Murol / Saint-Alyre-ès-Montagne

The views along this stage are magnificent, while the atmosphere changes dramatically along the way. After admiring the very beautiful medieval village of Besse, head on to the exceptional circular Pavin Lake, set in a volcano crater. Next comes Montcineyre Lake, a crescent-shaped volcanic lake. You’ve now entered the Cézallier area. Here, steep slopes are replaced by gentler, more rounded ones, the vast stretches of high summer pastures dotted with herds of cows. La Godivelle Nature Reserve preserves precious peat-bogs. Admire the Lacs d’En-Haut et d’En Bas before arriving at the hamlet of Jassy.

This stage of the GTMC Gravel cycle route begins in the village of Murol, where you can stock up on provisions. You start out riding along a mix of roads shared with motorized traffic and broad tracks. Then you join the GTMC VTT mountain-biking route to reach Besse en Chandesse. After this historic village, the way is very comfortable, on a mix of well-surfaced tracks and quiet roads. At the spot named Brion, you need to make use of the road in order to avoid a tricky technical stretch. Overall, this stage’s mix of broad tracks and minor roads gives you the sensation of getting away from it all. The stage ends at the village of Jassy.