Ceyrat: Hiking, Nature and Local History

Ceyrat combines hiking trails, a geologically shaped landscape and buildings with diverse historical connections. When planning your trip, you can start by choosing between exploring the trails, discovering nature and learning about local history. Highlights include an easy route with a stated duration, destinations such as the Dolmen de Samson and Montrognon, a reconstruction of an ancient bakery and several churches.

Hiking Trails and Destinations

The Parcours de santé de Ceyrat has three routes. The easy route is listed as 6 to 7.2 kilometres long, with a duration of 2 hours and 30 minutes. This time frame can help you plan your day. As trail conditions can change, check them before setting out. The hike to the remains of Montrognon starts in Ceyrat and leads to the remains of the medieval tower. The tourism authority updated the route information on August 5, 2026.

The Les vestiges de Montrognon hike can be reached using T2C Line 4, getting off at the “Ceyrat Mairie” stop. Check transport information before departure, as details may change. The ViaBoisCeyrat is a different kind of route: a dedicated path for pedestrians and cyclists, separate from car traffic. It was completed following work that began in 2024. The Dolmen de Samson is a destination on both a marked hiking trail through the Gorges de Ceyrat and the Les 4 ruisseaux route.

Landscape and Nature

The Gorges de Ceyrat follow the valley of the Ruisseau de Saint-Genès, which cuts into the eastern edge of a granite plateau southwest of Clermont-Ferrand. The gorges are recognized as a Zone Naturelle d’Intérêt Écologique, Faunistique et Floristique (ZNIEFF). This classification describes the landscape in terms of both its geological setting and its ecological designation.

Mediterranean-origin plant and insect species live on the slopes of Puy de Montrognon. These include numerous orchids, which are protected by the European Natura 2000 network. The 699-metre summit of Montrognon offers views of Clermont-Ferrand, the Limagne Plain and the Chaîne des Puys. The species on the slopes and the summit views offer different ways to experience the landscape.

Buildings and Local History

A mill has stood at the La Tranchère, also known as Le Mounat, site since at least the 17th century. The reconstruction at this site represents an ancient bakery; it was inspired by Gallo-Roman archaeological finds and the remains of Pompeii. The building measures 8 × 4 metres and includes an oven and a hand mill. The mill and the bakery reconstruction thus represent different historical connections to the same site.

The Chapelle Notre Dame de la Délivrance dates from 1872 and has a vaulted interior with exposed masonry made of dressed stone, including the flooring. The Église Saint-Martin has medieval origins and was remodeled in the 19th century. It contains statues listed as historic monuments, as well as a classified roller organ. The Église Notre-Dame de la Nativité was originally built as a small 17th-century chapel. The Tour de Montrognon is the only surviving remnant of a castle built in 1190 by Count Robert I Dauphin d’Auvergne.

Discover more destinations: Sauret-Besserve, Saint-Julien-Puy-Lavèze, Fournols, Dallet, Saint-Floret, Cébazat, Brassac-Les-Mines, Saint-Sauves-D'auvergne.

For the broader travel overview: Puy-De-Dôme.