Our take
The largest Strombolian cone in the Chaîne des Puys, with its two nested craters. The forest loop shows it from several angles: an open-air lesson in volcanic geology.
The largest Strombolian cone in the Chaîne des Puys, with its nested double crater, and a 6 km waymarked forest loop to go round it.
The puy de Côme, a Strombolian volcano of the Chaîne des Puys (1,252 m, commune of Ceyssat), is the largest cone of its type in the chain: more than 300 metres high, with two craters nested one inside the other. It is part of the Chaîne des Puys - Limagne Fault site, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018. The summit and the flanks are closed to the public: visitor numbers and disrespectful practices, which had damaged the site, led to its closure in 2003, and a municipal order of 2022 forbids access on foot. To discover it, follow the loop round the puy de Côme: an easy 6 km loop, about 1 hour 45, waymarked in blue, starting from a car park on the D559, 1.4 km from the entrance to Vulcania. It runs through a beech wood and then a pine wood, passes old charcoal kilns and opens up views of the double cone of the puy de Côme, the Grand Suchet and the puy de Cliersou. Dogs must be kept on a lead, because of the livestock.
Why we love it
- The double cone of the puy de Côme, which reveals itself from the high point of the loop
- The calm, cool beech wood that keeps you company for much of the loop
- The charcoal kilns that line the path through the beech wood
- The view over the neighbouring cones, lined up as if on a map
Top tip
The waymarked loop starts from a car park on the D559, 1.4 km from the entrance to Vulcania in the direction of Mazayes. Allow about 1 hour 45 for the 6 km, waymarked in blue. Stay on the path: access to the summit and the flanks of the volcano is not allowed. In fog, it is better to put it off until a clear day.
Before you go
- Early in the morning for the low light, or at sunset in summer.
- Car park at the start of the puy de Côme loop, on the D559, 1.4 km from the entrance to Vulcania in the direction of Mazayes.
- The loop is mostly through woodland, with no real difficulty.
- Dogs must be kept on a lead, because of the livestock
- The path goes round the cone (access to the summit is closed): allow about 1 hour 45 for the 6 km loop, waymarked in blue
- Vulcania and the Lemptégy volcano are very close: enough to round off the day
Weather for the next 3 days
Today
9°/3°
2 mm · 40 km/h
Tomorrow
11°/2°
dry · 22 km/h
Tue 27
16°/9°
0 mm · 26 km/h
Source: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). General lowland forecasts, to be cross-checked with specialist mountain forecasts at altitude.
Practical info
- Address
- Puy de Côme, 63210 Ceyssat, France
63210 Ceyssat
What visitors say
Google rating
Average of 89 reviews on Google Maps.
Community rating
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It's for you if
- You want to see up close the largest Strombolian cone in the Chaîne des Puys
- You like forest walks, cool and quiet
- You want an easy 6 km loop with a real reward
Give it a miss if
- You want to climb a summit: access to the summit and the flanks of the volcano is not allowed; the waymarked path goes round it
- You are coming with a pushchair: part of the path is sunken and steep
Your logbook
Around Puy de Côme
Enough to build your day around this address.
Where to eat close by
Where to stay nearby
€€Les Gîtes des Cinq Chemins
4.8Mazaye · 5.3 km away
L'Otigeon
5.0Orcines · 6.2 km away
Dôme à Bulles - Cabanes & Spa
5.0Orcines · 6.5 km away
Hikes nearby
Waymarked routes within 15 km, GPX track included.
On foot
On footWorth a read
Articles and guides that mention this place.
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