Gelles: Waterfall, Cheese and Church History

Gelles brings together nature experiences, hiking destinations, cheese-making and the history of Saint-Georges Church. If you’re looking for a hotel in Gelles, your preferred focus can help shape your stay: would you like to make a short detour to Cascade de Say, take a longer circular route, or explore cultural history and cheese? The destinations described offer different ways to do this.

The History of Saint-Georges Church

The first mention of Saint-Georges Church dates from June 15, 1165. The bell tower was built later: Jacob Chardon from the parish of Pontgibaud erected it in 1691. On June 18, 1739, the church was badly damaged in the fire that devastated the village of Gelles. These dates give the church’s history a clear chronological sequence: the early mention was followed by the construction of the bell tower, before the fire badly damaged the building. For travelers interested in cultural history, this sequence brings different stages in the history of Saint-Georges to life.

AOP Cheese and Farm Production

At GAEC Sudre, visitors can learn about the farm’s milk and cheese production. This includes tastings of the AOP cheeses Bleu d’Auvergne and Fourme d’Ambert, which are made and matured there. GAEC Mélodie processes some of the milk produced on the farm into AOP Fourme d’Ambert cheese. The two farms therefore represent different aspects of the cheese theme: at Sudre, learning about production and tastings are part of the visitor experience; at Mélodie, the focus is specifically on processing the farm’s own milk into Fourme d’Ambert.

Cascade de Say Waterfall

Cascade de Say is a waterfall on a stream dotted with rocks. You can reach it via a path from the car park next to the information sign; the round trip takes 20 minutes. This makes it easy to distinguish the detour in terms of time from a longer hike. When planning, bear in mind that the descent and the surrounding area can be slippery. This is especially important if you’re fitting the waterfall into a day’s itinerary with other destinations.

Circular Trails and Views

The L’étang de Banson route is a 12.5-kilometre circular trail, with a stated duration of three hours and 30 minutes. It leads from Gelles to the ruins of the Château des seigneurs de Banson, Étang de Banson and Chapelle de Banson. At the starting point in Gelles, there is a car park and an information sign opposite the Maison familiale et rurale. The circular format, distance and stated duration help you plan this route as a separate activity.

Another hiking route is La roche branlante de Gelles. It offers views of the region and its volcanoes. The routes described therefore cater to different interests: for L’étang de Banson, the distance, circular route and destinations are specified, while La roche branlante highlights views of the region and its volcanoes.

Plan Your Stay to Suit You

To plan your stay, you can first consider how much time you have and then weigh up your preferred themes. The round trip to Cascade de Say is listed as taking 20 minutes; the L’étang de Banson circular route is 12.5 kilometres and takes three hours and 30 minutes. These details describe different time options, not the difficulty of the routes. Church history and the cheese offerings at GAEC Sudre and GAEC Mélodie complement the nature and hiking destinations with other points of interest.

Discover more destinations: Ceilloux, Valcivières, Olby, Olloix, Mareugheol, La Tour-D'auvergne, Saint-Étienne-Sur-Usson, Thiolières.

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