Elevation Profile
927–1259 m
From the village of Rossias, take the track that climbs to the left of a wooden shed. At the T-junction, turn right to reach the surfaced road.
(1) At the small road, turn right. At the fork, continue on the same road, bearing slightly left. About 400m further on, ignore the road descending to Les Grangettes and continue on the same road.
(2) 500m further on, follow the road that climbs steeply to the left towards a forester’s house; pass alongside it and continue on this small road, which soon becomes a track. At the junction, continue straight ahead on the forest track.
(3) On reaching a bend in the D42, take the gravel track climbing to the left. It becomes a forest track; continue to follow it. At the crossroads of four tracks, climb straight ahead.
(4) After the climb, on a flatter section, leave the broad track for a narrow path on the right, then, 150 metres further uphill, turn left by a concrete boundary marker. Now follow a ditch marking the boundary between the departments of Puy-de-Dôme and Loire. (This very old boundary follows a medieval frontier marked by carved boundary stones).
(5) Leave the ditch and turn left to reach the rocky outcrop, with the Virgin’s Bed at its summit (the summit can be reached: take care, the rocks are slippery) (views of the Alps, the Monts du Forez and the Chaîne des Puys). At the foot of the outcrop, take a narrow path to the right and continue to a clearing (Croix de Saint-Guillaume), where several tracks meet.
(6) Take the track on the left that descends (Warning: do not take the track on the left just before the clearing). At the junction, continue on the same track.
(7) At the next junction, turn left as far as the houses of La Sagne, turn left, then at the crossroads turn right. Take the first track climbing to the right, followed by a narrow path descending to the road on the right. Turn left and cross Sugier. The road becomes a track and descends towards the village of Rossias.
At a Glance
- Duration
- 3.5hrs
- Distance
- 10.9km
- Elevation +
- +364 m
- Elevation -
- -363 m
At a Glance
Live Weather
Departure / Arrival · Rossias
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Field notes and images
Sommet du lit de la vierge
Captured by Maison du Tourisme
Explore Nearby
The Bridges Circuit
Start: From the church in La Renaudie. Descend the main road (D102), then continue straight ahead at the junction onto the D41 (towards Le Brugeron). Follow the D41 to the Croix de Ste Agathe. Take the road on the right towards Le Clef (view of the village of La Renaudie). At the entrance to the hamlet, just after a barn, take the stony track on the right; pass the renovated house and continue along the grassy track. Continue for approximately 800 m from Le Clef, then turn sharply right to cross the Rioubet stream. Climb the same track to La Chossonie. 1. Just after the first house, leave the road for the track descending slightly to the left. At the fork, continue right (view of the Chaîne des Puys). At the entrance to La Vialle, immediately climb to the right. At the top of the village, cross the D41 and take the track opposite between 2 low walls. On the climb, leave the track and turn left (view of the Sancy massif and the Chaîne des Puys). Continue straight ahead, then turn left near the cross. 2. On reaching the hamlet of Thérias (on a bend), follow the road to the left for 50 m, then turn right towards Les Gouttes at the junction. 20 m farther on, at the cross, leave the road and take the track on the left. At the junction, take the small road opposite (towards La Chaugne). 15 m farther on, leave this road for the track on the right. Cross the stream and continue straight ahead. Pass alongside a hamlet (Les Champs-Elysées) and, at the junction, continue on the same track opposite to Le Garret. 3. In the village, climb the small road opposite to reach the D41. Cross it and take the track opposite. At the fork, continue straight ahead. In the hamlet of Le Cheix, go around the house and continue through the forest to the ruins of the village of Vironesse. 4. At the ruins, continue along the main track for approximately 250 m, then turn onto the first track on the right. Remain on the same track to the Pale stream. Follow the stream on its left-hand side (the track is very wet in places) to reach the D 317. 5. Follow it to the right for 500 m. On reaching the hamlet of La Goutte, take the D 102 to the right (towards La Renaudie). 150 m farther on, on the bend, turn left and follow the right-hand edge of the field. At the junction, take the track on the right. Follow this climbing track for 1.5 km, then turn left at a crossroads of 4 tracks. Remain on the main track until you reach a road. 6. Follow the road to the right for 200 m, then turn right. Beside a ruin, continue straight ahead; follow the Couzon stream. Ignore the forest track branching right and remain on the same track to a ford. 7. Just before the ford, take the track bearing right. Follow the road to the left, then take the first track on the left. At the fork, continue straight ahead. At the junction of several tracks, turn left and then immediately right. Follow the same track to a road. 8. Follow it to the left, then turn left at the next junction. 150 m farther on, turn left again and cross the fields. On reaching the D 101 at the entrance to the village of La Chambonie, beside the cemetery, turn right for 5 m and then immediately take the road on the right. Follow it for 500 m. 9. Beside a small wrought-iron cross, just before an isolated house, turn right and climb through the woods. At the top of the hill, take the clearest track on the right. On leaving the woods, turn sharply left. 10. Follow the road to the right. Cross the hamlet of Le Verdier and remain on the same road. Follow the D 41 to the right. At the large junction, leave the D 41 and take the D102 to the right (towards La Renaudie). Enter the village and return to the church.
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Discover this trail through the heart of Livradois-Forez.
Du col de la Loge au col du Béal (circuit route n°6)
Discover this trail through the heart of Livradois-Forez.