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6 hikes to do with children (from 4-6 years old): cave, puys or waterfalls

Florian Meyer • January 21, 2023
Discover six new hikes accessible with children from 4-6 years old to explore caves in St-Nectaire, the top of a puy in Sancy, waterfalls in Besse, the Pic du Capucin, the Dent du Marais in Murol or the Puy des Goules crater.
5 other hikes of the same level are already presented on our site.
- Caves of Châteauneuf (15-20 min from the campsite). Discover these old troglodyte dwellings , which were even surmounted by a fortified castle, of which we can guess some vestiges! The hike lasts about 2 hours without great difficulty except for two or three good climbs. The view from the caves allows you to admire St-Nectaire below but also the castle of Murol and the Sancy massif (well, it seems, because we were in the fog the day of our walk!).
Details of the hike on Balirando (with children we  advise you to start from the church of St-Nectaire to avoid the first climb)

- Le Puy de la Tâche (20 min from the campsite). To be done in good weather, because the view is extraordinary throughout the hike and offers a 360° panorama from the summit! The entire Sancy massif is available to you, but also the lakes of Guéry and Chambon, the chain of puys... We can even guess the campsite. The hike is marked and in the form of a round trip from the Col de la Croix Morand. The outward journey is therefore a constant climb to the summit and the return descent. The children should pass the obstacle without problem by taking your time on the climb (and promising a crepe at the buron du col on the way back?)

- Chiloza Waterfalls (25 min from the campsite). A beautiful walk, particularly pleasant on hot days thanks to the shade of the forest and the coolness of the river gorges. If the beginning of the hike is of little interest, the continuation is sublime with a succession of small and large waterfalls in a kind of canyon! The steep path on this part will awaken in children the instinct of adventurers... In several places it is possible to approach the torrent to play there.

- La Dent du Marais in Murol , 2h15 walk, departure 15 minutes from the campsite . A beautiful loop for this hike which takes us near the banks of Lake Chambon but above all discovers a very beautiful panorama of the lake and the Sancy massif . The walk is accessible, without any particular difficulty apart from the approximately 220m difference in altitude, climbed in one go between the village of Murol and the summit of the Dent du Marais , passing near the Chateau de Murol. Signs will help you discover the legend surrounding this rocky needle, formerly called the "Virgin's Leap"... A good part of the hike is in the woods, so pleasant even in the sun.

- Puy des Goules and Grand Sarcoui cave , 1h45 walk, departure 25 minutes from the campsite . The start of the walk is from the same car park as the famous Puy de Pariou but the attendance is much lower, yet the crater is magnificent and it is still authorized to enter it! The round trip does not present any real difficulty, apart from a good climb up to the crater. From up there, the view is breathtaking over the surrounding volcanoes: Pariou, Puy de Dôme, Puy de Côme... On the way back, you will pass through the Grand Sarcoui cave which served as a quarry for sarcophagi in the Middle Ages .
Details of the 1h45 hike (marked and displayed on site)

- Pic du Capucin, with or without the funicular, 1h30 to 2h walk, departure 25 minutes from the campsite . Start this adventure by taking the Capucin funicular , you will take yourself back to the past century with the oldest electric funicular in France . The hike then begins at the Salon du Capucin and begins with a section of path on an old road (not necessarily the most pleasant) in the forest until reaching an old buron. You will then attack the last part of the ascent, on a winding and steeper path. Arriving at the summit of Capucin offers an exceptional panorama over the entire Sancy massif! The return takes the same route. It is possible to go back down on foot without taking the funicular on the way back.

As with all hikes, going on a walk with children requires a minimum of equipment for your safety: closed shoes (good sneakers, hiking shoes...) and warm clothes in the bag (most of these walks are more than 1000m above sea level). Also think of a water bottle and a small snack to motivate the troops!
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