A hike on either side of the Borne valley with its caves and troglodyte habitats dug into the volcanic rock; we could call it, in Velay, the valley of Man.
Route details
Description
From the center of the town, go up to the top of the village. Turn right onto rue de la Prade towards the Château de la Rochelambert. Turn left to pass under the railway line and continue for 300 m.
At the grove, go up a path to the right and arrive near a farm. Follow the access road on the left, then the road on the right. Turn left onto the D 25 and, after 180 m, leave the tarmac for the path on the right. Join a small road; follow it to the right. At the top, reach a junction.
Go down the wide path on the right between farmland. At the bottom, go right, pass under the railway again and end up on a small road. Go up to the right at Marcilhac. In the center, turn left then continue on the left. At the exit of the village, at the access to the Château de la Rochelambert, stay on the road which winds down to join the D 25. Follow it to the left, cross the bridge over the Borne and go up for 350 m.
Use a path on the right which runs along the overhanging road, then joins it on the flat area. Continue until you reach a cross and take the track on the right. Ignore a path on the left and continue straight ahead. Stay on the main path which goes straight between the pastures and then into the woods. It then descends towards the Bourbouilloux stream, passes under the Borne cliff and emerges at its foot at the entrance to Borne.
Turn left to cross Bourbouilloux on the ford. Turn right and, at the houses, right again twice to use the footbridge above the Borne and return to the start.
At the grove, go up a path to the right and arrive near a farm. Follow the access road on the left, then the road on the right. Turn left onto the D 25 and, after 180 m, leave the tarmac for the path on the right. Join a small road; follow it to the right. At the top, reach a junction.
Go down the wide path on the right between farmland. At the bottom, go right, pass under the railway again and end up on a small road. Go up to the right at Marcilhac. In the center, turn left then continue on the left. At the exit of the village, at the access to the Château de la Rochelambert, stay on the road which winds down to join the D 25. Follow it to the left, cross the bridge over the Borne and go up for 350 m.
Use a path on the right which runs along the overhanging road, then joins it on the flat area. Continue until you reach a cross and take the track on the right. Ignore a path on the left and continue straight ahead. Stay on the main path which goes straight between the pastures and then into the woods. It then descends towards the Bourbouilloux stream, passes under the Borne cliff and emerges at its foot at the entrance to Borne.
Turn left to cross Bourbouilloux on the ford. Turn right and, at the houses, right again twice to use the footbridge above the Borne and return to the start.