Discover Leyvaux, Cantal, Auvergne's attractions

From Blesle, we walk through the gorges of the Apcher stream, in settings that inspire the world’s end, immersing the walker in a preserved environment with intact fauna and flora. In the village of Leyvaux, time seems to have stopped. Starting point - Take a wide track opposite when looking at the starting sign. Leave a path on the right and continue down to the edge of the cliff (view of Montfouat, Monts du Livradois, du Devès, vallée de Leyvaux, plateau d'Anliac, Margeride, in the foreground the vallée des Trois Sauts). 1 - Turn right to continue the descent in bends on a balcony path up to the lowest point of the valley. The path crosses the Saroil stream and goes up for about sixty meters before descending to the village of Leyvaux (church with combed bell tower and porch). 2 - Leave the church on the left, take a wide path on the right and continue up the hill in front in the undergrowth. At a fork in the locality "Les Gorges d'Apcher" take the right track, direction Saroil. Go along the steep slopes of the Apcher gorges to the footbridge. 3 - Leave a path on the left (alternative in case of high water) and take a path on the right along the stream (former antimony mines). Cross a second footbridge and start a steep climb up to Sagnes (view of the Livradois, Devès and Margeride mountains). Immediately after the last house, turn right into a path between dry stone walls. Continue until you reach Saroil. 4 - In the village take a path on the left after an old transformer (old gabled houses with stepped gables, stone roofs). Leave the village. At the next crossing turn right (view of Anzat-le-Luguet and signal of Luguet). Continue straight ahead until you reach the start.

Cette balade au cœur des gorges du ruisseau d’Apcher, milieu très préservé, d’une richesse faunique et floristique majeure, vous mènera au village de Leyvaux. L’Eglise et son majestueux clocher à peigne vous surprendront.

Après s’être hissé au-dessus de Laurie, le randonneur appréciera le charme d’un parcours plat et reposant avec un panorama circulaire : Mont Journal, Brèche de Giniol, Suc de Védrines. Une halte au tumulus du Chouquet apporte une touche d’archéologie.

Petit circuit au relief très varié. La roche du renard se dissimule en début de parcours pour se dresser inattendu derrière vous ! Vues plongeantes dans la vallée de la Sianne…

Quand les roches sont mystérieuses et qu’elles s’en prennent aux fillettes… La tradition orale des légendes est encore bien vivante ! Profitez du panorama sur la Margeride et les 3 Sucs, puis de la Tour de Colombine.

Après le moulin où l’on fabriquait l’huile et la farine, et Auriac-haut, point fort architectural du circuit, les murets en pierres sèches vous escortent puis laissent place aux sentiers plus abrupts des gorges du ruisseau de l’Eglise.

Découvrez le charme de la végétation du Bois d’Anliac, de beaux points de vue sur la vallée de la Sianne et le hameau du Bouchet, à présent déserté par ses héros gallo-romains ou médiévaux.

The high plateaus of the Cézallier massif seduce lovers of the great wild spaces with pastures, valleys, streams and peatlands. The path opens the horizon to the volcanoes of the Puys chain, the Sancy and Cantal massifs. Starting point – Below the starting sign, take the road to Le Buffier. At the farm, go down and follow the path on the left. At the crow's feet, stay on the left until you reach an intersection. Turn right (PV1- view of the Forez, Devès and Margeride mountains). The path goes around the Rocher d'Aulhat, then down to the Artoux glacial cirque (PV2). After crossing a stream, the trail reaches the bottom of the circus. At the intersection, turn right and, 30 m later, go down on the left. After the stream, go up to the road (off course, right on the road, AR 200 m, information sign). 1 - Cross it and go up on the right leaving the GR and the direction of Luguet. At the first constructions encountered, turn right into a path. Go past all the houses, go straight up. At a fork, turn right. Before a small solid shelter near the woods, turn right for about 500 metres. 2 - Leave the path to climb a step ladder on the right. Through the pastures, follow on your right the fence overlooking the circus (PV3). Cross a new step ladder and immediately turn left following the fence. After a third step ladder, go straight ahead until you reach the edge of the woods. Follow it on the left, for about 750 m (PV4: panorama on the Cantal mountains, Sancy and the Dome range). At an intersection, turn left following a fence to reach a wide road. 3 - Take it to the right, pass between the woods of Cézalier and the Croix des Champs and the Signal du Luguet. Go down and take the road on the left for 100 m. Turn right into a summer trail, follow the fence until you reach the finish line.

L'effort en vaut la peine, la mystérieuse cascade de la Terrisse vous attend, une balade rafraichissante et ombragée.

