The Haute-Loire

 

Not long ago, cycling around the Haute-Loire was a pleasure reserved only for experienced cyclists. Its hilly landscapes are like a treasure chest of wonderful jewels, just waiting to be admired by any discerning traveller. Today, thanks to electric bikes, exploring this beautiful area is something that anyone can enjoy.

 

The Haute-Loire – a land of harmonies and contrasts

Grandiose, protected, cultivated and inhabited landscapes. As you ride along the high plateaus of the Mézenc, you get the feeling of being at the end of the Earth, overcome by untamed nature. Vast expanses of open land, as far as the eye can see, dotted with grazing cattle and wild grass, solid stone houses that have withstood many a harsh winter, and authentic and warm hospitality. You cannot help but be charmed by the wild yet accessible Mézenc, which offers incredible views of the Haute-Loire and the Ardèche, the Rhône valley and, on a clear day, breathtaking views of the Alps and Mont Blanc. Just a stone’s throw away is Mont-Gerbier-de-Jonc and the source of the Loire, which weaves its way through the Ardèche before crossing back into the Haute-Loire to create astonishing natural landscapes in Lafarre, Arlempdes and Goudet. This is where the “untamed Loire” really gets its meaning. The river then runs to Brives-Charensac, where it caresses the Château de Lavoute-sur-Loire before flowing towards the Loire department, where it flows beside other beautiful châteaux.

 

The Haute-Loire is also home to other fast and slow-flowing rivers, such as the magnificent Lignon that weaves its way from the plateaus of the Mézenc to Meygal then gently flows under Fay-sur-Lignon and Chambon-sur-Lignon. Other rivers are just waiting to be discovered, such as the Gazeille, which you can admire in Monastier-sur-Gazeille, or the Allier, a river which flows in the most beautiful of ways through the Haut-Allier gorges, offering up wonderful landscapes and wild salmon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Festivals in Haute-Loire

• Festival Interfolk – Interfolk festival 
• Festival de la Chaise-Dieu – Sacred music
• Festival Country Rendez-vous of Craponne-sur-Arzon 
• Fêtes du Roi de l’Oiseau – Renaissance Festival of Le Puy-en-Velay
• Festival des cuivres of Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille
• Les nuits basaltiques – Traditionnel music festival
• Festival Loire-en-zinc in Brives-Charensac
• Les Nuits de Saint-Jacques au Puy en Velay