La Virée des Rocs (Roc du Guet) starts and ends in Viscomtat. The circular route is rated difficult and leads to a viewpoint at Roc du Guet, offering views of Bois Noirs and Chaîne des Puys. This gives the route a clear connection to the village as well as a specific landscape destination. If you choose Viscomtat for a hiking trip, this circuit is a notable landmark for your planning.

A challenging circular route from Viscomtat

When choosing a route, it is worth bearing the difficulty rating in mind: La Virée des Rocs is not rated as an easy circuit. The start and finish are in the same village, making Viscomtat both the starting point and the end point. The route leads to the viewpoint at Roc du Guet, from where you can see two clearly named landscape areas, Bois Noirs and Chaîne des Puys. The route’s character and its views are therefore part of the same hiking experience.

Conditions on the route may vary. So check the current conditions before setting out. When planning a stay, it is also helpful to distinguish between a circular route and a longer trail: La Virée des Rocs starts and ends in Viscomtat, while the GR® 89 follows a regional route.

The GR® 89 and Montaigne’s journey

The GR® 89 – Chemin de Montaigne connects Lyon and Bordeaux. In the Puy-de-Dôme department, it covers 165 kilometres and follows the route taken by Michel de Montaigne in 1581. These details describe a different scale from the circular route starting in Viscomtat: the 165 kilometres refer to the section in the department, not to La Virée des Rocs.

The distinctive signage along the GR® 89 also brings its historical dimension to life. It features Montaigne’s texts and quotations about his journey and the areas he travelled through. Those interested in the connection between hiking and cultural history can explore it through the journey of a specific historical traveller. The trail signage thus adds a narrative dimension to the route; it differs considerably from the landscape focus of the viewpoint at Roc du Guet.

An independent donkey hike

For the activity “Walk with the donkeys Marius and Jasmal,” preparation is part of the experience: before setting out, visitors groom the donkey, clean its hooves and put on its pack saddle. They are then given a map of the route and complete the hike independently, at their own pace. A half-day or full-day hike is available.

The trails for this activity pass through valleys, forests and meadows between Bois Noirs and Forez. Chaîne des Puys can be seen in the distance along the way. In addition to the hiking experience, the way of travelling is also different: preparing the animal, following the map and setting your own pace are just as much a part of it as the landscape. The half-day or full-day hike offers you a specific choice of duration, while La Virée des Rocs is distinguished above all by starting and finishing in Viscomtat and being rated difficult.

Discover more destinations: Manglieu, Cunlhat, Boudes, Vernet-La-Varenne, Olliergues, Saint-Bonnet-Lès-Allier, Royat, Châteauneuf-Les-Bains.

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