The White Trail

5 points of interest

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  Heritage site

  Saint-Martial le Vieux

  The commune of Saint-Martial, which had 139 inhabitants in 2018, is actually made up of several small villages without a real market town centre, as the church and the town hall are more than 3 km apart. At the starting point, don't miss the "fountain, watering place and wash house" and the listed 16th-century cemetery cross. On the way back, the recently restored church is worth a visit.

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  Heritage site

  The Châteauvert forest

  The forest of Châteauvert is a vast massif composed mainly of deciduous trees and, more particularly, of beeches. At over 900 metres, this forest has one of the highest beech forests in the region. It is defined as an old-growth forest, having been continuously forested for at least 150 years: naturalists, therefore, consider that its ecosystem corresponds to an optimum similar to environments where humans have never intervened.

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  Heritage site

  La Croix de Barbe

  The presence of the typical hunters' hut at the start of this hike (the testimonies in the visitors' book inside prove that it is also used as a shelter for hikers, soldiers on manoeuvres, etc.) reminds us of the abundance to be found in the woodland undergrowth of the Plateau de Millevaches: game, blueberries, mushrooms: so many gourmet treasures that can be found on our restaurant owners’ menus.

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  Panorama

  The Massif du Sancy

  This hike will offer you several viewpoints overlooking the highest volcano in mainland France, the Puy de Sancy. At 1885 metres above sea level, this summit is the highest point of the Massif Central. The two streams, the Dore and the Dogne, originate there, and their confluence forms the Dordogne.

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  Heritage site

  The old château

  All that remains of the old château, probably dating from the 14th century, is a recently restored tower. The history of this estate, which included a château, farms and forests, is closely linked to the d'Ussel family, a great noble family of the Limousin, and they still own the estate. Although it can be viewed from the outside, this private property cannot be visited.