Le Claux lies at the foot of Puy Mary, which has been awarded the Grand Site de France designation. The village is also located in the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d’Auvergne. For a stay, the hiking trails offer a practical starting point: they vary in length, starting point and character. In winter, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and activities with dogs are also available; in August, the Terroir Festival adds a cultural highlight.

Hiking: three routes with different highlights

Les Burons is a signposted 14.4-kilometre circular trail from Le Claux to the summer pastures. This makes it the shortest of the three loops described here. Check the conditions before setting out. Les Chamois is 17.9 kilometres long and rated difficult. The loop begins and ends at the Maison de Site du Puy Mary – Volcan du Cantal. After crossing the Col de Serre, the route follows the GR4/400.

The GR®400-Boucle de la vallée du Claux is a 22-kilometre day loop from Le Claux to Le Claux. Named sections and destinations include the ridge of Puy de la Tourte, the Suc de la Blatte and the Étang de Lascourt. Of the three routes, it is the longest; Les Chamois is shorter, but is explicitly described as difficult. When choosing, therefore, consider not only the kilometres but also the stated difficulty and starting point.

For planning, the difference between the starting points is particularly useful: Les Burons and the GR400 loop start in Le Claux, while Les Chamois starts at the Maison de Site du Puy Mary – Volcan du Cantal. The destinations and routes also differ. The GR400 names several notable points along its loop; after the Col de Serre, Les Chamois continues along the GR4/400. This makes it possible to choose a hike based on the desired route profile without combining the three descriptions into a single route.

Winter activities and conditions

The Domaine Nordique du Haut Cantal Puy-Mary offers cross-country skiing and snowshoeing at the Col de Serre and in the Lascourt area. Operations depend on snow and weather conditions. If you are planning a winter trip, take this caveat into account: the activities are tied to specific areas, and whether they operate depends on conditions.

In Le Claux, Nordicateam offers dog-sled rides, canicross hikes, snowshoe hikes with dogs and a musher experience day. These activities must be booked in advance. When weighing up the winter options, you can distinguish between activities in the Nordic area and the dog activities that require reservations.

Terroir Festival and finding your way around the valley

Another distinctive feature is the Four Troglodyte de Lapeyre in Le Claux. It is put back into operation every year for the Terroir Festival, held on the first weekend of August. If you want to plan your stay around this event, check the festival dates before you travel. The Four is therefore not simply part of a year-round visitor programme, but is associated with a recurring event held on a specific August weekend.

For information in the Petite-Rhue valley, visit the Maison de Site du Claux. It has an information point, a shop and an exhibition space. Together with the trails’ starting points, this provides a practical guide for choosing your day’s activities: Les Burons and the GR400 loop start in Le Claux, while Les Chamois begins and ends at the Maison de Site du Puy Mary – Volcan du Cantal.

Getting there and planning accommodation

During the summer season, Les Chamois is served by the Puy-Mary shuttles. Line 4 between Riom-ès-Montagnes and the Col de Serre also stops in Le Claux. If you plan to use this seasonal connection for your trip, check the timetable in advance. The stop in Le Claux and the starting point for Les Chamois are two separate details that you can take into account individually when planning your day.

This selection combines accommodation planning with the actual starting points, areas and seasonal conditions mentioned for Le Claux.

Discover more destinations: Ruynes-en-Margeride, Marcenat, Champs-Sur-Tarentaine-Marchal, Cassaniouze, Giou-De-Mamou, Mauriac, Dienne, Saint-Gérons.

For the main travel overview: Cantal.