Puy-de-Dôme variant of the Tour des Vaches Rouges

Anzat-le-Luguet

No dogs allowed

Distance 48.5Km

Duration 7h40

Hiking route ALLER_ITINERANCE

Marking Markings : red cow heads.

In pictures

Route description

The Tour des Vaches Rouges is a hiking trail in the Cézallier. The complete tour covers 135 to 181 kms. A Puy-de-Dôme variant is available for a 48.5km loop.

The Puy-de-Dôme variant : Brion-Bas – Rentières – Ardes – Mazoires – Parrot

Splendid panoramas alternate between the Rentières valley and the Aigle rock, the Strougoux caves, the Margeride, the Artout cirque, the Signal du Luguet, the Sancy massif, the Puy de Dôme and the Chaîne des Puys, as well(…)

The Puy-de-Dôme variant : Brion-Bas – Rentières – Ardes – Mazoires – Parrot

This variant is completed in at least 2 stages (24km in 7.30 hrs and 24.5 km in 7.45 hrs), with a stopover in Ardes-sur-Couze.

Stage 1 : Brion to Ardes-sur-Couze
Distance : 24km
Time : 7h30
Cumulative elevation gain : 420 m
Departure point : Brion-Bas. At the Berger Transhumance hut (artwork “Horizons Sancy 2017”) on the access road to the foirail, 30 m from its junction with the RD 63.

Departure point : Go down towards the RD 36, cross it and continue straight ahead. Leave a track on your right. Cross the stream on a pontoon bridge and rejoin the path. Continue as far as La Cabane. Take the D126 (towards Ardes-sur-Couze) for 20 m, then the D142 (towards Rentières). 30 m before a right-hand bend, turn left up the track towards the wind turbines. Go through the barrier on the right and reach wind turbine number 1 (view of the Rentières valley). Go through a 2nd barrier and, 150 m further on, a 3rd at road level. Follow the road to the left, until you reach the metal barrier at the ferme du Coq on the right.

1 – Go through it and continue along a wide panoramic path, leaving a 2nd field of wind turbines on your left. At the first intersection, just before the 3rd field of wind turbines, continue right on a balcony overlooking the Rentières valley. Go through a village (Zanières) and at its exit, turn left onto a wide track. Stay on the main path. Reach a road. Turn left as far as the left-hand bend.

2 – Turn right on a wide downhill track to a crossroads. Go right, staying on the main track. At the edge of a village (Rentières), turn right and pass by a tower. At the fork, go left. Follow the couze d’Ardes to a road. Follow the road to the left for 400 m, then turn right onto a path that crosses the couze d’Ardes. Cross a stream on the right and take a steep path leading to a road. Follow this to the left until you reach a hamlet (Chalagnat).

3 – Turn left onto the downhill track. Ignore a path rising to the right, continue into the woods and leave another path to the right (rising to the ruins of Château de Mercoeur). After the theme marker, go downhill and turn right at the intersection. Continue as far as the entrance to Ardes-sur-Couze. Turn left down the main street, cross the Place du Foirail, walk alongside the covered market hall and 200 m further on, turn right into Rue du Regard. Turn left onto Avenue Maréchal Leclerc to reach the vacation village.

Stage 2 : Back to Anzat-le-Luguet
Distance : 24.5 km
Time : 7hrs 45mins
Cumulative elevation gain : 1130 m
Departure point : Village vacances d’Ardes-sur-Couze

Departure point : From the vacation village of Ardes-sur-Couze, head towards the rescue center, turn left into rue Maréchal Leclerc, then right into rue du Regard. Turn left up rue du Commerce, cross Place du Foirail and continue. At the crossroads, turn right onto chemin de Gannat. Wind your way up and, at the intersection, turn left. Pass a theme marker and climb a stony path. Leave the path leading up to the ruins of Château de Mercoeur on your left and continue straight ahead through the woods to the road.

1 – Follow the road to the left. Pass through Chalagnat and continue on the road (view of the Rentières valley/Aigle rock) to the last hamlet (Granges). At the end of the bend, take the path to the right (view of the Strougoux caves). Cross a stream. At the fork, continue uphill to the left (possibility of descending to the right as far as the Sainte-Pezade chapel, 15 min AR, picnic table). Leave a path on the right. At the next fork, turn left and climb up to a road at the entrance to a village (Mazoires). Turn left, pass the church on the right and 150 m further on, turn right onto a wide track. Ignore all side roads until you reach a T-junction.

2 – Go left up the forest road to an intersection at the edge of the forest. Turn right. At the 2nd Canadian crossing, turn left. Leave a track on the right (view of the Margeride). Follow the edge of the forest to a small hunters’ watchtower. 20 m after the watchtower, turn left, then left 2 more times, until you reach a T-junction (point 1245 m).

