Geology and Trails
The “Sur les pas d'un géologue” educational trail is a moderately difficult, 4.8-kilometre circular route with a duration of around two hours, 179 metres of ascent and 180 metres of descent.
Information boards along the route explain the geology from the Jassat Valley to the Puy de Tartaret, the youngest volcano in the area.
The starting point of the educational trail can be reached from Clermont-Ferrand via the N89 to Aydat, then via the D5 and D635 towards Courbanges. It is located 150 metres past the church and cemetery on the right-hand side.
Travellers wishing to explore Saint-Victor-la-Rivière may consider renting a holiday apartment.
Woodland Landscape
The hike through the Courbanges forest is a moderately difficult, 11-kilometre circular route with a duration of around 3 hours and 15 minutes, 350 metres of elevation gain and yellow trail markings.
From the plateau dotted with burons, this hike offers panoramas of the Chaîne des Puys, the Sancy and Château de Murol.
The hike through the Courbanges forest also passes two protected species: the Turk's cap lily and the “lisière cordée”.
Cycling
The blue Courbanges Circuit is a moderately difficult mountain-bike route through the Courbanges forest starting from Saint-Victor-la-Rivière. From the village of Courbanges, there is a view of the Chaudefour Valley.
Landscape and History
The hike to the Puy de Bessoles is 4.6 kilometres long and takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes. It starts in the village of Roche Romaine and follows the Chamina trail markings.
The Puy de Bessoles offers an exceptional panoramic view of Murol, its castle and the silhouette of the Chaîne des Puys.
Roche Romaine is a basalt rock on the south-eastern slope of the Puy de Bessoles, within the municipality of Saint-Victor-la-Rivière.
At Roche Romaine, dry-stone huts presumed to date from the Gallo-Roman period have been preserved; they are known as “cases celtiques”.
The basalt flows of Roche Romaine have been attributed to the Miocene in the Tertiary period and are around ten million years old.
The main part of the Church of Saint-Victor was built in the 12th century. Restoration work from 1989 to 2000 revealed painted decorations from the 12th, 14th and 17th centuries once again.
Other destinations: Pont-Du-Château, Champs, Olloix, Orcines, Saint-Maurice-Près-Pionsat, Saint-Jean-D'heurs, Menat, Clermont-Ferrand
