Le puy de Paugnat

Charbonnières-les-Varennes

Dogs allowed

Distance 10.5Km

Duration 3h00

Hiking route BOUCLE

Marking Yellow

In pictures

Route description

A lovely forest walk in the heart of the unspoilt nature of the Auvergne volcanoes. The circuit revolves around the strombolian volcano of Paugnat. From this village, once a mecca for lava stone cutters, you can see the pozzolana quarries.

Trail highlights

180° view over Paugnat, the Limagne plain and the Forez mountains.

Guidebook with maps/step-by-step

Step 1 : From the start sign, head for the village center, then turn left into rue du Varouset. At the stele, turn right onto the D90, then take the first track on the left. At the fork in the road (signposted departmental road), turn right. At the crow’s-foot, go left up to the viewpoint indicator (180° view of Paugnat, the Limagne plain and the Forez mountains). Continue down a steep slope (wide view to the east). At the T-junction, turn left onto a wide track.

Step 2 : Take this track to the right. Cross the railroad line. At the crow’s-foot, ignore the left and right turn-offs and continue along a wide gravel path. At the fork, turn right, then ignore two paths on the right and one on the left. At the next fork, keep right. Gradually, the wide track becomes a path that winds through the undergrowth for a long time. At the end of the wood, cross the railroad line and continue to a fork (altitude 828 m).

Step 3 : Turn right towards Paugnat. At the Charbonnières-les-Varennes railway station, cross the tracks and turn right onto the D90. Turn left towards Beaunit, then right at the first track. Go straight on until you reach the first houses. Go right down into the village, then turn left into rue des Parceiraux. Follow the main street to the D16. Turn right to reach the start.

Proposed and managed by the Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme – PDIPR.

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Opening hours

From 01/01 to 31/12 daily.

Subject to favorable weather.

Comfort, facilities and services

Car park
Pets welcome

Additional information

For your own safety, always take a bottle of water, a hat, warm clothing and footwear suitable for walking.
Depending on weather conditions, certain itineraries are not recommended in bad weather (fog) or are not practicable, or even forbidden, during the winter season.
Some sites are fragile, so stay on the marked trails. Avoid picking wild flowers and disturbing wildlife. Pick up your garbage.
Animals are not allowed on some routes.

Dogs allowed Dogs must be kept on a leash due to the presence of herds.

Environment

Forest location, Mountain view, Presence of livestock and guard dogs

Access

From Riom, take the D986 towards Pontgibaud. Drive around Volvic, then turn right onto the D16 to Paugnat. Parking “Maison des loisirs et du tourisme” at the entrance to the village.

Downloadable :

GPX – A6313AUV063V50D97E