Discover Saint-Just-Près-Brioude

Saint-Just-Près-Brioude brings together a historic town centre, hiking trails and a volcanic landscape. The village houses cluster around the 12th-century Romanesque church of Saint-Just. The Volcan de la Vergueur also shapes the landscape around the town; it is considered one of the youngest volcanoes in the Auvergne and is about 15,000 years old. A visit can therefore take in both Romanesque architecture and the region’s volcanic landscape.

Townscape and terrain

The terrain rises from 500 metres at the bridge at La Combette, across the Courgoux, to 900 metres in the hamlet of Osfond—a difference in elevation of 400 metres. The Céroux rises in the Cantal and drains half of the commune. The smaller Courgoux stream runs from Artiges to Lodines. These elevations and waterways offer different reference points for the landscape around Saint-Just-Près-Brioude.

Hiking routes by duration and difficulty

The two PR trails differ considerably in duration and elevation gain. The PR028 Le volcan de la Vergueur starts and ends in Saint-Just-Près-Brioude. Route information dated 14 June 2025 describes it as a difficult 16.0-kilometre loop, taking an average of 4 hours 30 minutes, with 514 metres of ascent. The PR082 Le Château du Mas starts at the town hall square and is 6.09 kilometres long. Its average duration is listed as 1 hour 30 minutes, with 163 metres of elevation gain. These times and elevation figures can help you plan hiking days of different lengths: the PR082 is the shorter option, while the PR028 takes considerably more time.

Scenery along the trails

The PR082 alternates between open plateaus of fields and pastures and the wooded valley of the Céroux. With views of the Cézalier, it leads to the gates of Château du Mas. The PR028 reaches the Moulin de la Poudrière and then crosses the Céroux via a footbridge. Another loop runs from Brioude through the forests of Entremont and Lodines to the centre of Saint-Just-Près-Brioude; its first section is difficult. In the hamlet of Verneuges, an unmarked path leads to the summit of Pié de la Vergueur. If the summit is your destination, bear the path conditions in mind when planning.

The PR082’s distance and duration may be updated; check them before setting off. The 4-hour-30-minute duration listed for the PR028 is also an average, which you can take into account when planning your own day.

Buggy rides in Haute-Loire

For a different kind of activity, Buggy & Co., based in Saint-Just-Près-Brioude, offers off-road buggy rides on tracks and trails in Haute-Loire. A category B driving licence is sufficient for the rides; a comprehensive briefing takes place before each departure. As availability and conditions may vary, check the latest information before booking.

Discover more destinations: Montregard, Saint-Pierre-du-Champ, Goudet, Jullianges, Solignac-sur-Loire, Saint-Privat-D'allier, Venteuges, Tence.

Back to the regional travel overview: Haute-Loire.