The Maures pond

From the picnic area, go down the road towards Coissard/Puyfoulhoux (ignore the road to Champciaux on the right) (view of the Château de Coppel on the right). 300 m further on, take the first path that climbs on the left.

(1) Cross the road and keep climbing straight ahead; the road becomes a path (view of the Château de Coppel in the foreground, Clermont-Fd and the Chaîne des Puys in the middle distance; behind you, view of the Château de Montmorin and its church on the cliffside, Billom and the two Turlurons).

(2) Go through the hamlet of Les Plaines and carry straight on along the same small road. At a bend, carry straight on along a stony path towards the Maures pond.

(3) At the edge of the pond, at the road, turn right to walk along the dam (fine house with its dovecote). Continue along the small road, pass a path on the left that runs along the pond and carry on towards Segnoux.

(4) At Segnoux, by the bread oven, turn right (ignore the street that goes off to the right) and carry straight on between the houses; the road becomes a grassy path, keep straight on. On leaving (view of the ruined Château de Coppel, the Chaîne des Puys, the two Turlurons on the left, the Limagne plain ahead and the Château de Montmorin on the right), keep going straight on along a sunken path through the woods.

(5) At the first house of Serpanoux, turn left to enter the hamlet. 20 m further on, leave the D 14 on the left and carry straight on to go through the hamlet. Continue along this good path to the road (view of the Château de Montmorin and the church ahead and to the left: the ruins of the Château de Coppel in the foreground, Clermont-Ferrand, the Chaîne des Puys and the Puy de Dôme in the middle distance).

(6) At the road, keep climbing straight ahead to reach the picnic area (an out-and-back to the Château de Montmorin is possible (2 km, 30 minutes): 50 m before the picnic area, take a gravel path on the left to climb up to the château).