Les côtes de Clermont

Durtol

Dogs allowed

Distance 4.1Km

Duration 1h30

Hiking route BOUCLE

Marking Blue

In pictures

Route description

This large natural plateau is a 15-million-year-old basalt flow. The site is of great naturalistic and archaeological interest. Excavations have shown a continuous human presence from Neolithic times to the Middle Ages.

Trail highlights

– View of the Chaîne des Puys, Plateau de Gergovie, Livradois-Forez, Limagne du Bourbonnais.
– View of Blanzat and Châteaugay.

Guidebook with maps/step-by-step

Step 1 : From the start sign, continue along the road for 30 m, then take the first track on the right, signposted Oppidum. At the intersection, keep left and stay on the main track. At the next fork in the road, turn right. After 50 m, turn right towards the Oppidum.
Go to the stele dedicated to Paul Eychart. Go around it (see map of the Temple on back of stele) and continue right towards the remains of the Temple columns. Walk alongside them, take a path to the right and then immediately right down to a T-junction.

Step 2 : Turn right, then left. Stay on the main path. At the T-junction, turn right and climb a hill (panoramic view). Continue until you reach the road.

Step 3 : Turn left. After 300 m, turn right across an open space. Fifty metres further on, turn left onto a wide track. At the fork in the road, climb left to reach a lookout point (view of the Chaine des Puys Faille de Limagne complex). Retrace your steps, but when you reach the open space, continue straight ahead on the wide track overhanging the quarry until you reach the first track on the right. Take this as far as the road and return to the starting point on the left.

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

/* col-6_sm-12 */ ?>

Opening hours

From 01/01 to 31/12 daily.

Subject to favorable weather.

Comfort, facilities and services

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 All dogs must be kept on leashes because of the presence of herds.

Environment

In the country, Mountain view, Presence of livestock and guard dogs

Access

Reach Durtol, 4km north of Clermont-Ferrand, via avenue Raymond Bergougnan, then the D943 (av. du Limousin then av. de Clermont).
At the entrance to Durtol, just before the cemetery, turn right onto Route de la Plaine, then Chemin de la Plaine. At the crossroads, turn right. Parking lot and start sign at the foot of the radio tower.

Downloadable :

GPX – iti0378