Mountain bike trail – Pays d’Issoire on the Cézallier side – Stage 3

Here you are in the heart of the Cézallier, on the wind-beaten volcanic uplands at the junction of the two strato-volcanoes of Cantal and Sancy. Here, volcanism expresses itself through a multitude of different facets. In the distance : the Chaîne des Puys and its young dormant volcanoes, the older Sancy,(…)

Here you are in the heart of the Cézallier, on the wind-beaten volcanic uplands at the junction of the two strato-volcanoes of Cantal and Sancy. Here, volcanism expresses itself through a multitude of different facets. In the distance : the Chaîne des Puys and its young dormant volcanoes, the older Sancy, the Cantal whose age can be counted in millions of years, and the Livradois-Forez, a relic of the ancient Hercynian chain. Nearby : the wooded Signal du Luguet and its two neighbors. All three are former lava lakes which, with the erosion of the looser material around them, have emerged into the landscape. The route of this third stage crosses these volcanic edifices, which are now the highest points in the Cézallier. The route then heads back towards Issoire, once again crossing the foothills of the plateau in the deep valleys carved out by rivers millions of years ago. The finish is in Ardes sur Couze, a picturesque village that is one of the gateways to the summer pastures of the volcanic plateau.