Saint-Gervazy
Vichel
Dogs allowed
Distance 9.5Km
Duration 3h00
Hiking route BOUCLE
Marking Yellow
In pictures
Route description
An abundance of images awaits us on this tour : medieval winegrowing villages, fields of red earth, the magnificent lime of Montcelet and a watchtower in a savannah decor. Nearby, Lake of the Prior and castle of Collanges.
Starting point – From the starting sign, Place de l’Église in Vichel, go to the back of the car park, behind the church, and turn left into Rue de la Croix Vieille. Go up in the village to the crow’s feet at the end of the village.
1 -(…)
Trail highlights
– Church at Vichel.
– View of the valley and the Nonette and Usson peaks.
– View of the Chaîne des Puys and the Butte de Montcelet (astonishing “savannah” landscape).
Guidebook with maps/step-by-step
Step 1 : From the start sign at Place de l’Église in Vichel, go to the back of the parking lot, behind the church, and turn left into Rue de la Croix Vieille. Go up through the village to the crow’s-foot at the exit.
Step 2 : Follow a gravel path to the right (on the plateau, at the picnic area, there’s a lovely view of the valley and the Nonette and Usson peaks). Ignore the small paths and descend towards the village of Collanges, keeping to the right. Go straight through Collanges village to the town hall. Turn left towards the cross. Turn right under the cemetery, then left about 200 m after leaving the village as far as the crow’s-foot.
Step 3 : Take the left-hand track. At the crossroads on the plateau, go straight on to the road.
Step 4 : Turn right as far as the village of Saint-Gervazy, and climb the tarmac track known as the Moncelet to the left, opposite the bridge (beautiful red earth outcrop). Halfway up the hill, you’ll see the village of Augnat and the Couze d’Ardes valley). Continue straight ahead to the crossroads.
Next step
Step 5 : Turn left, continue for 100 m, then take a path to the right through oaks and junipers (on the plateau, view of the Puys range). Cross the plateau towards the butte du Montcelet (amazing “savannah” landscape) to a crossroads.
Step 6 : Turn right onto the grassy path and follow the sign “butte de Montcelet” until you enter the woods.
Step 7 : Leave the path leading up to the mound on your left and continue until you reach the end of the wood. Follow a track through a dry meadow, which continues on a path through the woods (water tower on left). At the crossroads, take the right-hand path down to the starting point.
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
- 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
In the country, Presence of livestock and guard dogs
Access
From Issoire, head for Saint-Germain-Lembron. In Saint-Germain-Lembron, turn left onto the D909 towards Morlat, then after 4 km turn right into the village of Vichel.
Downloadable :
Photo credits : Norbert Dutranoy, Julie Lobstein Douix, Julie Lobstein Douix
Updated on 29 May 2026 by Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme