Villosanges: Hiking, Forest and History
Accommodation in Villosanges
For a stay in Villosanges, you can choose between hiking, woodland and waterside scenery, and cultural history as different areas of focus. When looking for a hotel, it helps to first decide what kind of trip you have in mind: should an easy circular trail with views, a route through hedgerows and forest, or historical traces shape your stay?
Hiking trails and their highlights
The Allée des Chênes is an easy 6-kilometre circular trail. It follows oak-lined paths and offers views of the Massif du Sancy and the Chaîne des Puys. The starting point is the car park at Place de l’Église in Villossanges. Its length, circular route and difficulty level provide clear points of comparison if you choose to make hiking a focus of your trip planning.
The Croix de Milan route starts in Villosanges and follows a forest path along the Verne-Labouesse waterway, through hedgerows and woods. At the hamlet of Chauvence, it passes the Croix de Mission. Its focus therefore differs from that of the Allée des Chênes: the waterway, hedgerows and woods shape the route, with a historical landmark along the way. When choosing, you can compare an easy, 6-kilometre loop with views against a trail connected to waterways and woodland.
Woodland and wetland scenery
Another natural highlight is the valley of the Étang de La Vergne-Labouesse. Alder trees predominate there; a peat bog forms at the end of the pond. These landscape details draw attention to two specific features: the vegetation in the valley and the formation of the bog at the end of the pond. For nature enthusiasts, this adds a wetland theme to the hiking trails and views.
Monuments and the history of the ForĂŞt de Roches
The Croix de Saint-Amable in Villossanges is fully protected as a historic monument; it was listed on 13 July 1926. The Croix de Mission near Chauvence was erected in 1924. These dates refer to different events—the monument’s listing and the erection of the mission cross—and give you two specific historical points of reference.
The ForĂŞt de Roches is considered a historic forest of the Combrailles and has been mentioned among the possessions of the Barony of Montel-de-Gelat since the 13th century. From 1630 until the Revolution, it served as a hiding place for salt smugglers transporting salt towards Bourbonnais. This highlights different historical periods: a mention in the 13th century and a later use with a specified period and direction of transport.
The Verrerie de Roches began operating in 1769 and closed in 1788. Near the site of La Verrerie, the Gauls used gold flakes found in the quartz beneath the ground. The two topics offer different historical perspectives: the dates mark the beginning and end of glass production, while the gold flakes are notable for their natural occurrence in quartz and their use by the Gauls.
Discover more destinations: Orcival, Chaptuzat, Gerzat, Bas-Et-Lezat, Saint-Jean-des-Ollières, Lachaux, Riom, Saint-Genès-La-Tourette
For the wider travel overview: Puy-De-DĂ´me.