A tour at the foot of a volcanic cone that winds its way through the pretty Vèze valley and offers views of the Gorges de la Rentières (nearby) and the Forez mountains. In the background the fortified village of Fromental watches over this territory. Starting point - From the starting sign located on a slope along the D126, take a path down below. At the first T-junction continue to the right, at the T-junction continue to the right until you reach the junction of a road on the left (thematic table on the history of Sainte-Florine). 1 - Take this path back and forth (10 min) to get down to the chapel (Sainte-Pezade chapel, basalt columns). Join the circuit and go down to the left. At the bottom of the valley, cross the Vèze stream by an old stone bridge, then climb on the opposite side (view on the basalt organs) to the hamlet of Granges. 2 - Turn right onto a small asphalt road and continue until you reach Vèze. 3 - At the crossroads, take the road on the right and cross the village (castle in ruins). Continue on the small road that leads back to Mazoires.

Sound and light effects taking you through the gallery of pictures enabling you to relive moments from the resistance and the deportation, illustrating how some of the people of Murat survived in the concentration camp during the war. Not advised for the under twelve years old.

Relaxation for all at the foot of Puy Mary. On your return from a hike, or after a breath of fresh air, come and enjoy the relaxing benefits of hot water!

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.

From the woods of La Comté to the villages of Livradois, this route is dedicated to Queen Margot. On the way, superb panoramas and discovery of beautiful villages like Usson. The itinerary begins in Parent. Villages crossed: Yronde-et-Buron / St-Babel / Manglieu / Sugères / Sauxillanges / Usson / Brenat / Orbeil / Yronde-et-Buron / Parent.

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.

Located at the heart of Cezallier, this endless pasture territory was, in the past, a beech forest and a plantation that was destroyed by clearings and that disappeared in the Middle Ages. Nowadays, this territory is mainly dedicated to pastures and therefore to mountain summer pasture for bovine farming, that’s why there are mountain houses, called “burons”. Tourism expands itself little by little thanks to winter sports, this territory being really favourable towards doing northern ski and hiking with snowshoes (northern domain of Parrot). The Signal du Luguet, made of volcanic rock, is the high point. It saw the light with solidified lava flows, eroded by glaciers. There, there is an unique panorama on the whole territory. Below, you will discover one of the most beautiful valleys of the Massif-Central: the corrie of Artoux, where we still can find moraines on the sides.

The most interesting in Anzat-le-Luguet: La forge du Luguet. A “medieval” blacksmith will take you to the heart of logic filling with life the forge. Phone number : 04.73.71.74.10.

At the extreme south of the Puy-de-Dôme, the Luguet signal is the highest point of the Cézallier mountains (1551 metres). It offers a spectacular panoramic view of the Cantal, the Sancy massif and the Livradois mountains. The "Signal du Luguet" is the highest peak of the mounts of Cézallier at 1551m. It corresponds to old lava lakes formed 5 million years ago. The erosion erased the reliefs that overlooked them and the rock found itself in a culminating position. Below, at the east, you can see the crater of Artout. It’s one of the most beautiful glacier valleys of the Massif Central. 20 000 years ago, the snow mopped up by the winds coming from the west accrues at the east. It formed a glacier owing to the weak exposition to sun. We still can find moraines on the slopes. From the hamlet of Parrot, it is possible to go around the "Signal du Luguet". It is a 7,2km hike offering a round trip to the top of the highest peak of the Cézallier, count 2H30 to do the tour. In winter, this hike is also possible with snowshoes.

On the course of the Zauze river, a few km from the village of Apchat, the Gour d'appat waterfall is accessible by a pretty shaded path. The particularity of this site lies in the curious way in which the water smoothed the granitic rock. Geological origin: the world “gour” is an old world referring to deep hollows full of water, formed along rivers. The particularity of this site is the curious way that water hollowed out the granitic rock. The walls are hollowed out, smoothed, curved, and forming a kind of “raised” chapel where water springs in a waterfall. Beforehand, the river is punctuated with “witch pots”, “giant pots” (kind of holes in the rock). Origin of the name: before, people used to fish in these holes, dropping bundle of sticks into the water, with baits in the middle. Pulling them out, crayfishes were trapped, hence maybe the name “gour d’appat” because of “gour des appâts” (baits hole).

La Belle endormie" is strangely solitary, lost in the grasslands of a plateau 1100 meters above sea level, above the Sianne valley. This 11th-century Romanesque jewel is in the purest condition, free of any plaster or whitewash.

