Landos combines hikes across a volcanic plateau with the Narces de La Sauvetat marshland and rural heritage in the town and its villages. The routes offer a choice of distances and landscapes, along with short paths through the marshland and a church with protected heritage status.
Choose Hiking Trails by Distance and Landscape
The 9.5 km PR 153, “Le circuit des marais,” crosses the heights of Landos, follows the Marais de Ribains and approaches the Marais de Praclaux and the Narces de La Sauvetat. It then returns to the town centre. The route’s described sections therefore include both higher ground and wetlands. Its stated distance and return to the town centre provide practical guidance when choosing a route.
The 17 km PR 690, “Entre maar et gardes,” starts at the Maar du Péchay in Costaros and continues into the municipality of Landos. The volcanic plateau is dotted with pastures, grain fields and lentil fields; cattle herds are also part of the landscape described. Compared with the 9.5 km PR 153, this route is longer and passes through a different, agriculture-shaped landscape. You can distinguish the two routes by their distances and the landscape features mentioned.
A documented section of the GR® 470, “Sources et Gorges de l’Allier,” runs from Landos to Langogne. For a mountain-bike ride, there is also the “Sur les traces de Stevenson” route: it starts at Place du marché in Landos, is 16.9 km long and has 219 metres of elevation gain. Surface conditions and route signage may change; check the latest information before setting out.
Marshland and Short Paths at the Narces
The Narces de La Sauvetat is a marsh covering about 55 hectares, formed in a maar crater. Alongside marsh plants, it is home to wildlife such as the Montagu’s harrier, rare amphibians, a heron colony and shrikes. The Narces thus combine a distinctive geological origin with a diverse marshland landscape.
The area is open to visitors year-round. A path leads from the viewpoint into the marsh, where three short circular routes are offered, ranging from 500 metres to 1 kilometre. These distances make it easy to distinguish a walk in the marsh from the longer hiking routes. If you are planning a visit, check access again before your trip.
Rural Heritage in Landos
A walk through Landos and its villages reveals traditional rural heritage: fountains, washhouses, crosses and communal bread ovens. These different structures and locations offer several stops along the way, so you need not limit your visit to a single monument.
The Église Saint-Félix is also part of the town’s heritage. It is protected as a Monument historique and has been classified as a historic monument since 10 February 1913. A display case at the entrance now presents paintings from the 17th to 19th centuries, as well as 15th-century statues. The statues were discovered beneath the floor slabs. The paintings and figures therefore date from different centuries; their shared display reveals several historical layers within the church’s collection.
When planning your trip, you can weigh up the clearly specified routes alongside the short marshland paths and the walk to discover the rural heritage. Landos offers a choice of hikes of varying lengths, nature experiences at the Narces, and discoveries in town and village life.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Paul-De-Tartas, Saint-Pierre-du-Champ, Moudeyres, Saint-Hilaire, Saint-Martin-De-Fugères, Prades, Saint-Romain-Lachalm, Beauzac.
For the broader travel overview: Haute-Loire.
