Domaine de Viaye
From the Hautes-Chaumes plateau to the Margeride, from the volcanoes and lakes of the Auvergne to the wilds of the Loire and Allier gorges, you’ll be riding for around six hours a day, interrupted by a gourmet picnic, to explore a region that has remained unspoilt. The evening shower brings as much comfort as the wine brings ‘warmth’.
Put together your own programme!
Don’t hesitate to contact us for information and bookings.
Let us know your dates and we’ll be delighted to accompany you on the roads of the Auvergne!
From the château of Lavoûte sur Loire, built in a cove in the river, to the land of Julius the Roman, civilisation already seems a long way off, and it’s not over yet. The Aubepin valley is a favourite hunting ground for the short-toed eagle; its slopes, fed by the valley breeze, enable it to perform spectacular hovering flights. Mont Mézenc (1753m) is the third highest peak in the Massif Central and, together with the Boutières cirque, offers an imposing panorama of the Chaîne des Puys and the Alps. It is a paradise for flowers: blue gentian, anemone, arnica, etc. It is at Gerbier des Joncs that the source of France’s longest river, the Loire, rises, and we’ll be following its history from near and far.
We’re riding due south-south-west. Here, life blossoms quietly! Via the Château du Thiolent, we cross the largest granite plateau in France. The Bolène route will give us plenty of scope for gallops. A spectacular descent into the Allier gorges. A night near St. Christophe, patron saint of travellers, will take us into Haute Lozère in the Margeride Massif. At St. Eulalie we won’t forget the bison… Back north, riding at an altitude of over 1,200 m. At the Truc de la Garde (1486 m), seven départements come into view!
The Gévaudan welcomes us for a restorative night in the absence of the beast. A morning of magnificent views and a picnic towards St. Arcon d’Allier – how bucolic! We ford the Allier and leave the Margeride behind to arrive at Chavagnac Lafayette with its castle.
One look behind us and you can see how far we’ve come on horseback in six days. We ride down the sunny, luminous side of the Monts du Velay and there it is, Ruessium…
Riding due north on the Chemin de César, the approach to the Hautes Chaumes is made at the pace of the horse. Leaving the sleepy valleys behind us, we enter the realm of pastures and wide open spaces.
Man left the world of trade for that of the summer pastures and transhumance. Look where your horse sets foot, open your eyes and you’ll be treated to the spectacle of nature. The sunrise here is undoubtedly more beautiful than anywhere else.
The descent into the Dore valley offers magnificent scenery, where paper mills once stood.
The Chaise Dieu abbey, with its international classical music festival, is the guardian of the area.
A straight line walk across the Massif Central from Le Puy en Velay to Les Saintes Marie de la Mer.
Crossing Mont Lozère (1,699 m) can be full of surprises!
Culminating at 1567 m, Mont AIGOUAL (the site of the Camisards) dominates an immense panorama of the Mediterranean on a clear day. The deep gorges alternate with the jagged schist ridges, while to the west, towards the ocean, the gentle slopes link the massif to the vast Causses region.
This region is steeped in the presence of man, who has had to come to terms with a harsh but totally generous nature. The diversity of these landscapes bears witness to this alliance between nature and man: hamlets grouped together on the slopes, terraces and chestnuts…
Departure from the Col du Bez, with a panoramic view of Mont Lozère and the Margeride mountains on the watershed. We’ll take the Regordane, a route used by mule-drawn convoys carrying wines from the Midi to the Massif Central.
We must pass through Thines on the old pilgrims’ route to St Gilles. The Tanargue plateau will take us via the Bauzon cross and the Col du Pendu to the end of this journey to the heart of the Ardèche.
Weekend hikes along Caesar’s path to the magnificent gorges of the Loire.
Ruessium, a Gallo-Roman town, will be the starting point for this walk towards the Pont du Gard.
We’ll be following this thousand-year-old trade and exchange route at the heart of French history.
Following the great fault line of the Massif Central, this transhumance route offers superb panoramic views over the Velay, Margeride, Monts Lozère and Cévennes before arriving in the garrigues, not forgetting the crossing of the Allier in the New World!
And then there’s the Pont du Gard, built around 50 AD to carry water from Uzes to Nîmes for around 5 centuries over a distance of 50 km with a gradient of 25 cm per km…..
The same horse or a different horse every day, the same comfortable bed every night, six different destinations in one day: we set off to discover the Loire Valley. Be careful not to lose the group: the paths here are innumerable… The next day you will admire the beauty of the Château de Polignac, which can already be seen in the distance from the back of your horse.
Another day will take you to the Velay plateau – unforgettable gallops! This is where the famous green Puy lentils are grown, which you’re sure to find on your plate one evening.
And what about a picnic on the Potence d’Allègre?
Each evening, you’ll find ‘your room’ and after a good shower you can relax on the terrace or in the lounge area with its small library and fireplace. The evening meal with local produce and the friendly atmosphere, helped by the warmth of the wine, will strengthen your soul and your spirit.