Domaize: Walking Routes and Local History

Discover Domaize through two signposted circular walks and a range of historical themes. The routes differ in length and course; fruit growing, mills and architectural history add to the picture of the town.

Two signposted circular walks

La ronde des Fruits is a 10.8-kilometre circular walk marked with yellow PR waymarks. Its panoramic views stretch from the Monts du Forez and Thiers across the Dore valley to the Chaîne des Puys and Sancy. The Château de Mauzun and surrounding villages are also among the stated viewpoints. At the Moulin de Recoule, the route crosses the Mende; it then follows a path above the Mende gorges.

La croix 3 fourchoux is also a circular walk marked in yellow: it is 8.9 kilometres long, takes three hours and starts in Domaize at the church. The route leads to the Croix trois Fourchoux and returns to Domaize via the cemetery and the Faubourg. It ends below the covered market opposite the château.

At 8.9 kilometres, La croix 3 fourchoux is the shorter of the two walks; La ronde des Fruits is 10.8 kilometres long. The three-hour duration applies to the shorter walk. This allows you to compare the route lengths directly without treating the two courses as the same: one route runs along the Mende above the gorges, while the other returns to the town area via the Croix trois Fourchoux.

Fruit growing and historical layers

Agriculture is also part of Domaize’s history. After the Second World War, there were 1,800 fruit trees in the Sauvagnon valley. This historical figure places fruit growing in the context of local history and describes an orchard stock from the postwar period.

Architecture, art and heraldry

The Château de Domaize is a Renaissance building. The central section in particular was extensively remodelled in the 17th century; a gallery was added during this phase of construction. The Renaissance building and later remodelling represent different historical layers of the structure. The château is a private residence.

Behind the altar in the Église Saint-Loup de Domaize is a copy of Rubens’ “Descent from the Cross.” Another detail of local heraldry is the sequence of coats of arms in the heraldic hall of the lords of Domaize: the coats of arms are surrounded by a cord and a palm. The building’s history, religious art and heraldry thus offer different ways to explore the town’s past.

The history of mills in La Recoule

In 1781, La Recoule had five mills, including an oil mill. The year 1893 is inscribed on a wall of the La Recoule grain mill; before the Second World War, the building was converted into a sawmill. The date on the wall and the later change of use mark different periods in the history of the mills.

If you are planning a trip to Domaize, the town offers both circular walks with clearly differing lengths and historical themes ranging from fruit growing to milling.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Pierre-Colamine, Aubière, Saint-Genès-Du-Retz, Bagnols, Saint-Pierre-Le-Chastel, Briffons, Olby, Parent.

For the overview of the wider area: Puy-De-Dôme.