GR4 — Traversée des Volcans d'Auvergne

The GR4 — Traversée des Volcans d'Auvergne is a 350-kilometre long-distance waymarked trail crossing the volcanic highlands of the Auvergne region in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, connecting the Chaîne des Puys UNESCO World Heritage Site in the north with the ancient Cantal stratovolcano in the south. The route traverses the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne — one of the largest natural parks in France — through landscapes of lava plateaux, crater lakes, sub-alpine meadows, and historic Romanesque villages.

The northern trailhead begins at the summit of Puy de Dôme (1,465m) near Orcines, accessible from Clermont-Ferrand by car (25km) or by the Panoramique des Dômes rack railway. The southern terminus is at Aurillac in the Cantal département. Most hikers tackle the route in stages, accessing individual day-walk starting points by car or bus. No permit is required; the trail is continuously waymarked with the standard GR red-and-white paint marks.

The GR4 covers a wide range of terrain: compact volcanic basalt tracks, open moorland, forested ridges, and high-altitude pastoral grassland (estives) where Salers and Aubrac cattle graze in summer. The Puy de Dôme to Puy de Sancy section delivers the most dramatic scenery, crossing the Mont Dore massif and passing the highest summit in the Massif Central. The Cantal sections traverse older, more eroded volcanic terrain with gentler gradients. Shade is intermittent — exposed moorland dominates the central stages.

Key landmarks include the summit of Puy de Dôme (1,465m), the Lac de Guéry wetland reserve, the Puy de Sancy (1,886m), the Cirque de la Fontaine Salée, crater lakes of Super-Besse, and the medieval Château d'Anjony near Tournemire in the Cantal. Gîtes d'étape (hiking hostels) are spaced every 15–25 kilometres; booking in advance via gites-de-france.com is recommended for July and August. Stage costs average €25–45 per person per night including breakfast.