1/ Panoramique des Dômes station in Orcines at the foot of the Puy de Dôme (for arrival by shuttle from Clermont-Ferrand). Departure sign near the camper van parking area.
Please note: overnight parking is prohibited.
2/ Go up to the motorhome area. Follow the yellow directional signs on the road towards the Col de Ceyssat. Take the first large forest path on the left. Cross the D 68 road and continue straight. Ignore the first path on the right and at the T-junction turn right onto a wide stoned forest track up to the Col de Ceyssat.
3/ Arriving at the road, turn left, go down 150 m and take the path on the right. At the next intersection, go down left and turn right 100 m further. At the first intersection, go down left and continue straight on, ignoring all the paths on either side to rejoin the road. Warning: be careful when crossing the D 942.
Possibility of starting the route at stage 4, access via the D 52 to Laschamps (for arrival by car and parking over several days.) Possibility of parking in Laschamps after point 3.
4/ On the main street, go up towards the church and the cottage and turn left into the one-way street. Cross the road and continue straight ahead (GR®4/441). Ignore several paths on either side, continue to the 1 m sign and go down to the right. Stay on the GR, pass a crossroads, continue straight ahead until the junction with the GR®097 and reach the fork at the foot of the Puy de Montjuger.
5/ Stay to the right (further on the plateau, viewpoint over the Sancy). Ignoring the paths to the right and left, the path becomes an asphalt road. Continue to the T-junction. Turn left (on the right access to the Récoleine chapel). Go down to the D 2089 and pass under the road.
6/ Take the path on the right and continue straight on, ignoring the paths on either side until you reach a road. Go down the grassy path opposite towards Olmont until you reach a cross path. Go left (direction Olmont), cross the stream, go up a small road leaving several paths on the right and left until you reach the entrance to Olmont.
Turn right, leave a path on the right and continue on the plateau (viewpoint over the Chaîne des Puys). At the cross, turn left and go straight down to the place called “Les Eaux”. Take the road opposite and reach the D 216 at Pont-des-Eaux.
7/ Go up the grassy path opposite to the right of a cross and follow it overlooking the Sioule to Montéribeyre. Turn left then right, reach the road. Go down to the left. After the stone bridge, turn right and take the second path on the left. Stay on this path, ignoring a first path on the left, then another on the right to continue straight towards Olby. Take the first right until you reach a small road.
8/ Pass under the bridge and continue to the village. Arriving within sight of the Place de la Fontaine, head left, cross the village (Tilleul de Sully on the Place de l'Église) up to the crow's feet and take the direction of Ceyssat. At the cemetery, take the La Gardette road and go for a good kilometer. Go past the path leading to a farm and in the curve, take the path on the left to reach La Gardette. Continue right until you reach the fountain.
9/ Turn left towards Mazayes. At the stone cross, turn left, then right at the next fork. At the road, follow right to arrive at Mazayes. Take the D 52 towards Ceyssat to go to Mazayes-Basses.
10/ Pass in front of the gîte and the church; at the cross, go up to the right. At the top of the hill, at the cross, continue straight on. At Petit-Chambois, continue to the right of the fountain. Pass the Combes. Cross a road and go to the first houses of Grand-Chambois.
11/ At the cross, go up to the left until you reach a square with a fountain and a cross. Go right, direction Puy de Dôme. At the road, go left until you reach the second path on the right. Take it, enter the forest and continue straight on, ignoring the paths on either side until you reach a crossroads above an old quarry (junction with a hike marked in yellow).
12/ Go right towards Laschamp and follow the route of the hike. At a T intersection, turn left. The path leads to an open area at the intersection with a stony path; go left for 300 m then right. At a catchment (fenced area) turn right for 50 m.
13/ Leave this large path and turn right onto a barely visible path. Shortly before a wide path, continue right on the path then right again to a parking area and hiking trails along the D 559.
15/ Take the D 559 on the right for 200 m and turn left at the sign “Ceyssat union forest”.
ATTENTION – Slight modification of the circuit near the puy de Côme going towards the puy de Dômes. Follow the markings.
At the fork, continue on the left path. Continue straight on taking a path on the left. Continue right. Arriving at the clearing, turn right at the intersection and the signpost.
16/ Take it towards Puy de Dôme. At the exit of the woods, at the fork, turn left into the moor then into the undergrowth. At a fork, continue left. 150 m further, turn right and continue straight for approximately 400 m. At the crossroads (fountain), turn right onto the path which goes up towards the Nid de la Poule. Take the stairs then the road which lead to the platform of the Puy de Dôme station. Return shuttle connection: from the Col de Ceyssat car park, go down ignoring the first marked path GR®441 and take the second on the right in the bend (yellow markings). At the T-junction, take the forest track towards MAISON DE SITE / GRAND SITE DE FRANCE. Cross the D 68 and continue straight. At the asphalt road, turn left.
Option – Off circuit
You can take the Chemin des Conquérants which circles the summit of the Puy de Dôme (viewpoint); about 30 mins. On the west side, picnic site and picnic room, toilets). Possibility to follow the walkway which offers a 360° panorama and return to the reception center (about 1 hour). Go down the path heading south-west to the Col de Ceyssat.
– The Chaîne des Puys – Limagne fault and the Puy de Dôme site.
– Views of different volcanoes: the puy de Dôme, the petit puy de Dôme, the puys de Laschamps, de Mercœur, de Lassolas, de la Vache, de Côme, du Grand Suchet and du Pariou.
– View of the Sancy massif.
– Small heritage: crosses and fountains.