Lavigerie: Puy Mary, hiking trails and burons

For a stay in Lavigerie, the landscape around Puy Mary, the hiking trails and the local buildings offer several concrete points of interest. The Buron d’Eylac is located at the foot of Puy Mary in the Eylac cirque. The trails also connect the mountain with different landscapes: a cirque and a green valley each shape the routes described in their own way. When choosing your destination, you can consider whether you are most interested in cirque landscapes, valley trails or local architecture. If you are looking for hotels in Lavigerie, these themes provide a practical guide to choosing your destination.

Hiking trails with contrasting landscapes

The Les chamois route passes through the Petite Rhue cirque below Puy Mary. The Tour de la vallée de l’Impradine starts at La Gravière below the village and runs through a green valley overlooked by Puy Mary. It also passes through mountain hamlets with traditional architectural heritage. The Les chamois route focuses on the cirque, while the Impradine tour takes in the valley and mountain hamlets. La Gravière is also the starting point for the hike to the Buron de Peyre-Arse. The 5.4-kilometre round trip has an elevation gain of 340 metres. From La Gravière, you can choose between a valley trail through mountain hamlets and a round trip to a named buron. The hike to the Fours de Peyre Arse takes place on Europe’s largest stratovolcano.

Burons and local history

Lavigerie is home to numerous burons. Some are visible from the road, while others can be reached by experienced hikers. The Church of Notre-Dame de la Visitation was built in 1830 on the site of an older chapel. Its history thus links a specific period with the site’s earlier use as a chapel. The entire Maison Saury estate is listed as a historic monument. For the church, the historical point of reference is the sequence from chapel to later church building; for Maison Saury, the listing covers the whole estate.

Local produce and seasonal routes

The sale of local agricultural and craft produce at the Buron d’Eylac is seasonal. Specialities at the Buron d’Eylac include cured meats, bourriols, cheese and pachades.

The narrow, winding road from Lavigerie reaches the foot of Puy Mary in summer and ends at the Col de Serre in winter. When snow conditions are suitable, you can hike from there on snowshoes to the Eylac glacial cirque in winter. The Col de Serre is therefore a shared landmark for the end of the road and the start of the hike; the road route varies by season, while the snowshoe trail also depends on snow conditions.

Discover more destinations: Chalinargues, Mourjou, Bassignac, Saint-Mamet-La-Salvetat, Méallet, Laroquebrou, Le Claux, Le Falgoux

For the regional travel overview: Cantal.