From the Allier to the Puy de Mur

From Dallet, this pleasant circuit close to Clermont-Ferrand (12 km) first skirts a lake in a wooded park, then takes you along the River Allier, which flows swiftly at the foot of the western slope of the Puy de Mur, where water is everywhere.

Start: From the start sign, make for the bank of the Allier. Go up along it and at the Place des Tilleuls take the path on the right (the "sentier des écoliers", the schoolchildren's path), then the first path on the right that gets closer to the river. Come back round on the left to rejoin the path you left earlier. Carry straight on, at the fork go left, go through two chicanes (zigzag barriers) and after the wastewater treatment plant turn right. Go past the stadium, then head left. Cross the Quai de la Moie and climb towards the former Tour du Rempart on the rue Abbé Banier.

1. Go back up it to take the rue de la petite Gobe on the left. On reaching the road, turn left for 20 m.

2. Take the chemin des Clos then turn left onto the chemin de la Grande Gobe, which becomes a sunken lane. Climb steadily straight on for 600 m to a very steep dirt track on the left. Take it, then follow the contour (viewpoint over the Chaîne des Dômes, the Sancy, the Cézallier, the Limagne) to reach a tarmac road, after passing a water tower.

3. Go down it for 200 m and take the first path on the left, then keep left throughout. At the old reservoir go down the chemin de la Côte des Bois. Go under a bridge, take the rue de la Côte Malais then, on the left, the rue des Remparts, go round a tower to take a flight of steps.

4. Return into the village, going down in turn: the rue des Tourelles, the Place de l'Horloge, the Place de la Halle, the rue A. Favre then the rue Antoine Besserve, which brings you back to the starting point.