In Champeix, protected historic architecture, terraced landscapes and trails of varying lengths come together. Marchidial and Pailhats are focal points in the cultural landscape, alongside a marked walking trail, hikes and cycling routes. When choosing a route, it is worth looking at the specific differences: some are short and have an approximate duration, while others are much longer or classified as moderate or difficult.

Marchidial and Historic Traces

Marchidial is a protected historic complex on a granite promontory. It includes several buildings, towers and perimeter walls. Also preserved are the base of a Romanesque round tower and the former castle church, which can be visited in summer. If you plan to visit, take its seasonal opening into account.

During restoration work in the Saint-Jean chapel, 12th-century wall paintings were uncovered. The scenes depicted include the “Feast of Herod.” The Sainte-Croix church in Champeix also dates from the 12th century. Terraced cultivation plots were gradually created in the southern part of the Marchidial grounds—another indication of how closely the town’s history is linked to the use of the land.

Terraces, Garden and Menhir

North of Champeix, Pailhats form an amphitheater of terraces with dry-stone walls. Paths and steps run through the area, which is considered an important archaeological and landscape heritage site. The walls are cleared of vegetation and reinforced. Pailhats thus offer a different aspect of the terraced landscape from the cultivated terraces at Marchidial.

The garden of the Sisters of Saint-Joseph is also terraced: an orchard terrace lies at the top, and a terrace with a central basin lies below. The basin was used to irrigate vegetable crops. Another striking feature is the Pierre Fichade menhir. This 3.60-metre-high Neolithic megalith stands on the heights of Champeix, between the edge of town and Ludesse. It can be reached via Rue de Beauregard or Route de Ludesse.

Walks and Tours by Distance

The “Rando” family trail is a marked 3.5-kilometre walk with a low difficulty level. Its purpose is to introduce visitors to the local heritage. Champeix also has a permanent orienteering course, set up in collaboration with the Ligue d’Auvergne de Course d’Orientation. It includes an area with 20 control points.

There are several options for longer hikes, each with a different distance. “La pierre Fichade” starts at the town hall in Champeix, is 6.5 kilometres long and takes about 1 hour 45 minutes. The “Les caves de Saint-Julien” trail starts on Rue des Halles, covers 9.5 kilometres and takes about 2 hours 45 minutes. These figures make it easy to compare distance and approximate walking time. “Le grand tour entre puys et couze” also starts at the town hall; this moderate hike is 28.5 kilometres long.

The cycling routes also differ considerably in difficulty and length. The moderate “Sur les hauteurs de Champeix” trail route is 20 kilometres long. Check the conditions before setting out. The difficult mountain-bike loop No. 5, “Entre grottes et châteaux,” covers 41 kilometres and passes, among other places, Château du Marchidial in Champeix.

Walking Tour, Visits and Event

The “Parcours Champeix” visitor booklet offers a walking tour to discover the village. The visitor route follows the Couze Chambon and passes the colourful façades on Quai d’Aubary. For those interested in a guided visit, Champeix Animations organises original, entertaining two-hour tours of the town on request throughout the year. Confirm availability before your trip.

Champeix can be reached on foot via the Via Arverna, also known as the Chemin de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle. Another listed walking route is the GR® de Pays “Tour en Pays des Couzes.” An annual two-day event, “Cité des Jardins” combines a plant market, a discovery walk and a concert. If you would like to plan your trip around this event, check the event dates before making arrangements.

Discover more destinations: Le Brugeron, Besse-Et-Anastaise, Ardes, Gerzat, Murat-Le-Quaire, Naves, Sayat, Villeneuve.

For the overview of the wider area: Puy-De-Dôme.