From La Chaise-Dieu to Puy-en-Velay, the territory of the Urban Community offers three stages of day hiking which will take you to discover Allègre, Saint-Paulien and Le Puy-en-Velay. True tourist totems of the city, set off to discover our flagship towns in 3 stages on foot or by bike!

The must

THE CHAIR-GOD

The Chaise-Dieu plateau has a unique heritage and natural wealth. It offers preserved, green nature, with numerous valleys and forests making it up. Hikers, let yourself be charmed by the walks in the undergrowth and forests that La Chaise-Dieu offers you.

On marked trails, suitable for everyone and passable from spring to autumn, you will love picking wild fruits and mushrooms along your way!

Luke Olivier

At the heart of La Chaise-Dieu beats a monumental masterpiece of religious history. On the highlands, the Saint-Robert abbey church is an essential part of your hike between La Chaise-Dieu and Le Puy-en-Velay.

The small town of character

ALLEGRE

Allègre offers a whole range of landscapes, woods and trails that are worth the detour! Walking in Allègre means filling up on fresh air, meeting Mont Bar and Mont Baury, two ancient volcanoes on the side of which the small village nestles.

Here again, cranberries, wild blackberries, wild strawberries, not forgetting the many varieties of mushrooms, will be your traveling companions on these exceptional trails.

The Gallo-Roman cradle

SAINT-PAULIEN

From La Chaise-Dieu, you cross Velay, of which Saint-Paulien was the capital 2.000 years ago. The Ruessian city highlights its past and its Gallo-Roman remains thanks to its unmissable collegiate church but also its historical museum.

Numerous woods and trails surround the village of Saint-Paulien. You will discover some of the most surprising fauna and flora there. For angling enthusiasts, the region offers numerous trout rivers.

Very close to Saint-Paulien, the Rochelambert castle hangs on a basalt cliff, remains of an ancient volcano. It houses an exceptional collection of Romanesque and Gothic sculptures.

Luke Olivier

FORMER CAPITAL OF VELAY

Ancient Vellavian capital and ideally located between Puy-en-Velay and Chaise-Dieu, Saint-Paulien was born 2.000 years ago after the Roman conquest. Known as Ruessio, his name was later Latinized into Ruessium.

The crossroads of the Great Walk

LE PUY-EN-VELAY

Departure from Via Podiensis, main route in Europe towards Saint-Jacques- de-Compostella, Le Puy-en-Velay is an exceptional site. Preserved from the ravages of time, the city has many surprises in store for visitors. Its protected area of ​​35 hectares with the Cathedral and the Hôtel-Dieu, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Saint-Jacques, testifies to the richness of its architecture and its history.

City of art, artistic and cultural center, place of exchanges and meetings, Le Puy-en-Velay offers numerous and varied activities all year round. The city is also an ideal vacation spot to discover a region whose volcanism has shaped the beauty of the landscapes. For those who like to discover a region while walking, Le Puy-en-Velay is a true land of plenty.

There are indeed few places in France that can boast of seeing so many long-distance hiking trails pass through their historic center.

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THE STEPS day by day

  • 1 Day: From La Chaise Dieu to Allègre, 21km (5h15)
  • 2 Day: From Allègre to Saint-Paulien, 16,5 km (4h15)
  • 3 Day: From Saint-Paulien to Puy-en-Velay, 17km (5h)

Practical information : The 3 hiking guides between Le Puy-en-Velay and La Chaise-Dieu are available in paper version at the Tourist Offices of Puy-en-Velay and La Chaise Dieu.

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