Allanche / Blesle

From Allanche, La Grande Traversée du Volcan à Vélo cycle route takes you climbing to the Col du Baladour pass, then across the major Plateau du Cézallier. After a fine descent, you arrive at Massiac, bathing in an almost Mediterranean climate. The route continues across a plain, sometimes following the Alagnon River, to reach Blesle, a member of the association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. This place marks the border between the counties of Cantal and Haute-Loire, and the end of your adventure on the GT2V cycle route!

Riding across the major Plateau du Cézallier

This stage takes you along roads shared with motorized traffic. The first part makes you climb to the Col du Baladour, a pass at 1,207m in altitude. Then follows the crossing of the Plateau du Cézallier, the terrain only undulating gently. After the hamlet of Le Bru, descend to Massiac via the D21 road. Cross town following the Alagnon River’s west bank (on Rue Jacques Chaban Delmas –a footbridge leads to central Massiac); a bit further on, after crossing a bridge, the cycle route takes you over to the east bank. Then you follow the D909 road (with more traffic and two level crossings). After Grenier-Montgon and Le Basbory, you reach Blesle via the D8 road.

Link to reach the train station at Massiac

Don’t miss

• Allanche / Le Bru / Massiac: picturesque Cantal villages
• Le Cézallier Plateau, with 360° views: from the rocky outcrops of Saint-Victor and La Madeleine with their chapels; the Alagnon Valley.
• Blesle (in the county of Haute-Loire): the medieval village, a member of the association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (church of Saint Pierre; Saint Martin’s belfry; the ramparts; timber-frame houses...).