Chain of Puys by Bike: V50 Route
From Clermont-Ferrand to Puy de Dome, the V50 winds between dormant volcanoes, crater lakes, and lava plateaus.
Three days by bike in the Chaine des Puys, a line of eighty volcanoes added to the World Heritage list in 2018 together with the Limagne fault. The route starts in Clermont-Ferrand and its black lava cathedral, reaches Royat, a spa town at the foot of the range, then Lac de la Cassiere, a volcanic lake in still-wild surroundings, Vulcania and its immersive attractions, and finally Orcines at the foot of the Puy de Dome. The summit access road is closed to vehicles, but the climb to the Col de Ceyssat is a local classic. The gradient never lets up: nothing in the puys is flat. Westerly winds are strong on the plateaux, and frost is possible at night from September at a thousand metres.
Practical info
- Stops
- 5
- Duration
- 3 days
- Transport
- 🚲 Bike
- Distance
- ≈ 30 km
- Best time
- Spring and summer
Itinerary
- 1
Clermont-Ferrand
Cathedrale en lave noire, place de Jaude et musee Bargoin.
- 2
Royat
Station thermale au pied du Puy de Dome, grottes de lave et parc Bargoin.
- 3
Lac de la Cassiere
Lac volcanique dans la Chaine des Puys, cadre sauvage et baignade.
- 4
Vulcania
Parc d'exploration volcanique, attractions immersives au coeur des puys.
- 5
Orcines — Puy de Dome
Montee mythique du panoramique des Domes, temple de Mercure au sommet.
