Our itinerary and all our accommodation for the walk was arranged by Sherpa Walking Holidays.

Anxious about giving ourselves plenty of time for today’s walk, we walked up to the Cathedral, the “official” start of the walk, the night before. This is a walkers hostel nearby.

We climbed steadily from the town from about 2100 feet to around 3000 feet. Throughout the day we walked by fields with, I think (thanks Maggie!) Colchicum autumnale.

It was gentle, undulating agricultural land. Corn, cattle and clover in the fields.

The chapel of St Roch

The date inscribed above this gate is 1763.

Mill on the edge of Saint Privat- D’Allier

St Privat – D’Allier – a pretty picture

As you walk into the village, this is the view of the valley.

Most of the buildings in the area are built of these rough irregular lumps of volcanic stone, with lots of mortar between the joints.

Author: CHARLES Hawes I live in Wales in the UK . I have been photographing for publication since 1999. I have specialised in plants and gardens where GAP Garden Photos represent my stock and more recently I send images from my walks and travels to Getty. I post on my blog about walking and hiking about every two weeks. Twitter Facebook