Bellevue-La-Montagne: Hiking, mountain biking and history

For your planning in Bellevue-La-Montagne, you can choose from hiking routes, a mountain bike circuit and historic sites. When selecting a route, duration, distance and stated difficulty can help: PR345 Le Monthiol is shorter than the GR-765 stage to Saint-Paulien. The Entre Chomelix et Bellevue circuit has its own combination of distance, duration and difficulty rating. This lets you first narrow down your options by activity and timeframe.

Hiking: a circular trail and a longer stage

The PR345 Le Monthiol hiking trail starts and ends in Bellevue-La-Montagne. It is rated easy, covers 6.1 kilometres and takes about one hour and 30 minutes; its maximum elevation is 992 metres. Along one section, the route follows an old Roman road. This tour therefore combines a clear timeframe with a specific historic route designation.

The GR 765 offers a longer hiking stage: Western Stage 15 starts in Bellevue-La-Montagne and continues to Saint-Paulien. The Bellevue-La-Montagne–Saint-Paulien stage is 12.8 kilometres long, takes about four hours and ten minutes, is rated difficult and reaches a maximum elevation of 998 metres. Compared with the PR345, both the distance and duration are considerably greater; the difficulty rating also differs, from easy to difficult.

The maximum elevations of the two routes, at 992 and 998 metres, are close. This figure refers to the highest point on each route; it is not the same as the total elevation gain along the way. Your decision will therefore be clearer if you consider maximum elevation together with duration, distance and difficulty.

Comparing the mountain bike circuit

The signposted Entre Chomelix et Bellevue mountain bike circuit is in Bellevue-La-Montagne. It is rated moderate, covers 14.5 kilometres and takes about one hour; its maximum elevation is 977 metres. Compared with the PR345, the mountain bike circuit is longer in kilometres but takes less time. It is also rated moderate, while the hiking trail is rated easy.

The circuit’s paths are considered easy to walk or ride on and not very uneven; the route is described as a family-friendly circuit. Along with duration, distance and difficulty, these features offer additional guidance when choosing an activity. This lets you take the stated characteristics of the mountain bike circuit into account without equating them with the information given for the hiking routes.

Historic buildings and route connections

Château de Saint-Just controlled the road between Craponne-sur-Arzon and Le Puy-en-Velay from the early Middle Ages. Of the ancient fortress of Saint-Just, once flanked by two round towers and two square towers, one tower and the main residential building remain. The former Château de Bellevue-La-Montagne was built in the 15th century by descendants of the d’Allègre family; these descendants included members of the Tourzel and Quesnel families.

A section of the Way of St. James also connects named places with local heritage: the Chomelix–Saint-Paulien section passes through Bellevue-La-Montagne and features a wealth of rural heritage. Together with the old Roman road on the PR345, this route connection offers another historical perspective alongside the architectural history of the castles and fortress.

Discover more destinations: Venteuges, Chaspuzac, La Chomette, Polignac, Vals-Près-Le-Puy, Blavozy, Connangles, Sanssac-L'église

For the broader travel overview: Haute-Loire.