Haute-Loire: Hotels and accommodations

The GR470 “Sources et gorges de l’Allier” crosses Haute-Loire over 190 kilometers, divided into 11 stages. The route passes through steep gorges, across granite or basalt plateaus, and through heathlands and forests.

You would like to book a hotel for your stay in Haute-Loire.

Nature

The Vallée de la Senouire Natura 2000 site is home to 20 bat species; hiking and fishing are also mentioned there as leisure activities.

Lac du Bouchet lies in an ancient volcanic crater. Ravin de Corboeuf is a multicolored clay canyon.

Allègre–Le Mont-Bar is listed among Haute-Loire’s publicly accessible natural sites and has an interpretation center.

Haute-Loire has natural climbing areas and adventure parks for families.

Hiking and cycling

The Livradois-Forez RANDO portal provides descriptions, illustrations, topoguides, and 3D routes to help prepare for hikes.

The department’s activities include swimming, hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, white-water sports, Cani-Rando, Vélorail, and putting golf.

Within Haute-Loire, the Via Fluvia comprises a 62-kilometer véloroute and voie verte from Lavoûte-sur-Loire to the Tunnel du Tracol. It follows a former railway line with a gentle gradient; on its paved section, it is open to cycling and other non-motorized uses.

The GR470 is accessible by train in Brioude. A hike then heads toward Langogne, with the return journey by train.

The GR®65 Saint-Jacques de Compostelle is listed among Haute-Loire’s major hiking routes.

Culture

Château de Chavaniac-Lafayette is the birthplace of General Lafayette. Arlempdes, Lavaudieu, and Pradelles are considered characteristic villages for discovering the area’s history.

The Route des Savoir-Faire de Haute-Loire includes company tours, introductory workshops with craftspeople, and farm visits.

The Musée Crozatier is one of Haute-Loire’s museums and exhibition venues. With its cathedral and monuments, Le Puy-en-Velay is associated with the UNESCO-listed routes of the Way of St. James.

Tourist trains provide guided access to natural landscapes, panoramic views, and the history of villages.

Food and drink

Lentille Verte du Puy is grown in Velay on predominantly volcanic soils at elevations between 600 and 1,200 meters in 87 municipalities. In 1996, it became the first dried vegetable to receive AOC protection; today, it is protected as an AOP.

Local specialties include Fin Gras du Mézenc, Lentilles Vertes du Puy, Verveine, and Agneau noir du Velay.

Water

The canoeing route on the Allier starting from Prades is considered accessible to everyone, with a difficulty level of 2.

The Loire canoeing route can be configured in sections ranging from 10 to 70 kilometers between Lavoûte-sur-Loire and Aurec-sur-Loire. The Gorges de l’Allier offer around 100 kilometers of canoeing and kayaking routes.

You can find more destinations under Les Estables, Saint-Front, Moudeyres, and Freycenet-La-Cuche; additional destination pages lead to Allier, Cantal, and Puy-Dême.

For the overarching travel overview: Auvergne.