The Le Péage circular trail combines a clearly defined hike with Château de Montguerlhe as its destination. The route is 9 kilometres long, classified as moderate, and listed as taking three hours. It starts and ends in Sainte-Agathe’s village square; from the church, the route leads to the castle ruins. This gives you both a specific timeframe and a historic destination to focus on when planning your day.

Hiking Trails and Landscape

Three hikes are available under the shared title “Tour de Sainte-Agathe.” You can choose according to specific interests: Le Péage is described by its length, difficulty level and duration; other routes pass through forest and hamlets or offer sweeping views. This lets you plan the hiking part of your stay around the experience you want.

The Chemin de Sainte-Agathe passes through villages and hamlets, crosses the Aiguebonne state forest and continues to the village of Sainte-Agathe and its church. There, a rich cultural heritage associated with the saint awaits you. This route brings together settlements, forest and religious heritage as distinct themes.

The Les coteaux d’Escoutoux circular trail also passes through Sainte-Agathe and offers views of the Chaîne des Puys, the Sancy, Clermont-Ferrand and the Pays Thiernois. The Puy d’Oscot circular trail also passes through the village and heads towards Château de Vaulx. The viewpoints are specified for Les coteaux, while the direction towards the château is specified for Puy d’Oscot.

The Chemin de Montguerlhe is a signposted circular hiking trail. It starts at Sainte-Agathe’s church square and leads to Château de Montguerlhe. The ruins are from a castle dating to the 11th century, which remained in use until the beginning of the 17th century.

Church and Historical Heritage

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Sainte-Agathe chapel was renamed Église Saint-Pierre. The church contains paintings, stained-glass windows, statues, a banner, a reliquary and a bas-relief dedicated to the holy martyr. A 15th-century cross of Sant’Ague can also be seen at the Sainte-Agathe cemetery. Together, these features represent different periods: from the 15th-century cross and the castle to the church’s renaming in the early 20th century.

Plan Your Stay

When looking for a hotel in Sainte-Agathe, you can match these themes to your travel plans: would you like Le Péage’s stated duration to shape your hiking day, are views, forest and hamlets your priority, or would you mainly like to explore the cultural heritage? The different routes and historical features offer various points of reference. First decide which themes you want to include in your stay, then look for accommodation that suits your plans.

Another possible reason to visit is the annual brocante in September. If you are planning your trip around this event, check the announcement for the relevant year before deciding on your dates.

Discover more destinations: Vertolaye, Combronde, Volvic, Égliseneuve-Des-Liards, Lachaux, Gelles, Riom, Sauxillanges

For the broader travel overview: Puy-De-Dôme.