Located at the South of Ardes-sur-Couze, Apchat has a spring called “Chassolle”, or “Gour d’Appât”. The place has been fitted out at the suggestion of the Protective association of the Areas and Landscapes of Auvergne. This small spring has a weak flow and is not a lot mineralized. In the past, it was called “Eyes spring” because it was visited by the local population who suffered eye disease. For several years, it was the headquarters of a small commercial company, but it was soon abandoned because of its weak flow and its isolation.

From St Germain-Lembron, follow the mountain route. Ardes is at 12 km away on the edge of a valley. To visit : in the lower part of the town is the church, and in upper part of the town is the main street, further on from there is the zoo. It is a bit like a bridge between the golden plains of the Lembron and the grasslands of the high volcanic plateaus of the Cézallier. Home to a priory and then a large community of priests until the 18th century, the lower district had both religious and artisanal functions. It is easy to spot the church of Saint-Dizaint, a tall pinkish brown tuff vessel. Founded in the 13th century, the "upper" or "new" city of Ardes is the expression of a seigneurial will. The Lords of Mercoeur imposed themselves in the 12th-13th centuries until they became one of the largest estates in Auvergne. The regular plan of Ardes is characteristic of medieval urban creations. On either side of the Grande-Rue are distributed narrow and deep parcels called "strips". You will see them as you walk through passages that are sometimes covered.

This charming village is located on a basaltic headland and has kept several testimonies of its medieval past. The part at the bottom of the city, crossed by the Couze of Ardes, doubled up religious and handmade functions. The upper part of the village was created in the 13th century. Its History is linked to the one of the powerful family of Mercoeur. Ardes-sur-Couze is famous for the bottling and commercialization of the gaseous natural and mineral water Ardesy by the Company of waters of Cezallier. The “hill” and “cherry tree” springs, located in Augnat near Ardes-sur-Couze, belong to the same category of springs that the Chabetout one. They are known for their richness in lithium, and are used since 1995. The deepest spring is used to supply the bottling factory, and the other one is kept in reserve. A discovery path of the springs has been developed by the Arvie Company and by the Protective association of the Areas and Landscapes of Auvergne. The Couze of Ardes has its origins in the Cezallier mounts, and ends up in the Allier River, near the city of Breuil-sur-Couze. It is long of 39,5 km and well-known for trout fishing, that is regulated. Enjoy a walk along the Couze Pavin, near the “Robert Dupré’s stadium”. The Chabetout spring is collected in Ardes-sur-Couze. This natural mineral gaseous water is bottled and commercialized by the Waters of the Cezallier Company. Discovered in the Gallo-Roman period, it was first known under the name of Chabetout in the 19th century, and then under Arvie from 1995 to 2008, to end under the name of Ardésy since 2012. In 1858, a channelling and bottling building was established, and a thermal centre with 2 pools and 15 baths were constructed. Further to the lack of interest of the visitors taking the waters there, and to the First World War, the establishments closed. We have to wait until 1988 to see other drillings, and the 1990’s to observe the new commercialization of this water under the name of Arvie. Nowadays, the production, known as Ardésy, is mainly designed to the exportation towards Asian countries, but you can find it in supermarkets in Auvergne.

Construite pour abriter Notre Dame de Vauclair, vierge en majesté, elle est encore l’objet d’une grande vénération. L’édifice roman, influencé par le limousin, d’une grande pureté de style (estimé fin XIIè), contraste avec les décors intérieurs très colorés de faune et flore. Baies ouvragées, vitraux et rosace, retable à colonnes torses et vignes dorées, s’ajoutent au sol ancien en pierre, l’escalier donnant accès aux combles, et au toit de lauzes typique.

This 12th-century Romanesque chapel was once part of the enclosure of a castle that no longer exists. Overlooking Massiac, it offers a magnificent view of the town and the Allagnon valley... A l’intérieur, découvrez la légende de ce lieu emblématique du pays de Massiac… Document de visite disponible auprès du bureau de tourisme de Massiac.

Specialties include grilled meats and regional dishes: pounti, truffade, Auvergne platters and tasting platters, all served in a bright, open-plan dining room, under a covered terrace or in the open air.

Refrigerated gourmet racks with specialties from Auvergne and other regions. Sweet gourmet racks. Open 24 hours a day.

Menu based on fresh seasonal produce. Licence IV.

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

The Auberge de l'Allagnonette welcomes you to a building full of character. The chef prepares delicious dishes: millefeuille of black pudding with foie gras, duck breast with red fruit, etc. Regional dishes: cantal tart, pounti, truffade, tripoux.

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.

Sandrine and Pascal offer (gluten-free) galettes, crêpes, salads and Auvergne cuisine. A galette and a crêpe of the moment vary every week!

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.

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).

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.