There are those days that you don’t easily forget. That you feel in your legs, in your lungs, and that you see weeks later in photos where you’re smiling broadly. Our climb of the Puy de Sancy is such a day. It all started at Le P’tit Cham, a cosy hostel in Mont-Dore: a place where the coffee is strong and the walking boots are always muddy. After a strenuous climb, we reached the top of the Puy de Sancy. The volcanic region of the Auvergne was literally at our feet, the view was that beautiful. The climb of the Puy de Sancy is challenging, but the surroundings are so beautiful that you hardly feel the fatigue.
The Auvergne is one of the most beautiful regions of France. Far from the hustle and bustle of the Côte d’Azur or the Alps. Here you’ll find peace, space and rugged nature. And: the Auvergne has not yet been discovered by mass tourism. The area lies in the heart of the country and is full of character. Vast meadows, old villages, castles, rivers. And especially: many volcanoes. Many people know the Auvergne for its cheese, thermal baths or silence. But more and more hikers are discovering it as a paradise for treks. It’s a region that invites movement. To be outside. You feel it immediately when you arrive: here the air is cleaner. The light softer. The rhythm slower.
One of the most famous natural areas in the Auvergne is the Chaîne des Puys. An impressive row of more than eighty dormant volcanoes. Not as large and high as the Alps, but precisely because of that, good for walking. They are scattered across the landscape like green cones. The most famous is perhaps the Puy de Dôme. Some volcanoes are sharp and steep, others gently sloping. The entire chain has rightfully been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2018. And in the middle of that area lies the highest peak of them all: the Puy de Sancy.
The Puy de Sancy is a sleeping giant. At 1,886 metres, it is the highest volcano on the French mainland. It’s a stratovolcano – built up from layers of lava and ash – but hasn’t been active for thousands of years. Today, it’s a paradise for hikers, nature lovers and winter sports enthusiasts. In winter, the mountain is covered with snow. Mont-Dore then transforms into a popular ski resort, with slopes for beginners and advanced skiers.
In summer, a different face of the Puy de Sancy emerges. The green slopes are then dotted with flowers, and the hiking routes attract people from all over France. There are well-marked paths, from relaxed family outings to challenging mountain hikes. The GR 4 is one of them. Mountain bikers also find their way on the slopes. And at the top, the view always awaits: 360 degrees of nature, with views extending to the Massif Central and even the Alps on clear days.
The mountain is also a source of water. At its foot, the small rivers La Dore and La Dogne spring forth. They form the source of the famous Dordogne river. Underground is a network of springs and streams. You can feel that it’s alive here, even when it’s quiet. The Puy de Sancy is not just a peak to climb, but a landscape to experience. Every metre upwards is a discovery. And that’s what we’re going to experience today during the climb of the Puy de Sancy.
We arrived at the hostel Le P’tit Cham the night before. This accommodation breathes outdoor in every way. In winter, skiers stay here. Now the hostel is filled with hikers from all directions. There’s a convivial atmosphere. During dinner, we hear tough stories from other hikers. The meal is simple but nutritious. Ideal for hikers who have burned many calories.
The next morning, a hearty breakfast awaits us. A good base for a strenuous trek. Because although the total walk isn’t that long, we do bridge almost 600 metres in elevation. From the start, we will only climb to the top of the Puy de Sancy. And after that, a long descent to the starting point follows.
Our guide Fabrice is already waiting for us outside. Long hair, beard, cap, sunglasses. He looks like a rock star and that’s right. “I play guitar in a band,” he says, as he throws his backpack over his shoulder. “But hiking is my meditation.”
We believe him immediately. He radiates something calm, despite his rugged look. And fortunately so, because we’re going up in altitude. First, we follow part of the GR 4 hiking route. One of the many beautiful long-distance paths in France. It crosses the Massif Central from east to west. We’re only walking a small part of that route today. At the information panel, Fabrice explains how our walk will be. “It will be a good 1.5 hours of challenging climbing to the Puy de Sancy,” he explains. He sizes us and our equipment up. “But that shouldn’t be a problem for you, right?”
We do the climb to the Puy de Sancy in complete silence. We encounter few other hikers. It might have to do with the early hour. We already left for our trek at 8:30 a.m. “That will be different later,” Fabrice says mysteriously. “Then we’ll certainly see more people.” The path is not technically difficult. It’s well-maintained and offers clear markings. And every bend brings a new vista.