3 – Go right. At the crossroads of 4 paths, continue straight on to the Parrot parking lot (after leaving the woods, panoramic view of the cirque d’Artout, Signal du Luguet, Sancy massif, puy de Dôme and Chaîne des Puys).
NB : At this point, the variant ends ; you return to the “Tour des Vaches Rouges” circuit.

4 – From the parking lot, turn left and follow the road towards Le Buffier. At a ruined house, take the path on the left. After a right-hand bend (view from Forez to La Margeride and the Mézenc), continue downhill (view of the cirque d’Artoux), then cross a stream. At the fork, turn left and climb up to a road. Cross the road and turn left onto the wide track. Go through the village of Le Luguet to the chapel (picnic table).

Trail highlights

– For your safety, please check the weather forecast before setting off on your hike.
– To preserve the environment in which you are located, please avoid leaving your garbage in nature.
– Remember to take equipment adapted to the weather conditions and the hiking itinerary (hiking boots, water bottle, cap, sunglasses, jacket…).

Guidebook with maps/step-by-step

Step 63 : Départ : Descendre vers la RD 36, la traverser et continuer tout droit. Laisser un chemin à droite. Franchir le ruisseau sur un ponton et rejoindre le chemin. Poursuivre jusqu’à La Cabane. Prendre la D 126 (direction Ardes-sur-Couze) sur 20 m puis la D 142 (direction Rentières). 30 m avant un virage à droite, monter à gauche sur le chemin en direction des éoliennes. Passer la barrière de droite et atteindre l’éolienne numérotée 1 (vue sur la vallée de Rentières). Passer une 2ème barrière puis, 150 m après, une 3ème au niveau de la route. La suivre à gauche, jusqu’à la barrière métallique au niveau de la ferme du Coq sur la droite.

Step 1 : La suivre à gauche. Traverser Chalagnat et continuer sur la route (vue sur la vallée de Rentières/rocher de l’Aigle) jusqu’au dernier hameau (Granges). À sa sortie, dans le virage, prendre le chemin à droite (vue sur les grottes de Strougoux). Franchir un ruisseau. À la fourche, continuer de monter à gauche (possibilité de descendre à droite jusqu’à la chapelle Sainte-Pezade, 15 min AR, table de pique-nique). Laisser un chemin à droite. À la fourche suivante, descendre à gauche puis monter jusqu’à une route à l’entrée d’un village (Mazoires). Aller à gauche, passer à droite de l’église et 150 m plus loin, emprunter à droite un large chemin. Ignorer tous les chemins latéraux jusqu’à un carrefour en T.

Step 2 : Monter à gauche sur la route forestière jusqu’à une intersection à l’orée de la forêt. Prendre à droite. Au 2ème passage canadien, tourner à gauche. Laisser un chemin à droite (vue sur la Margeride). Suivre la lisière de la forêt jusqu’à un petit mirador de chasseurs. 20 m après le mirador, s’engager à gauche puis 2 autres fois à gauche jusqu’à un croisement en T (point 1 245 m).

Step 3 : Aller à droite. Au croisement de 4 chemins, continuer tout droit jusqu’au parking de Parrot (après la sortie du bois, vue panoramique sur le cirque d’Artout, le Signal du Luguet, le massif du Sancy, le puy de Dôme et la Chaîne des Puys).
NB : À ce point, fin de la variante ; vous retrouvez le circuit « le Tour des Vaches Rouges »

Next step

Step 4 : Du parking, descendre à gauche et suivre la route direction Le Buffier. Au niveau d’une maison en ruines, prendre le chemin à gauche. Après un virage à droite (vue du Forez à La Margeride et sur le Mézenc), continuer la descente (vue sur le cirque d’Artoux) puis traverser un ruisseau. À la fourche, prendre à gauche puis monter jusqu’à une route. La traverser et s’engager à gauche sur le large chemin. Traverser le village Le Luguet jusqu’à la chapelle (table de pique-nique).

Opening hours

From 01/01 to 31/12 daily.
Open from May to October.

Subject to favorable weather.

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.
Bivouacs : during daylight saving time, tents must be pitched after 8 p.m. and dismantled before 8 a.m. The bivouac site must be located at the edge of the forest, excluding the slopes, craters and summits of volcanoes, unless otherwise indicated on the site. The agreement of the landowner must be sought.
Open-air fires are permitted in specially designated areas. Otherwise, all fires are prohibited within 200 m of the edge of a wood or forest, or under the terms of a prefectoral decree.
The use of portable gas stoves is nevertheless tolerated, in a setting that is as safe as possible (stable, away from flammable materials, etc.).
Stay on marked trails. Respect private property.
Bring your own rubbish bags for picnics, snacks and other waste, and use the containers available at most parking lots.
Do not disturb wildlife.
Don’t pick flowers, as many are protected (even those that seem very ordinary or common).

Environment

In the country, Mountain view, Village -2 km away, In a nature reserve, Presence of livestock and guard dogs

Downloadable :

PDF – Carnet_Hebergements_Tour-des-vaches-rouges