Loudes brings together the GR300 Chemin de Saint-Michel route and a history of buildings and their uses that stretches from the Château to the former girls’ school. Le Puy-Loudes Airport adds another focal point: aviation. So if you are considering Loudes as a destination, it helps to first decide whether your trip will be shaped by the route, the historic sites or an interest in aviation.
The GR300 passes through Loudes
The GR300 Chemin de Saint-Michel passes through Loudes. The route is a 103.7-kilometre, ten-day Grande Randonnée trek. This connects the town with a multi-day undertaking whose scope can be clearly defined. For your planning, this is a different starting point from a stay focused on individual historic buildings. If you are considering the GR300, you can view Loudes as part of the route; the trek itself is designed to take ten days.
Castles and historic uses
At the Castellum, the Château de Loudes, two large and three small towers remain today. The Château de Mestrénac offers a different historical perspective: it was built around 1250 by the Templars. At Loudes, the surviving structure today is described in concrete terms, while Mestrénac is distinguished in particular by its date of construction and the Templars as its builders.
The Château de Mestrénac was converted into a small museum in the late 1990s. If you are planning a museum visit, check access in advance on site. This keeps the historical conversion separate from the question of whether a visit is currently possible.
The Maison forte de Coubladour was built around 1300 by a noble family. Under the Ancien RĂ©gime, its function changed: it became an inn for muleteers and was called the Auberge du Casque. This example shows not only when it was built, but also how its use changed later.
The Maison de la Béate de Civeyrac was built in 1755 and served as a girls’ school from the 18th to the 19th century. It was converted into a small museum in the late 1990s; here too, check access in advance on site if you are planning a visit. Another dated landmark is the stone cross at the entrance to Loudes: it celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2013.
Airport and aviation interests
Le Puy-Loudes Airport is located in the commune of Loudes, ten kilometres west of Le Puy-en-Velay, and has a daily connection to Paris-Orly Airport. Check the flight schedule for your travel dates. Le Puy-Loudes airfield lies at just under 830 metres above sea level in open surroundings and offers a unique view of the volcanic landscapes of Haute-Loire. The airport also serves as a meeting place for people interested in model aviation, aerobatics and aviation. This makes aviation a distinct reason to include Loudes in your travel plans.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Front, Malvières, Araules, Paulhaguet, Brioude, Saint-Didier-En-Velay, Venteuges, Laval-sur-Doulon
For the broader travel overview: Haute-Loire.
