Saint-Ours: Hiking Trails and Volcano Experiences

Vulcania in Saint-Ours-les-Roches and the hiking trails starting from Saint-Ours offer different ways to plan your trip. If you are looking for a hotel, you can first consider whether volcano-themed attractions, guided tours, or hiking days will be the main focus of your stay.

Volcano Experiences and Geological Insights

Vulcania is an immersive theme park focused on volcanoes, natural phenomena, and planet Earth. At the Volcan de Lemptégy, the focus is different: a two-and-a-half-hour interactive tour divided into five stages. The site is in the “Chaîne des Puys – Faille de Limagne” tectonic area, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The nighttime experience “Le Réveil du Volcan” at the Volcan de Lemptégy is 1.5 kilometres long. Check the dates and availability of this experience before your trip. During school holidays, a shuttle connects Vulcania with Clermont-Ferrand station, travelling via Chamalières, Royat, and Orcines. It is advisable to check the timetable when planning your trip.

An Introduction to Beekeeping

At La Ruche des Puys, the focus is on a different aspect of nature: the social organisation of bees. Guided tours feature glass-sided beehives and an apiary; observations with a macro camera are also included. This lets you distinguish this visit from volcano-themed attractions by its focus.

La Ruche des Puys displays historic beekeeping equipment in a former vaulted barn. The tour is free to visit during the shop’s opening hours. Tastings of various types of honey are also available, including acacia, mountain, alder buckthorn, and chestnut honey. The selection on offer may change.

Hiking Trails and Specific Routes

Seven hiking trails start from Saint-Ours, ranging from six to over fifteen kilometres in length. This range gives you different route lengths to choose from when planning, but it does not indicate how long each trail takes to walk. One specifically named circular hike in Saint-Ours is “Les puys de Jumes, de la Coquille et des Gouttes”: it is 15.5 kilometres long, rated difficult, and takes five hours. You can therefore consider distance, difficulty, and time together when choosing a route.

The circular hike offers panoramic views from the Puy de Jumes and the Puy de la Coquille. Another key hiking area is the Cheire de Côme, one of the most significant lava flows in the Chaîne des Puys. It was formed around 15,000 years ago by the eruption of the Puy de Côme. Numerous marked hiking trails cross the Cheire; it is also an important orienteering location. Several challenging courses are available, and maps can be obtained from the Auvergne VolcanSancy Tourist Office.

Puy Chopine also illustrates the area’s geological diversity: this volcanic pinnacle formed when cold, acidic magma emerged through the crystalline bedrock. Together with the hiking trails, the volcano tour, and the theme park, it offers a range of themes to consider when planning a trip to Saint-Ours.

Discover more destinations: Saint Gal Sur Sioule, Vernet-La-Varenne, Charbonnières-Les-Vieilles, Billom, Villosanges, Augnat, Bromont, Sauviat.

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