4½ m. N. from Lake Guéry is the ancient village of [Orcival], with an inn and a church of the 9th and 10th cents., containing a miraculous image found near it under the earth. 2½ m. W. from the Orcival road is the Pierre-Branlante, a slightly movable overhanging rock. From Orcival return by the Randanne road to Mont-Dore, 11 m. S.
N.E. from Lake Guéry, or 9½ m. N.E. from Mont-Dore by Mt. Aiguiller, 5076 ft., is Lake Servières, 3939 ft. above the sea, 75 ft. deep, in an extinct crater. On the N. margin are a tumulus and an ancient camp.
9 m. E., at the village of Fohet, S. from Lake Aydat, are some menhirs.
The village and lake of Chambon, 2881 ft. above the sea, are 12 m. E. from Mont-Dore by the valleys of Moneau and Chaudefour, and rather less by the highway passing Diane or Dyanne.
From Murols the road ascends 5¾ m. S. to Besse, whence it passes by Lake Pavin to Vassivières, 5¼ m. W. from Besse. At Vassivières a bridle-path diverges N. to the Pics of Ferrand and [Sancy] (see p. 381).
To the W. and S.W. of Mont-Dore are the Salon Mirabeau 2 m., the cascades of Vernière 3 m., and Plat-a-Barbe 3¼ m. ([p. 385]); and the top of the Puy Gros 3¾ m. ([p. 385]).
Pic de Sancy.
The most important excursion is to the summit of the Pic de
[Sancy], 6188 ft. above the sea, or 2786 ft. above the village of Mont-Dore, and 5 m. S. from it by the valley of the Dordogne. Guide unnecessary. Good bridle-road till within 20 minutes of the top. Horse, 6 frs. From the Grande Rue enter the Pic de Sancy road, leave the Château-d’Eau on the left. At about a third of the way the Dordogne is crossed, and shortly afterwards is passed the ravine of the Egravats, formed by a landslip of the trachytic mountain, the Roc de Cuzeau, 5706 ft.; and a little farther S. on the same (E.) side the Puy de Carcadogne, 5890 ft. To the right or W. side are the valleys of Lacour and Enfer, separated from each other by a dyke of dark porphyritic trachyte. Shortly after, the Dore is crossed where it joins the Dogne, 4420 ft. above the sea. A little farther is the cascade of the Serpent, where the Dogne, descending by a tortuous course, has been likened to a serpent. Opposite are the more noisy falls of the Dore. A path at the foot leads to an old alum mine.
The road, cut in the sides of the mountain, now ascends by the course of the Dogne, which rises between two large blocks. Then having crossed the infant Dore we arrive at the Buffet, 5863 ft., situated in the marshy meadow of the Dore. The horses are left here—25 c. charged for taking care of each. From this to the top on foot requires about 20 minutes. The view is splendid and of immense extent from this the highest mountain in central France and the culminating point of that great volcanic eruption called the Mounts Dore, 54 m. in circumference, which have broken their way through the early and solid granite rocks. A half-hour is sufficient to descend Sancy and mount the [Puy Ferrand], 6066 ft. Return to Mont-Dore, 6 m. N., by the Chemin des Crètes.