A 1,167 m Strombolian volcano whose lava flow created the Lac d'Aydat. Climbing it has been banned since May 2026, during the works.
The puy de la Vache is one of the most spectacular volcanoes in the Chaîne des Puys, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Together with its neighbour, the puy de Lassolas, it's a breached scoria cone: the crater opened up in a crescent, letting out a long lava flow, the cheire d'Aydat (cheire is the local word for a lava field), which dammed the valley and gave birth to the Lac d'Aydat. Its scoria, from red to black, stands out against the green of the summer pastures. It's also one of the youngest volcanoes in the range, about 8,500 years old. The site is fragile: in 2024, 100,000 passages were counted on the path to the summit of the puy de la Vache. Restoration works have been under way there since late February 2026, with successive closures until 2028 depending on the phases of the works. Since 13 May 2026, a municipal order has banned climbing the puys de la Vache and de Lassolas. At their foot, the long-distance hiking trail is still open, and the puy de la Vache quarry is still accessible.
What you will find
- A breached scoria cone, opened up by its lava flow
- The cheire d'Aydat, the lava flow that created the lake of the same name
- The red and black scoria, in the UNESCO-listed Chaîne des Puys
Local tip
The puy de la Vache car park has been closed since 20 April 2026 for the works, and successive closures are planned until 2028 depending on the phases of the works: follow the temporary waymarking set up on site. For a crater you can climb close by, go for the puy de Vichatel: 1 hour 15 minutes, 3.5 km, 187 m of climbing, and the full loop of a big wooded crater.
Good to know
- Since 13 May 2026, climbing the puys de la Vache and de Lassolas has been banned by municipal order, during the works
- The quarry at the foot of the puy de la Vache is still accessible, as is the long-distance hiking trail that runs along the foot of the volcanoes
