Discover Beissat

Beissat is the starting point for the Les Roches de Murat circular hike. The Rozeille and local heritage offer further highlights for a stay. You can plan your trip around whether you are mainly interested in a longer hike, the river landscape, or discovering historic buildings and smaller traces of local history.

Hiking to the Roches de Murat

The 8.6-kilometre circular hike starts in Beissat. It is listed as taking about two hours and 30 minutes and as being of moderate difficulty. The approximate duration gives you a time frame for the outing; the difficulty level is a separate guide to the route. The path can be slippery in wet weather, which is worth bearing in mind when planning. GPX and KML files are available to export to a GPS device or other navigation device. The recommended parking area is the esplanade below Beissat church. Check local conditions before setting off.

Landscape and views

The route passes through rural countryside, a regional natural park and woodland. The summit of the Roches de Murat offers panoramic views; the harder granite there has resisted erosion. From the viewpoint, you can see the Rozeille reservoir. The hike therefore combines a specific walking route with views of the landscape and a geological feature of the Roches de Murat.

The Rozeille flows through Beissat and is a first-category river in Haute-Corrèze. The Beissat dam impounds the river about 1.5 kilometres downstream from the village centre and is located in the neighbouring commune of Magnat-l’Étrange. The river’s course and the dam are in different places: the Rozeille flows through Beissat, while the dam is outside the village centre. From the viewpoint, you can also take in the landscape in the context of the river and its course beyond the village.

Church, priory and heritage in Viers

The Priory of Saint-Pierre in Beissat was affiliated with the Benedictine Abbey of La Chaise-Dieu in Haute-Loire. The parish church of Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul is one of the village’s notable buildings; two monumental crosses stand nearby. An altarpiece depicting the Virgin and Child is also associated with Beissat. Alongside the hike, these landmarks give your stay a distinct historical focus.

The nearby village of Viers is also marked by smaller historic structures: it has a fountain with two access points and two washhouses. These details complement the religious buildings with other forms of local heritage. Considered together, the sites span everything from the history of the priory to the water structures in Viers.

Summer performances in the area

Les Granités is a series of free live performances held every summer at cultural venues across the area. The events are also open to visitors passing through. The programme varies by date, so plan around the relevant event dates. The series offers a different way to include culture in your stay than the historic buildings and landmarks associated with Beissat and nearby Viers.

Discover more destinations: Bourganeuf, Peyrat-la-Nonière, Nouzerines, Gentioux-Pigerolles, Aubusson, Châtelard, Saint-Sulpice-le-Dunois, Saint-Pardoux-Le-Neuf

For the main travel overview: Creuse.