Leyvaux and Apcher gorges

Come and walk the green pastures set against the majestic Signal du Luguet, where the herds of ruminants taken up to the summer pastures graze, and also cross the hamlets of Combaliboeuf, Saroil, Bosberty and Leyvaux. The church and its majestic bell gable (clocher à peigne) will surprise you. Many viewpoints will open up before you: Montfouat, Livradois, Devès, Signal du Luguet... The small valleys of the Barthonnet and Apcher streams hosted an activity somewhat unusual for this area: the mining of silver, arsenic and antimony. The discovery of several ore veins at the start of the 19th century led to mining, notably of antimony, which was particularly used in printing, paints, cosmetics and fireworks. Once extracted, the ore was processed on site, in a factory whose square chimney, some thirty metres high, still stands along the Barthonnet. Mining of the veins in the area was abandoned in the 1920s.

Start: The start is at Combaliboeuf, on the level area at the roadside. Enter the hamlet. Soon leave the tarmac road and go down to the left along a path lined with ash trees.

Go down through the moorland. Cross the Saroil stream on the left, then climb back up along the hillside. The path goes over a ridge then goes back down, through wild cherry trees.

Go through Leyvaux, follow the path that runs alongside the small stream. Stay in the valley, on the wooded north-facing slope.

Ignore the path on the left that goes down. The sunken path overlooks the gorges of the Apcher stream.

Cross the Apcher stream. After a sharp bend to the right, the track climbs. After a last bend to the left, you reach Sagne.

Leave the road at a bend and take a path lined with walls. Go over two stiles and reach Saroil.

At the entrance, take the path on the left that climbs and passes below a roof of lauzes (stone roofing slabs). At the road, turn left. Leave the hamlet.

Reach a crossroads. Viewpoint on the left over Anzat-le-Luguet and, behind it, the Signal du Luguet. Take the path on the right, across the plateau, that leads to Combaliboeuf and return to the starting point.