Volcanic Auvergne (today’s women)

When you tell you volcano, do you have this image of a black cone with a fire on fire? It was also my case until I discovered Auvergne and its famous chain of Puys: an alignment of 80 volcanoes extending over 45 km long and 5 km wide.

This exceptional site, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is discovered on foot, over the GR441. Take at least 3 days to discover this region where nature is queen, but to see everything, have a short week. Soline, our journalist takes you and she promises you that you will not be disappointed!

Day 1: Ascension and night in the middle of nature

The GR441 extends over 114 kilometers, winding between the Auvergne volcanoes, to be traveled in 5 to 6 days. An experience of which I discover a good overview: around sixty kilometers, between Volvic and Le Puy de Vichatel, in 3 days. “This is really the most interesting and most beautiful part of the GR441”, announces David, alias the banker hiker, our guide for the next few days. Bag on our backs and sticks in hand, we went to this extraordinary landscape.

As soon as we enter the woods, David explains to us that not all volcanoes are alike. There are 2 main types: explosives, which have experienced very violent eruptions and projected burning clouds, and effusive, whose lava flows calmly, forming a crater at the top. “Auvergne mainly has effusive volcanoes. It is relatively young: the first volcanoes appeared about 100,000 years ago, and the most recent are barely 10,000 years”.

The first summits

We cross a tray where raspberries, mulberry and blueberries delight hikers in season. Then comes the first ascent: the Puy de la Nugère. At the top, the landscape has not yet been revealed: we are only 960 meters above sea level and a beech forest surrounds us. It’s time to picnic to regain strength before climbing higher.

We continue with an additional 600 -meter climb, head to the Puy de Jume summit, followed by Puy de la Coquille. The ground changes: under our feet, the earth gives way to the red pozzolan, almost giving us the impression of having changed planet. Then the first panoramas appeared. The show is magnificent, and it is just beginning. We continue to the Belvedere of Puy des Gouttes, from where the view is absolutely exceptional: in the distance, we can see many volcanoes, including the Puy de Dôme, and even the Vulcania amusement park.

A night under the stars

We descend the Puy de Gouttes to find a place to set up our tent: tonight, it’s bivouac. “We can do bivouac under certain conditions: never on a volcano, nor in the pasture areas, out of sight, settling in twilight and leaving in the early morning without leaving a trace”, specifies David. “Also be careful not to sleep under the trees: you think it is sheltered from the rain, but a branch could fall overnight.” With these rules in mind, there is an ideal spot. Once the tent is mounted, place at dinner: aligot puree lyophilized. Surprisingly good! Then, quickly, in bed: tomorrow, a new day of adventure awaits us.

Day 2: breathtaking panoramas

After a good night’s sleep rocked by the rain, the awakening takes place gently, with a hot tea and the storage of the camp. Today, we are waiting for one of the most awaited stages of the stay: the ascent of Puy de Dôme. But you must first browse a few kilometers in the forest by bypassing the Puys de Côme, the Cliersou and the Grand Suchet.

Le Puy de Dôme

Suddenly, it stands in the distance: the highest peak of the chain, culminating at 1464 meters above sea level. To reach it, we take the Chemin des Chèvres, a steep path, furnished with wooden stairs to protect the flank of the volcano against erosion and passage. We start the climb and take the time to return to admire the landscape: the view of the little Puy de Dôme, the Pariou and their neighbors is already exceptional.

The path then joins an asphalt portion, where the panoramic of the domes are met, the train climbing to the top. We reach its station, perched at 1415 meters, then continue the way, passing the vestiges of the Temple of Mercury, witness to the Roman presence on these heights. Up there, the wind blows hard, but the panorama is grand. David describes what we see on the horizon: the Puy de Saint-Sandoux, the Sancy massif, and even further, the Limagne plain.

Arrival in Laschamps

After a complete turn of the summit to enjoy a 360 ° panorama, we are moving the descent by the Muletiers chemin, on the southern slope. The laces trail offers points of view with each turn. About 400 meters below, the slope gradually softens: we arrive on a false dish that leads us to Laschamps, the first village crossed since our departure from Volvic.

This is one of the great advantages of this GR which I did not expect: we cross forests, pastures and volcanoes almost continuous. No villages, few roads: you really feel like you are evolving in an area away from any human activity. Rare luxury, terribly rejuvenating.

No tent tonight, but a cozy bed at the Hotel-Restaurant Archipels Volcantes, with a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains. And on the plate, a truffade, local specialty based on potatoes, garlic and cantal volume, accompanied by green salad and cold meats. A real mountain meal!

Day 3: The last craters

It is already our last day through volcanoes. We take over the GR441, before leaving it to explore 2 particularly impressive twin volcanoes: the Puys de Lassolas and La Vache, famous for their crumbs.

We sink through the trees, part of the heads are on the ground. “There have been violent thunderstorms recently, and the monoculture makes the forest vulnerable: here, there is above all Douglas, an essence very sensitive to the attacks of schools. Result: when the wind blows hard, they break like matches”, explains David. We are very happy not to have been around when it was blowing …

In the heart of twin volcanoes

After a few kilometers through wood, we arrive at the foot of the side of Puy de Lassolasse. We hasten to climb, not effortless: it’s terribly steep. Here we are on Mars: under our feet, the pozzolan and the slag are flamboyant red. At the top, bombs (dried lava) dot the decor. We descend a little to cross a collar, before going directly to the Puy de la Vache. The panorama is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the whole chain of Puys.

The descent is softer, facilitated by staircases fitted out to stabilize the path and avoid falls due to rolling gravel. Below, we discover an old career, where huge red and black volcanic bombs punctuate the landscape.

Last stop: a crater

Our route continues through the woods, to the Ribbe Haute cave, before reaching our ultimate destination: Le Puy de Vichatel. Its particularity? One of the deepest crater in the chain (about 86 meters, just after that of Puy de Pariou). The path allows you to go around … but also to cross it on foot, at the very heart of the volcano! An little known, almost secret place, perfect for concluding these 3 days of hiking in the heart of a unique landscape.

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