Name: Walking in the Auvergne
Brand: Cicerone Press
Price: 14.95 GBP
Availability: InStock

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42 Walks in the Massif Central - France's volcano region

Guidebook to the Auvergne describing 42 walks between 5 and 20km in the quiet volcanic hills of central France. Five areas are covered: Cantal, Chaine des Puys, Mont Dores, Haute-Loire and Montagne Bourbonnaise. The volcanic geography provides a stunning backdrop to routes suitable for all walkers. Bases in Vichy, Clermont-Ferrand and Puy-en-Velay.

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Quick facts

Region: Auvergne, Massif Central, central France
Walk format: 42 graded day walks
Walk distances: 2 to 16km (1 to 10 miles) per walk
Walk duration: 1 to 6 hours per walk
Difficulty grades: Grade 1 (easy) to Grade 3 (challenging, steep terrain and considerable ascent)
Areas covered: Cantal, Chaîne des Puys (Monts Dômes), Monts Dore, Haute-Loire (Livradois-Forez and Velay), Montagne Bourbonnaise
Main centres: Le Puy-en-Velay, Vichy, Murat (Cantal), Orcival (Monts Dore and Dômes), Mayet-de-Montagne (Bourbonnaise)
Key highlights: Puy de Dôme, Puy Mary, Plomb du Cantal, Puy de Sancy, crater lakes Pavin and Guéry, Chaise-Dieu abbey, Lavaudieu abbey, Orcival, Montgilbert château, Volvic spring, Gorges of the Loire, Livradois-Forez and Auvergne Volcanoes regional nature parks
Terrain: Volcanic peaks, crater lakes, river gorges, medieval villages, abbey circuits, forested plateaus
Best season: May to October; summer is hot and sunny; higher peaks are best in late spring and early autumn
Maps: Sketch maps included for every walk; IGN 1:25,000 maps recommended for Grade 2 and 3 walks

Detailed overview

One of France's least visited and most geologically spectacular regions, the Auvergne sits at the heart of the Massif Central, shaped by millions of years of volcanic activity that left behind a landscape of dramatic peaks, crater lakes, ancient lava flows, and some of the most unspoilt countryside in western Europe.

From the famous Puy de Dôme and the high summits of the Cantal to the gorges of the Loire and the abbeys of the Haute-Loire, this is a walking destination of extraordinary variety and character.
Written by Rachel Crolla and Carl McKeating, this guidebook describes 42 day walks ranging from 2 to 16km (1 to 10 miles) and taking 1 to 6 hours, organised across five distinct areas of the Auvergne. It combines clear route descriptions with detailed information on accommodation, public transport, and the region's volcanic history to help walkers of all abilities explore this remarkable corner of France with confidence.

The 42 walks are graded 1 to 3 and spread across five areas, covering the Cantal, the Chaîne des Puys, the Monts Dore, the Haute-Loire, including the Livradois-Forez regional nature park, and the Montagne Bourbonnaise
Highlights include volcanic summits Puy de Dôme, Puy Mary, Plomb du Cantal, and Puy de Sancy, alongside crater lakes Pavin and Guéry, magnificent abbeys at Chaise-Dieu and Lavaudieu, and the Volvic spring
Sketch maps are included for every walk alongside detailed information on accommodation and public transport, with local points of interest featured throughout, including the Livradois-Forez and Auvergne Volcanoes regional nature parks
Background sections cover the region's volcanic history, plants, wildlife, and food and drink, giving rich context for the landscapes and villages you encounter across all five areas
Ideal bases include Le Puy-en-Velay and Vichy, with Murat for the Cantal, Orcival for the Monts Dore and Dômes, and Mayet-de-Montagne for the Montagne Bourbonnaise

Forty-two walks through one of France's most geologically fascinating and least-explored walking regions. Discover the Auvergne's volcanoes, crater lakes, and medieval abbeys with confidence.

