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Hiking in Cantal

404

routes

8.7 km

median distance

252 m

median elevation gain

The Cantal is Europe's largest stratovolcano, and its valleys radiate from the centre like the arms of a star. Mandailles-Saint-Julien climbs the Jordanne towards the Puy Mary, Thiézac and Saint-Jacques-des-Blats the Cère towards the Plomb du Cantal.

These are glacial trough valleys, broad at the bottom and closed by narrow ridges. The climb is long but steady, and the summit arêtes offer airy traverses from peak to peak.

Albepierre-Bredons and Laveissière, on the Prat de Bouc side, give the most direct access to the Plomb du Cantal and the summer pastures where Salers cattle graze.

When to go — June to October; snow lingers on the ridges into May, and fog can settle very quickly on the arêtes — a compass is no luxury.

OpenRando lists 404 hiking routes in Cantal. The median distance is 8.7 km, and most routes fall between 4.0 and 17.7 km — from an afternoon loop to a full day out.

On the climbing side, the median elevation gain is 252 m, and the most demanding routes exceed 673 m. Enough range to pick your effort by season and by form.

The most common starting points cluster around: Mandailles-Saint-Julien, Albepierre-Bredons, Thiézac, Saint-Jacques-des-Blats, Laveissière, Vic-sur-Cère. Every route comes with its GPX track, elevation profile and interactive map.

Longest routes in Cantal

  • Boucle Ligne de crêtes – Sommet du Puy Mary au départ de Massif Cantalien29.6 km
  • Fontaine de Jioujiou boucle à partir de Grandvals29.3 km
  • Boucle Ligne de crêtes – Col de Cabre au départ de Puy Griou28.1 km

All routes in Cantal