. Come and discover local flavors in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Fast food on site or to take away, home-made pizzas, desserts and ice creams made with fresh, seasonal, local and organic produce.

Hello and welcome, Marinette, Grégoire and Delphine will be delighted to welcome you. We're both lovers, lovers of food and lovers of people, and our aim is to give you a simple experience you'll remember for a long time. Good-natured and loving to entertain, we can say that this is not a job but a real passion.

Village restaurant-bar-grocery where we offer gourmet quality cuisine prepared with fresh, local, seasonal produce. A la carte menu and full menu at lunchtime on weekdays. In our small grocery store, you'll find products from the Cantalou region, as well as a few convenience goods. A friendly place with a pleasant terrace in the center of a charming village in the countryside.

The simple pleasure of dining by the lake... a creative cuisine that draws its influences from both land and lake, using the resources of the greenhouse, kitchen garden and forest to create recipes that revisit local produce with the seasons.

Country inn with view on the valley. Wood-fired cooking (truffade and Salers meat). Breeders, producers and transformers, beef and veal sausages, aligot, farm cheeses.

Luxury gîte for 8 to 10 people. All comforts on 1 hectare of land surrounded by forests and set in the owner's Auvergne farmhouse. This tastefully renovated gîte is located in the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne, with a magical panoramic view of the Sancy massif and close to Lac de Lastioulles, which has been awarded the "Pavillon bleu" label (equipped beach, supervised swimming in July and August). Living room with fully-equipped kitchen, dining room, sitting area with TV, WIFI, library, board games. -2 bedrooms, each with 2 boxspring beds, shower and washbasin. -2 bedrooms with 2 boxspring beds each, using the large bathroom with oval bathtub, shower and two washbasins. This room has 4 additional beds and a cot. -Washrooms and two toilets. -3 terraces equipped with outdoor furniture. -Heated swimming pool surrounded by a deck and adapted furniture as well as changing room, heated shower, washbasin, WC and heated outdoor shower. -Washing machine, dryer and barbecue on request. -private parking Minimum stay 7 days from Saturday to Saturday (less than 7 days on request).

Self-contained gîte with garden and views of the Monts du Cantal and Sancy. Just 5km from Lake Lastioulles and its water sports center. Fully-equipped kitchen, living room with dining area and sitting area with fireplace. 3 bedrooms, shower room and separate WC.

House in the woods, in the heart of the lakes, between Puy de Sancy and Puy Mary. Relaxation guaranteed. Lovers of nature, hiking, fishing, skiing, Auvergne gastronomy... It's the ideal place. Wake up in the company of deer, martens and squirrels, with only the sound of birdsong or the distant bells of Salers cows. The property is located on the edge of a forest, 15 minutes from all amenities. The exterior is very peaceful, with a dining and relaxation area, a brazier, board games and outdoor games. 3 bedrooms (1 with en-suite shower room), fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, 2-settee living room with 180° view of the forest, 1 veranda with dining table, the feeling of being outside, even in winter, but warm! 2 terraces, private parking. Not overlooked. Wood (stove) + electric heating.

Located in the heart of a 5-hectare natural site, near the Lastioulles and La Crégut lakes. Unlimited pitches with or without shade, electric hook-ups, communal washing machine and tumble dryer, children's games, table tennis, peace and relaxation guaranteed. Groups welcome except from 01/07 to 31/08.

Located in the heart of a 5-hectare natural site, near the Lastioulles and La Crégut lakes. Unlimited pitches with or without shade, electric hook-ups, communal washing machine and tumble dryer, children's games, table tennis, peace and relaxation guaranteed. Capacity: 25 pitches

6 cottages in a self-catering village near Lac de Lastioulles. 3 bedrooms, one on the mezzanine (1 double bed - 5 single beds), shower room, shared washing machine and dryer (summer), terrace. Peace and quiet with mountain views. Groups welcome.