Where and when to go

Seasons

All the routes can be enjoyed from May to October. The summer months are usually hot and sunny, but the winters see snowbound villages and skiing on the higher Auvergne peaks

Centres

cities: Puy-en-Velay and Vichy; villages: Orcival for the Monts Dore and Dômes, Murat for the Cantal, Mayet-de-Montagne for the Bourbonnaise

Difficulty

Grade 1: Short easy walks with few navigational problems and little ascent; Grade 2: Walks that will not be taxing for a fit and experienced hiker. They may be longer, have moderate height gain or require good navigation skills; Grade 3: Challenging walks for experienced hikers. Steep terrain may be encountered with considerable ascents or longer mountain days

Must See

Fascinating volcanoes: Puy de Dôme, de la Vache and Pariou; high summits: Plomb du Cantal, Puy Mary and Puy de Sancy; magnificent abbeys and churches: Chaise Dieu, Lavaudieu and Orcival; chateaux: Montgilbert and Lavoûte-sur-Loire; attractive bases: Le Puy-en-Velay and Vichy; lakes Guery and Pavin, the Grand Cascade and Volvic spring

Overview map
Map key

Introduction
History
Volcanoes
Plants and wildlife
Food and drink
When to go
Getting there
Getting around
Accommodation
Difficulty
Equipment
Maps
Waymarking
Hazards and emergencies
Using this guide

1 The Cantal
Walk 1 Puy de Niermont
Walk 2 An Ascent of the Puy de Peyre Arse
Walk 3 Puy Mary with Optional Excursion to Puy de la Tourte
Walk 4 Traverse of the Br&##xea;che de Rolland from Puy Mary to Peyre Arse
Walk 5 Around Medieval Murat
Walk 6 The Plomb du Cantal
Walk 7 A Rombi&##xe8;re Ramble
Walk 8 Puy Griou
Walk 9 Up the Usclade
Walk 10 The Elanc&##xe8;ze
Walk 11 Puy Violent and the Shadow Rock
Walk 12 Roches Taillade and Roc d'Hozi&##xe9;res
Walk 13 Circuit of Puy Chavaroche
Walk 14 St Cirgues de Jordanne - Southern circuit
Walk 15 St Cirgues de Jordanne - Northern circuit

2 The Ch&##xe2;ine des Puys (Monts Dômes)
Walk 16 Puy de Dôme
Walk 17 Puys Lassolas and de la Vache
Walk 18 Around Orcival
Walk 19 Puy des Gouttes
Walk 20 The Crater of Puy Pariou
Walk 21 The Water of Volvic

3 The Monts Dore
Walk 22 The Grand Horseshoe: Puy de Sancy from Mont-Dore
Walk 23 Up the Chaudefour Valley to Puys Sancy and Ferrand
Walk 24 Around Lake Pavin
Walk 25 Connecting the Cascades of Puy d'Angle
Walk 26 The Tuili&##xe8;re and Sanadoire rocks
Walk 27 A Tour of the Curiosities of St Nectaire
Walk 28 Lake Gu&##xe9;ry and the Banne d'Ordanche

4 The Haute-Loire: Livradois Forez and Velay
Walk 29 Around Chaise-Dieu and the Senouire
Walk 30 The Gorges of the Loire
Walk 31 A Circuit of All&##xe8;gre
Walk 32 Mont Bar from All&##xe8;gre
Walk 33 Domeyrat and the Senouire
Walk 34 Vieille Brioude and the Ceroux
Walk 35 Lavaudieu Abbey and the Senouire

5 The Montagne Bourbonnaise
Walk 36 The Ruins of Montgilbert
Walk 37 Milling around the Mills
Walk 38 Around Ch&##xe2;tel Montagne and the Puy de Roc
Walk 39 Rocher St Vincent
Walk 40 The Cascade de la Pisserote
Walk 41 The Plateau de la Verrerie and its Tourbi&##xe8;re
Walk 42 Pierre Ch&##xe2;tel from St Nicolas des Biefs

Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Glossary of French walking terms
Appendix C Further reading
Appendix D Useful contacts

Which format is best for me?

