Camping near the Puy de Dôme in Aydat

Le Puy de Dôme is one of the must-see visits during a stay in Auvergne. From Camping Les Volcans, in Aydat, you can easily reach the foot of the Puy-de-Dôme to climb to the summit on the rack railway or on foot via the Muletiers path. Once at the summit, you will have an unparalleled view of the entire Chaîne des Puys, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

How far is the Puy de Dôme from the campsite?

Our Camping Les volcans in Aydat is located south of the Chaîne des Puys. From the campsite, two access routes are possible to reach the Puy de Dôme, depending on whether you wish to go up on foot or by train:

• the Panoramique des Dômes station, at the foot of the volcano, if you wish to go up by train.
• the Col de Ceyssat, starting point of the Muletiers path to reach the summit on foot.

In both cases, allow about 20 to 25 minutes by car from the campsite. This makes it easy to devote half a day to the Puy de Dôme or to include it in a day of exploring the Chaîne des Puys.

Distances from the campsite:

Panoramique des Dômes: 22 km – 20 min
Col de Ceyssat: 20 km – 20 min

How to get to the top of the Puy de Dôme?

Take the rack railway (Panoramique des Dômes)

For an easy walk, especially with children, the Panoramique des Dômes allows you to reach the summit at 1,465 meters above sea level in about 15 minutes. The electric rack railway departs from the Maison de Site, at the foot of the Puy de Dôme.

A large free parking lot is available at the departure station. It is not mandatory to book your tickets in advance: they can be purchased on site or online.

Once at the summit, there are many paths that will allow you to stretch your legs and enjoy the completely unobstructed view (if a cloud hasn't decided to cling to it that day!)

Panoramique des Dômes schedules and rates

Our good tip: stop by the campsite reception and ask us for the Objectif Auvergne card, you will get a 10% discount on your round-trip train tickets.

Hike up via the Muletiers path

For young and old walkers, the other option is to reach the Col de Ceyssat thentake the Muletiers path.

The ascent from the col takes about 55 minutes of walking. It is a short but fairly steep climb that leads directly to the summit.

Taking your time, and with children already used to walking 2 to 3 hours, the ascent is possible at a fairly young age. For example, we did it with our Robin when he was barely 3 years old and still not used to hikes!
Our little tip to motivate your troops: tell them to count the switchbacks, there are 15 to the summit ;-)

Our hiking tip: the descent via the Muletiers path is steep and rather unpleasant. We recommend taking the Goat Path on the north face of Puy de Dôme. A forest path will then lead you back to the Ceyssat pass parking lot. Allow about 2h30 for the loop (excluding time spent at the summit of Puy de Dôme).

Details and info on this 7.3 km hike on the Puy de Dôme. (note: we recommend the opposite direction to that indicated on Visorando)

Train + hike: can you combine the two?

It is of course possible to go up by train and then come back down on foot, or the reverse! However, you should keep in mind that the train station parking lot is quite far from the summit of the Puy de Dôme. To descend from the summit and return to the parking lot, allow about 2 hours of walking. Here too, we recommend taking the Chemin des Chèvres for the descent.

How much time should you plan for visiting the Puy de Dôme?

For a visit with the Panoramique des Dômes: plan for a good half-day. You will then have time to enjoy the station exhibition at the departure point (explanations about the formation of the Chaîne des Puys, volcanoes... suitable for children and adults +++), as well as the panorama at the summit of the Puy de Dôme, the Temple of Mercury and its museum (free access, renovated in 2026)

For a hike with a walk up: plan for a short day to take your time! Short breaks along the way, a walk around the summit to enjoy the different viewpoints, a visit to the Temple of Mercury and its museum... and back to the campsite to cool off in the pool or play a game of ping-pong!

A peaceful day at the Puy de Dôme from Camping Les Volcans

Morning: depart from the campsite at 9:30 am and hike up to Puy de Dôme (or take the Panoramique des Dômes)

Noon: picnic at the summit while watching paragliders, or a quick lunch at one of the food outlets (which, by the way, is quite good for a tourist site!)

Afternoon: a leisurely descent enjoying the coolness of the forest, then a detour to Lake Aydat for a swim and to stretch your legs.

End of day: back to the campsite to meet up with friends, enjoy the pool, or have a drink at the snack bar!

Volcan de Lemptégy + Puy de Dôme: a slightly more intense 100% volcanoes day

Morning: departure from the campsite around 9am to Volcan de Lemptégy to discover how volcanoes are formed on the little train (allow 2h30 for a truly great visit for children and adults)

Midday: picnic or lunch at Lemptégy
Afternoon: ascent of Puy-de-Dôme on foot or by train, without necessarily spending much time at the exhibitions and the museum, just enjoying the view and seeing from above the volcanoes discovered in the morning at Lemptégy.

End of the day: return to the campsite around 6 p.m., with time to enjoy the foosball table, the games room, or a good Auvergne meal!

Visiting Puy de Dôme with children

Puy de Dôme is a particularly easy outing to include in your family vacation (and almost a must-do!).

Even with young children, both options are truly possible: train or walking! The simplest solution is obviously to go up and down by train to enjoy the panorama without having to manage the climb (and maybe hear the kids complain :-) But children are generally very comfortable with the ascent and are especially super proud to be able to say they walked to the top every time they see the Puy de Dôme antenna again!

As always in the mountains, plan an extra layer (jacket, windbreaker...), even when it's hot at the campsite: the summit is nearly 450 meters higher and there is generally more wind. Likewise, bring water for the path and something to snack on to give little legs a boost!

Our good tip: there are often activities for children at the summit of the Puy de Dôme, especially during school holidays or long weekends. Be sure to check the Puy de Dôme agenda.

Why stay in Aydat to visit the Puy de Dôme?

Staying at Camping Les Volcans allows you to discover the Puy de Dôme easily without organizing your entire vacation around a single site. From the campsite, you reach the foot of the volcano in about twenty minutes, while remaining close to Lake Aydat, numerous hikes in the Chaîne des Puys, Vulcania, or the Sancy massif, all less than 25 minutes by road.

This is also what our campers appreciate here: being able to alternate a visit like the Puy de Dôme with a quieter day by the lake, a hike starting from the campsite, or simply an afternoon enjoying the pool. And if you still feel like moving around, the Château de Murol or the Aydat treetop adventure course are very close to the campsite. For sports enthusiasts and cyclists, it is even possible to go mountain biking or road cycling directly from the campsite.

Where to sleep near the Puy de Dôme?

At Camping Les Volcans, we welcome campers in tents, caravans or motorhomes as well as families who prefer to stay in mobile homes, chalets or unusual accommodation. After a day at the Puy de Dôme, you will find a family campsite on a human scale, with heated pool, play areas and snack bar in July and August.

Discover our pitches and our accommodations to prepare your stay near the Puy de Dôme.