Le Massif Central à vélo : Voyage jusqu’aux sources de la Loire

Bienvenue sur ma chaîne !

Passionné d’histoire et de géographie, je réalise des vidéos avec mon drone et ma Gopro, en rando ou à vélo, afin de mettre en lumière le charme de nos régions : au programme, découverte de villages éternels, de châteaux de contes de fées et d’espaces naturels colorés.

Mail : charly.juhel@hotmail.fr

From the Aubrac plateau to the Puy chain via the Gorges du Tarn, the Massif Central offers lovers of the little queen an exceptional playground, on roads with sometimes imperfect coating but with a certain charm. A few weeks after our crossing of the Pyrenees, Cédric and I set off on an

Adventure again to complete a most symbolic journey: Reach the sources of the Loire, this majestic river which proudly passes through the heart of our city of Tours. Perched at an altitude of 1500 m, they spring from a mountain with a raw and mineral skull, the colossal

Mont Gerbier de Jonc. Hungry for discoveries, we left Saint-Nectaire in the Puy de Dôme department for four stages of 100 km each. A colorful escape where we often had the feeling of crossing the wildest regions of our country. Departing from Saint-Nectaire, we take the famous cheese route

Under a bright sun. Driven by a need for adventure and freedom, we pedal with enthusiasm and easily climb the first hills that come our way. We climb uphill then cross the villages of Picherande and Tour d’Auvergne, before being dazzled by the incomparable Château de Murol, a veritable control tower of the surrounding area.

Built in the 13th century on a basalt promontory, it is with 150,000 visitors per year one of the most important tourist sites in Auvergne. The sun is gradually leaving us, so unfortunately we will not see Puy de Sancy today. We begin the ascent of the Col de la Sœur,

5 km long, then descend down towards the Bourboule station. We rob the first bakery that comes our way before the big part of the day, the Col de la Croix-Saint-Robert. Blueberry pie, a cyclist’s guilty pleasure. You need that to climb to the top of the Col de la Croix-Saint-Robert.

Perched at an altitude of 1451 m, it is the highest road pass in Puy de Dôme. A thick puree of peas having invaded the Auvergne peaks, we climb it almost blind. This time we descend carefully and then find daylight again on the heights of Lake Chambon, the end of this first stage.

Departing from Marvejol, we begin the ascent of the Col de Bonnecombe, an authentic gateway to the Aubrac plateau, our destination for the day. The region is isolated as possible, the decor bucolic, and the air invigorating. We climb in cathedral silence, guided by the bells of the cows of the famous Aubrac breed.

At the end of a 15 km climb, we reach the summit of the pass. Here we are now on the Aubrac road, the Silver road. Although shrouded in a cloud cover, the beige plains dotted with granite rocks of the plateau give us the impression of being in another country. After reaching Nasbinal,

We easily climb the short climb to the Col de l’Aubrac. We then walk towards the village of Saint-Urcize, convinced of being the first to put our wheels on these steep, lunar roads. Laguiole ramp, 14%, the hardest in Aubrac. Cédric put the pedal to the bottom to be able to climb.

Does Cédric turn the mill or not? You’ll have to add a little water to make it spin! We feel the cravings coming. We pedal through the streets of the small town, amazed by the charm of this village of yesteryear. The bakery, palace of chatter, holds a central place there.

Renowned as a gourmet, Cédric doesn’t need to be asked to swallow his ham and pickle butter. The fog and clouds having gradually dissipated, we now fully appreciate the colors, nuances, and immensity of the Aubrac plains. The Angevin poet Julien Gracq, a lover of the region, once gave a sublime

Description of it: “Rarely do I think of Cézallier, of Aubrac, without a very singular movement taking shape in me which gives substance to my memory. On these high plateaus where gravity seems to be reduced like on a sea of ​​the moon, a horizontal vertigo is triggered in me, which,

Like the other to fall, encourages me to run there, to fall there, out of sight, to lose my breath. We continue our cycling escapade in the heart of a true natural monument, the Gorges du Tarn. Taking its source at Mont Lozère, the Tarn descends onto the

Grandes Causses plateau, splits the limestone and traces its route for nearly 50 km between the villages of Quézac and Rosier. We discover with wonder the village of Sainte-Enimie, member of the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of France, then climb the Col de Copernac,

Dazzled by the picture that emerges as we rise in the canyon. We advance hand in hand with the Tarn, see kites hovering above our heads and take the time to appreciate the freshness of the river’s banks. It offers its light rustling, natural sweetness which delicately caresses our eardrums. Nature, both inspiring

And relaxing, gives rise to hope and fantasy in the minds of dreamy cyclists. It is from the town of Puy en Velay that we start this 4th and final stage. Starting point of the Via Podiensis, the historic route of the Camino de Santiago, it is invaded

By pilgrims at this time of the year. For our part, we are taking a different direction, that of Mont Gerbier de Jonc, our own healthy place. Barely out of the city we set off for an ascent that is certainly not steep but is a good thirty km long.

We’re going to go find Mont Gerbier. We enthusiastically discover the first treasures of this final day: First of all, the Château de Bouzol, a medieval marvel located in the town of Arsac en Velay. Dominating the upper Loire valley, it was once considered

Impregnable and was the scene of clashes during the wars of religion in the 16th century. Then we come face to face with the impressive Recoumène viaduct. Built between 1921 and 1925, it spans the Gazeille, a small tributary of the Loire descending from Mont Mézenc. For the record,

Know that this viaduct was built for the Transcévenole railway line, which was to connect Puy en Velay to Aubenas. Unfortunately this line was never completed, therefore the viaduct has never seen a train pass. We then cross the village of Monastier sur Gazeille,

Member of the Association of Small Cities of Character of France and starting point of the famous Stevenson’s path. Slowed down by a wind that would dehorn a cuckold, we painfully reached the Monts d’Ardèche national park. Even if we cannot

Yet see it on the horizon, we know that Mont Gerbier is not very far away. And after almost 40 km of climbing almost from Puy en Velay, we have reached our Promised Land, where it all begins, Mont Gerbier de Jonc, source of the Loire.

A true symbol for the people of Tours who live on the banks of the Loire.