The first metres go smoothly. We’re rested and don’t feel our legs yet. We look around and enjoy the landscape. This part of the route runs through a barren landscape. No forests with fragrant pines. We do regularly see remnants of snow and ice on the slopes. Meanwhile, Fabrice talks extensively about the volcanic region.
Above us, buzzards circle on the thermals. The path becomes narrower and steeper. Our breathing becomes heavier. Fabrice walks in front. He occasionally whistles a melody. We follow, sweating and puffing. But we don’t complain. We know where we’re going: the top.
We pause at a small plateau. Backpack off. Gulps of water. The sun starts to burn. The view becomes more spectacular. In the distance, we see green valleys, lakes and other mountains. After that well-deserved break, we begin the last part of the climb to the Puy de Sancy. Our legs feel heavy. But we see that the top isn’t far away. That gives strength. Step by step. Pause briefly. Then continue. Fabrice encourages us. “Don’t think, just go.”
And then we’re there. The top of the Puy de Sancy. 1,886 metres high. We walk to a busy viewing platform, full of hikers. Selfies, sunglasses, wind jackets in all colours. But also: silence. Because that view… It can’t be captured in words. Around us, the old volcano peaks. In the distance, the green profile of the Cantal. “I did tell you that we would encounter more people, didn’t I?” says Fabrice. We look around in surprise. A lone trail runner has passed us during the climb of the Puy de Sancy. But no one else. Many people on the platform also look, to put it mildly, less athletic. How did they get to the top? Fabrice points and then we see the cable car. They went up relaxed and walked to the viewing platform!
We stay for a long time. Sometimes silent. Just looking and taking photos. Eating and resting a bit. The wind in our hair, the sun on our faces. Fabrice points out volcanoes, mentions names, tells stories. He has clearly been here many times, but his enthusiasm remains genuine.
We don’t do the descent alone. There are more hikers following the same route. In a long coloured ribbon, we walk the narrow path over the ridge. Some sections are difficult. Like at large boulders, where hands and feet are needed to overcome the passage. There are many trail runners who also want to make this descent. Impatiently, they must wait in some places. When there’s space, they rush past the group.
The legs start to tremble. The knees protest. Who says that descending is much easier than climbing? Yet we don’t feel tired. This was worth it. After a while, we leave the narrow rocky paths behind us. We now descend on a wide path in a green valley. No longer difficult, just enjoyment. Clearly fewer hikers walk here. We have the area to ourselves again.
Slowly, Mont-Dore comes back into view. The roofs, the steam from the thermal baths, the familiar silhouette of Le P’tit Cham. One last stretch and then we’re back at our hostel. We want to offer Fabrice a beer, but he declines. He has other obligations today. We say goodbye and thank him for a wonderful experience. We won’t soon forget the climb of the Puy de Sancy. We’ll store it in our memory forever.
The walk we did is almost nine kilometres long. It takes almost four hours because you climb 590 metres in elevation. The first part goes over a well-passable path. Later, the path becomes stonier with narrow passages and some stairs.
There is no official route description of the walk. For the first part to the top, we followed the marked GR 4 (red-white marking). Afterwards, we descended via the valley back to our starting point.
Technically, it's mostly not a difficult climb. The route largely runs over well-passable paths. Around the top, the paths are narrower and there are rocky sections. The climb becomes challenging mainly because of the nearly 600 metres in elevation. Therefore, this walk is only suitable for experienced hikers with good fitness.
It is possible to take a cable car from Mont-Dore to just below the top of the Puy de Sancy. To the viewing platform, it's then just a short walk without too much climbing.
You won't encounter any catering establishments along the way. We did see in the distance, near the cable car, a mountain restaurant. This seemed to be closed. Therefore, bring enough provisions. Make sure you have plenty of water with you, especially in the summer months.
That's very possible at the hostel Le P'tit Cham. It's a cosy accommodation where outdoor enthusiasts like to come. The rooms are simple and not large, but they do have a private bathroom. You can enjoy good and nutritious meals at the hostel. Big advantage: from the accommodation, you can immediately start the climb of the Puy de Sancy.
The town of Mont-Dore is a few kilometres away. There are various other hotels to be found there, such as:
This is the entire range of accommodations in Mont-Dore.
We visited the volcanic region of the Auvergne at the invitation of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Tourisme, Terra Volcana Tourisme, the departement Puy-de-Dôme, Clermont Auvergne Tourisme, and Massif de Sancy Tourisme. The content of this blog has been independently and objectively compiled based on our own impressions.