Printed book

A guidebook with detailed route descriptions, stage breakdowns, accommodation listings, profiles and maps — everything you need on the trail.

ISBN	9781852846510
Availability	Published
Published	13 May 2013
Reprinted	10 September 2026
Weight	300g

eBook

The complete digital edition of the guidebook, with full route descriptions, accommodation listings, profiles and maps, ready to use on any device.

Updates

Updated 1 September 2019
Route updates and corrections
Sept 2019
The map for Walk 16 - Puy de Dôme on p.103 has been rotated to be read in landscape form. It is therefore oriented to west, not north as mistakenly suggested in the book. All the other maps in the book are oriented correctly to north.
Aug 2017
The authors are grateful for the following suggested updates to Walking in the Auvergne:
Walk 41, page 232.
"Go straight across the road and up the left side of the café to find a path."
Can now read: "Go straight across the road and up the left side of the new) community hall to find a path at the rear."
Walk 38, page 220.
As of 2017, disappointingly trees obstruct the view from the Puy de Roc making its observation table redundant. The trees may well be cut back in future.
Walk 40, page 227.
Route finding in the woods may prove a little challenging as you leave the valley floor on the obscure path opposite Le Moulin du Mas. It is helpful to keep in mind your position relative to the river, even after it goes out of sight. You should initially be heading in a roughly south westward and then westward direction before turning northeastwards on your descent to the river. The circular outing that extends the route is not a long one; if in any doubt about your route simply retrace your steps.
Updated 3 September 2026
Walk 25: Puy d'Angle
The final section of this walk has recently been rerouted. There are clear signs to follow back to Mont Dore, but be aware that the diversion adds an extra 2.5km to the total route length.

Meet the authors

Rachel Crolla

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Rachel Crolla is an outdoors all-rounder who loves hiking, biking, scrambling and climbing. She grew up in Yorkshire, where she still lives with her partner Carl McKeating and their young family. Rachel is an outdoors writer and photographer who is also trained as a journalist and teacher. She has hiked and climbed across the UK, Europe and the USA. In 2007 Rachel became the first woman to reach the summit of every country in Europe – she co-wrote the Cicerone guide book Europe’s High Points soon afterwards. Rachel has since co-written a guide to the mountains of the Massif Central in France and more recently has enjoyed writing about areas in the UK. She and Carl fully updated the Cicerone guide book Scrambles in Snowdonia, which was originally written by Steve Ashton in 1980. Rachel’s first cycling guide to the Yorkshire and Lancashire-based Way of the Roses was published in 2018. Rachel and Carl are passionate about enthusing the next generation of hikers and cyclists with a love of the outdoors.

Carl McKeating

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Carl McKeating is from Yorkshire. He is the co-author with Rachel Crolla of the books Europe’s High Points and Walking in the Auvergne published by Cicerone. Carl has also worked on the Yorkshire Gritstone: Volume 2 climbing guide for the YMC (2014) and is the co-updater with Rachel Crolla of Steve Ashton’s classic Scrambles in Snowdonia (Cicerone, 2017). A rock climbing and mountaineering enthusiast, in addition to ascending all of Europe’s national high points, in 2010 he completed a long-standing ambition to climb all the routes in Ken Wilson’s Classic Rock which he followed with a three month climbing and mountaineering tour of America. Inspired by Rachel Crolla’s work on a guide to the Way of the Roses cycling route, Carl has recently rediscovered his love of cycling. He loves playing football and guitar – both of which he does badly. A qualified English teacher, in 2014 Carl started work on a doctorate about Mont Blanc in British Culture. Carl and Rachel are passionate about enthusing the next generation of hikers and cyclists with a love of the outdoors.