The Haute-Loire is a department rich in varied atmospheres. Crossing it is like going around the world without having to take a plane: from the alleys of Tuscany, to the great canyons of Colorado, passing through the mysterious castles of Scotland... There is a whole world to discover in Haute -Loire.
Stroll through the alleys of Tuscany in Le Puy-en-Velay
Looks like the south! Le Puy-en-Velay and its colorful facades in the city center influenced by the Italian Renaissance, are reminiscent of Tuscany or the small villages of Provence. They give a southern air and a wind of warmth to your ponotes and brivadoises walks. Indeed, the city of Brioude, just as polychrome, also has a very southern air. All that's missing is the weekly market on Saturday one early summer morning, and that's it, here we are!
Spend the fall by a Canadian lake in Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas
Between Cayres and Le Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas, millions of years ago, lava and water met in the depths of the earth's crust to give birth to a volcano, whose crater is today a lake surrounded by greenery. A lake which, when autumn arrives, completely changes its face. Red, yellow and brown then mingle with the green of the trees of the Altiligerian forests, to transport us straight to Canada. The 3 km walk around the lake is very pleasant and accessible to the whole family.
And in summer, the lake hoists its Blue Flag, which testifies to the environmental quality of the site and its waters, which are transformed into a magnificent swimming area!
Visit and immortalize the castles of Scotland, in Polignac and Lavoûte-sur-Loire
On autumn mornings, when the castles of Polignac as well as Lavoute-sur-Loire emerge from the mist, it feels like straight out of the Highlands of Scotland.
The first overlooks one of the “Most Beautiful Villages in France” from the top of its basaltic base. Impregnable, the fortress of Polignac offers a striking spectacle, it is one of the most majestic places in France.
The second is reminiscent of the castles of the Loire Valley, but within a wild and raw landscape in the Gorges de la Loire. Enlarged in the XNUMXth century and remodeled in the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, it was the stronghold of the Polignac family, which reigned over Velay for eight centuries. After crossing the Renaissance period garden, the visitor can discover an important collection of works of art, paintings and archives which testify to a history intimately linked to that of France.
Walk near the ridges of the Colorado Auvergne canyons in Rosières
It is as if the earth's crust had opened up to reveal its layers of beige, green and bluish clay over a thickness of nearly 50 meters. A slow geological work that gives these Ravines de Corboeuf false airs of canyons dressed in multicolored clays. If you take advantage of a beautiful view from the hamlet of Chastel (Rosières), it is by taking the 3,2 km discovery trail that surrounds it that you will take in the full dimension of this sedimentary mastodon.
Borrow it PR 634 to find out. An easy walk that sets off to discover an extraordinary site with an unusual landscape. It's a bit like the Wild West but right in the center of France.
Recharge your batteries in the vast snowy expanses of Lapland
In the middle of winter, on the Mézenc, there is a special atmosphere. When the vast plains resembling Mongolian landscapes are adorned with a white coat… The highest peak of Haute-Loire changes its face, heading towards Lapland and the country of Santa Claus. We would almost be surprised not to come across a reindeer...
When the sky is clear, from its summit, the view extends from the Rhône valley over the entire chain of the Alps, from Mont Blanc to Mont Ventoux and westwards to Plomb du Cantal and Puy de Sancy. Admire a 360° view of the surrounding landscapes.
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