Montel-de-Gelat: Discover Hiking and Heritage

Montel-de-Gelat can be explored through two themes when planning a trip: the architecture of the Église Saint-Mamert and activities at Étang Neuf. The church offers a cultural and historical highlight, with building phases dating from the 14th and 15th centuries; at the pond, the focus is on a circular hiking trail, a longer section of the Étangs des Combrailles, and carp fishing. Plan your trip according to which of these aspects of Montel-de-Gelat interests you most.

Église Saint-Mamert: Construction and Details

The Église Saint-Mamert has been listed as a Monument historique since March 19, 1982. Its main construction phases date back to the 14th and 15th centuries. It is also considered a 14th-century building that is relatively rare in the Auvergne. Its heritage status, construction period, and regional context give the church a multifaceted historical background.

The nave is single-aisled and has no side aisles. Two side chapels from the 15th century form a false transept. The term describes a transept-like layout created here by the chapels; the nave itself remains single-aisled. The side chapels and the building’s main axis can thus be viewed as distinct parts of the church’s form.

At the main portal, a row of arches rests on small columns with capitals decorated alternately with heads and floral motifs. The sequence thus alternates between figurative and botanical details. The church also houses a remarkable Mise au tombeau, or Entombment scene, from the 16th century. It provides a later art-historical point of reference alongside the 14th- and 15th-century building phases.

Étang Neuf: Hiking and Fishing

Étang Neuf is a 22-hectare pond. It extends across the départements of Creuse and Puy-de-Dôme, and the communes of Dontreix and Montel-de-Gelat. Its area therefore encompasses parts of two départements and two communes.

Étang Neuf has a 3.5-kilometre circular hiking trail, with a stated duration of one hour. The trail can be walked every day throughout the year, provided weather conditions are favourable. Keep this requirement in mind when planning. For a longer outing, consider the second section of the Étangs des Combrailles: it is 11.5 kilometres long and connects Montel-de-Gelat and Dontreix. The difference in distance helps distinguish the circular walk by the pond from the longer section as separate options.

Carp fishing at Étang Neuf is permitted exclusively on a 100% catch-and-release basis. The carp fishing area has 16 fishing spots, each accommodating two anglers. If you plan to fish, treat the catch-and-release requirement as a firm rule. The number of spots and how many anglers each accommodates also provide practical guidance for planning your fishing trip. Hiking and fishing therefore raise different considerations for your day’s plans: for the walk, duration and weather conditions matter; for carp fishing, the rules and capacity of the spots matter.

Discover more destinations: Orcet, Biollet, Saint-Gervais-Dʼauvergne, Vollore-Montagne, Pérignat-Lès-Sarliève, Échandelys, Dallet, Bagnols.

Return to the overview of the region: Puy-De-Dôme.