Blot-l'Église: Climbing, Hiking and Crafts

Blot-l'Église brings together several specific themes for planning your trip: the Rocher Charlemagne climbing area, a marked circular hike, local craft offerings and the Huilerie de Blot. If you are looking for a hotel, you can tailor your stay to the focus that interests you most. Details about access and season, as well as the option of arranging visits by appointment, are particularly relevant when planning your trip.

Climbing at Rocher Charlemagne

Rocher Charlemagne is a climbing area with nine sectors. The routes range from 10 to 40 metres in height, with stated grades from 4a to 8a+. You can use height and grade as two specific points of comparison when choosing a route. Access is via the D122, followed by a path along the Sioule to the rocks.

Sectors A, B, C and D are often closed to climbing from 1 February to 20 June because of peregrine falcon nesting. Check this seasonal restriction before your trip.

Hiking: circular route or stage

“De la Faye à la Sep” is a 13-kilometre, moderate circular hike marked in yellow. It starts at the car park by the La Faye picnic area on the D50 in Blot-l'Église. The route can be walked year-round in suitable weather conditions. Along the way, you’ll encounter the hills, hollows, valleys, hedgerows, woodlands and ponds typical of this part of the Combrailles. Views extend to the Chaîne des Puys, Limagne and Bois-Noirs. The distance, difficulty rating and trail-marking colour give you specific points of reference for planning this circuit.

Another hiking description covers the fourth stage of the Boucle du Pays de Menat. It runs from Blot-l'Église to the hamlet of Les Fougeroux, descends into the Gorges de la Sioule and later follows the Sioule to the locality of Les Garachons. Here, the route is described by its stage destinations and descent into the gorge. This presents two distinct points of reference side by side: a route designated as a circular hike and a stage with named places and a stretch along the river.

Landscape along the Sioule

Blot-l'Église is part of the Gorges de la Sioule Natura 2000 site. The Blot-l'Église bat roost is located in a steeply sloping forest in the Gorges de la Sioule. Its protected-area status and the landscape features described here offer a nature-focused aspect alongside the specific hiking routes.

Crafts and visits

The Maison des Art’isans in Blot-l'Église has permanent workshops, an association shop and a space for events centred on local crafts. Classes and workshops are offered on site. Several artists welcome visitors by appointment for guided tours of their studios. If you are planning such a tour, check the schedule and arrange your visit in advance. Classes and workshops and tours of the studios are different visitor offerings; prior arrangements are required for the latter.

Oil mill and market days

The Huilerie de Blot operates an oil mill dating from 1857. It produces eleven varieties of virgin oil and continues to use the original 1.6-tonne millstone. The mill’s historic date and the millstone still in use describe both the business’s history and a specific feature of its technology.

Markets featuring local producers are held in connection with the Huilerie de Blot on 1 May and 15 August, along with a Christmas market in late December. Dates may vary from year to year. If visiting a market is important to your trip, check the date for the relevant year.

Discover more destinations: Espinasse, Charbonnier-les-Mines, Beaumont, Grandval, Puy-Guillaume, Ménétrol, Bas-Et-Lezat, Singles

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