Landos – Hiking, Moorland and Cultural Heritage

Explore Landos via its hiking trails, the moorland of the Narces de La Sauvetat and its rural cultural heritage. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Landos, you can start by considering whether longer hikes, short trails through the moorland or historical landmarks will be the focus of your stay. The routes vary in distance, starting point and scenery, giving you practical details to help plan your trip.

Hiking among the heights and across the plateau

The 9.5 km PR 153 “Le circuit des marais” (The Marsh Circuit) runs over the heights of Landos, alongside the Marais de Ribains, and approaches the Marais de Praclaux and the Narces de La Sauvetat. The route then returns to the village centre. This circular route thus connects several landscapes with a clear return point in Landos.

The PR 690 “Entre maar et gardes” (Between Maar and Gardes) is 17 km long. It starts at the Maar du Péchay in Costaros, passes through the commune of Landos and crosses a volcanic plateau with pastures, cereal fields, lentil fields and herds of cattle. Compared with the PR 153, this route is longer; its starting point in Costaros also sets it apart from the circular route that returns to the village centre.

The GR® 470 “Sources et Gorges de l’Allier” (Sources and Gorges of the Allier) also connects with Landos: a documented stage of the route runs from Landos to Langogne. Alongside the two PR routes, this provides a section of a stage on a long-distance trail with a regional name.

For a mountain-bike ride, the 16.9 km “Sur les traces de Stevenson” (In Stevenson’s Footsteps) route starts at Place du marché in Landos. It has an elevation gain of 219 metres. As trail conditions and signage can change, it is advisable to check them before setting out. The distance and elevation details also give you a concrete basis for distinguishing this ride from the hiking trails.

The Narces de La Sauvetat

The Narces de La Sauvetat is a moorland area of about 55 hectares that developed in a maar crater. Here, the shape of a volcanic crater meets the landscape of a moor. A path leads from the viewpoint into the moor, where three short circular trails are available, ranging from 500 metres to 1 kilometre. These trails are a considerably shorter option than the 9.5 km PR 153.

The Narces are freely accessible year-round; you can check access again before your trip. The local wildlife and plant life also shape this place: it is home to plant species found in montane moorlands as well as a diverse range of wildlife. These include the Montagu’s harrier, rare amphibians, a heron colony and shrikes. For nature lovers, a visit offers a chance to see a distinctive habitat and the different groups of animals that live there.

Rural cultural heritage and Église Saint-Félix

A stroll through Landos and its villages offers a chance to discover traditional rural heritage: fountains, washhouses, crosses and communal bread ovens. These landmarks complement the hiking destinations and add different forms of communal and rural heritage to the landscape.

Église Saint-Félix is a cultural highlight in its own right. It is protected as a Monument historique and has been classified as a historic monument since 10 February 1913. The church displays paintings dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Statues from the 15th century, discovered beneath the floor slabs, can also be seen there; they are now displayed in a case at the entrance. A visit to the church thus offers a close look at the preserved works of art and the different periods in which they were created.

Discover more destinations: Dunières, Montregard, Le Pertuis, Varennes-Saint-Honorat, Tence, Saint-Bérain, Retournac, Bains.

For the regional travel overview: Haute-Loire.