A circular hike that begins and ends at a Romanesque church gives your stay in Saint-Dier-D'auvergne a clear focus. The Des Ribes au Miodet route returns to Saint-Didier Church; alongside the hike, the church’s architectural history and Château des Martinanches offer different points of interest. Prior arrangements are required to visit the grain mill.
Hiking the Des Ribes au Miodet route
A route description from August 2026 lists Des Ribes au Miodet as a moderately difficult circular hike covering 11.4 kilometres and taking three hours. The route is marked in yellow and designated as a PR. Together, these details provide a clear framework for the hike: it is a loop that returns to the starting point, not a one-way route between two places. Check local trail conditions before setting out.
A possible detour to Moulin des Graveyroux is one kilometre long and follows an out-and-back route. It is an option when planning your hike, not a requirement for completing the loop. The route also offers views of the ruins of Château de Boissonnelle, Pierre-sur-Haute, Saint-Dier-d’Auvergne and the Monts du Forez. The named viewpoints range from a ruin to place and landscape names, giving the hike further specific points of orientation beyond its length and duration.
Saint-Didier Church: Founding and architectural history
Saint-Didier Church stands on a rock above the Miodet. Its founding dates back to 1052: Robert de Turlande, who also founded La Chaise-Dieu Abbey, is considered its founder. Construction began in the 12th century, a later phase; the church was built in the Romanesque style. The founding and the start of construction are therefore two distinct historical reference points.
The building comprises a broad nave with two bays and a large apse. In church architecture, a bay is a section of the interior; the description of the nave makes clear that it is divided into two such sections. The apse is illuminated by the stained-glass windows of the ambulatory chapels. This makes it possible to appreciate the architecture not only through its dates but also through the named elements of the church interior.
Château des Martinanches
Château des Martinanches dates from the 11th, 15th and 18th centuries. These three dates point to several historical reference points in its building history rather than a single date of origin. The château lies at the bottom of a valley in a park and is surrounded by moats. Its building history and location are thus two distinct aspects of the estate.
A historical description of the interior notes that it is fully furnished with pieces from the Louis XIII, Louis XIV, Louis XV, Louis XVI and Empire periods. This refers to the furnishings and adds a distinct stylistic perspective to the centuries represented in the building’s history. Visitors interested in architecture can thus distinguish between the development of the building and its described furnishings.
The mill and planning your visit
Moulin à farine de Graveyroux is still operating as a grain mill. You should enquire in advance about visiting. The mill is therefore a possible activity to plan separately from the circular hike: the hike’s length and duration are provided, while a prior enquiry is needed to arrange a visit.
Discover more destinations: Medeyrolles, NĂ©bouzat, Chaptuzat, Saint-RĂ©my-de-Blot, ThĂ´nes, Orbeil, Marsac-en-Livradois, Saint-Ours.
For the broader travel overview: Puy-De-DĂ´me.
