Le Puy Mary invites you to explore its 7 valleys and 13 communes, hiking trails, cycle routes, panoramic mountain passes and panoramic peaks, and discover the rich heritage built in Maisons de site. This is the objective of the Grand Site de France approach: to protect an exceptional landscape, while enhancing it to share this unique site as part of a sustainable tourism that revitalizes the local economy. The Grand Site de France label for the Puy Mary Volcan du Cantal is an asset for its inhabitants and visitors alike.
The Puy Mary massif: 1 volcano, 7 valleys, 13 communes
In the heart of Cantal, south of the Parc des volcans d'Auvergne, is a gently staged mountain, from meadows to peaks, from villages to summer pastures. Here, the water meanders in a stream or cascades out and the complexity of the reliefs testifies to their volcanic origin. We are in these wild and welcoming Cantal Mountains, where stone, water and vegetation form a magnificent and soothing backdrop. Of course, it is by taking a height that we can best understand the geography of the site. At the top of Le Puy Mary (1,787 m above sea level), the panorama is splendid and the view is far-reaching, embracing a succession of passes, puys and valleys. But to enjoy the entire Puy Mary massif, you have to look at it from the sky. Paragliders are lucky like that. Seen from above, the topography of the site is clearly visible and its geological formation is better understood. The glacial valleys at the bottom of which rivers flow, cutting into the Massif. Between the peaks, there are then the lines of drooping ridges that even evoke in the imagination of some people, a herd of elephants....
Like Mount Fuji in Japan, the Cantal volcano is a stratovolcano, or composite volcano, meaning a volcano composed of many layers of lava resulting from eruptions over a long period of time. The relief of Cantal is the result of a long and complex geological, volcanic and climatic history that has produced a volcano over 70 km in diameter, the largest in Europe. What we see today is the result of 10 million years of volcanic activity: from -13 million to -3 million years ago
The Grand Site de France Puy Mary Volcan du Cantal is home to thirteen municipalities and is divided into seven valleys: the valleys of Aspre, Bertrande, Jordanne, Maronne, Mars, Petite Rhue and Santoire. The closure of the Pas de Peyrol pass (1,589 m) - the highest road pass in the Massif Central - from November to May, divides the valleys during this period. What is also remarkable about this Great Site of France is that we can easily observe the particularities of the different levels of vegetation that make it up. Below, there are the meadows, with pastoral hedges of hazelnuts and other pastoral species, streams that meander in a peaceful atmosphere. Then, the last villages of the valley bottom, with their stone houses and their small rural heritage: washhouse, bread oven, chapel, cross. Higher up, above the beech and fir forests, are the high plateaus, summer areas with burons. And finally to the peaks, grassy slopes and scree. Here the Cantal takes on the appearance of a steppe. The high plateaus where the wind barely lifts a grass gives the feeling of freedom inherent in wide open spaces.
In winter, snow suits all these landscapes. The waterfalls are caught in the ice. As the chamois sink into the powder, the snow crystals shine under the sun. Wild animals, like hikers, make their mark. The tap-tap-tap of the spotted woodpecker can be heard on the trunk in search of larvae and insects. The branches crack under the effect of frost. Groundhogs hibernate. Soon the great awakening of spring will come. The melting snow will make the streams rumble, but the Puy Mary will keep on its side a raptor-shaped nevada in flight ("the nevada of the eagle"). It is because the snow is slow to melt, on the north face, at the level of a scar left by the exploitation of a quarry on its sides
A preserved nature
The Cantal volcano is distinguished by its unspoilt nature. This mountain of volcanic origin draws landscapes where a variety of flora and fauna find refuge. Basalt darkens the line, rivers mark valleys, floral species and mushrooms mark the seasons. Birds of prey nest at high altitudes, while chamois roam the slopes. Here, alpine and boreal flora meet. High rainfall, strong sunshine, long and harsh winters and microclimates favour a wide variety of biotopes.
Of the 600 rare or sensitive plant species identified on the site, some are endemic. Others, even in the middle of the flowering season, are shy and require a keen eye. This is the case of the Siberian Ligular, a large plant with yellow flowers in clusters, present in the crevices of the Rocks Taillades and a remnant of the ice age. The incomparable Martagon Lily, the Yellow Gentian, part of a famous liqueur or the Arnica of the mountains known for its antiseptic and healing properties, make the happiness of amateur botanists. If autumn still offers us its warm colours, in winter, naturalistic observation requires more research. But in the summer, nature reveals itself without modesty! Along the hiking trails, the meadows take on their most beautiful forms. So are the birds! A whole life comes to life. The butterflies that fly, the birds of prey whose flight we are trying to follow, the stealthy squirrels.... But one may wonder what the Alpine Marmot is doing in the heart of the Massif Central, whose whistle can be recognized. This species was introduced to the site in 1989. The same is true for the Chamois reintroduced in 1978. Today, there are about 600 of them. A wide variety of species can therefore be observed
The joy of going to the mountains
Until the middle of the last century, the high plateaus were inhabited throughout the summer by farmers who came with their herds. They lived in their buron where they made the fresh tomme. There are only a handful left today. But Cantal is still a cheese region. Cantal PDO, a cow's milk cheese pressed into a fourme, is marketed young, in-between or old. Young and fresh, it is part of the recipe of a typical local dish, truffade. It's hard to give the recipe. There are as many recipes as there are families. But the principle remains to mix potatoes and fresh tomme. For the rest with or without butter, with or without cream, with or without bacon, it is according to... Another local cheese is stamped with a PDO: Salers, made in its traditional version from the milk produced by the beautiful mahogany-coloured Salers cows with lyre horns
While the number of farms has fallen sharply, agro-tourism and sustainable tourism are now making their contribution. Gîtes, private structures engaged in a sustainable tourism and ecological construction approach are developing, some accompanied by the Grand Site de France, such as the Gîte-auberge de la Boudio or the Café gourmand Alta Terra in Lavigerie. Professionals set up outdoor activities around mountain biking, paragliding, discovering the local flora, fauna or geology
Because this country resolutely invites you to walk, pedal, slide, climb, run and even fly in the middle of nature. You have the choice between a trail to discover with your family or hikes with more or less marked gradients. The territory shelters 350 km of marked trails, including 90 km on the GR 400, Nordic areas (cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding...), loops appreciated by cyclists who like to climb the passes. There are also magnificent mountain bike tours. This multi-faceted site is also suitable for more sporting activities (trail, paragliding, climbing, canyoning). And ancestral activities continue. In autumn, hunters and gatherers go hunting for deer, blackberries and porcini mushrooms, while in spring we go fishing. You must also discover the network of the five Site Houses, each with its own theme. What about base camp? Ecological accommodation in the Santoire Valley, a traditional resort hotel or guest rooms in the Petite Rhue or Mars Valley, a farm camping in the Jordanne Valley or small cottages in the Maronne Valley. A great way to end a day on the volcano!
Smart info
When? When? All year round, even if the arrival of good weather is more pleasant
Getting there. By car (direction Murat), by train (Murat station or Aurillac) or by plane (Aurillac, Rodez-Aveyron or Clermont-Ferrand), everything is possible.
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