About Us
An AuvergneActive holiday is a very special experience.
If you appreciate peace and quiet, comfortable accommodation, good local food, walking, wild life and flowers and breathtaking scenery then this is the holiday for you. The Vallée du Cére, considered to be one of the most beautiful in the Cantal, is where we call home. This means that, during your holiday, you don’t need to spend valuable time planning your walks.
Using our extensive local knowledge, we have planned your itineraries to include as many of the most dramatic and interesting walks as possible in the 7 days. We offer full local support at all times and, if needed, we transport your bags.
In addition, airport pick up can by arranged from Rodez.
Based in the undiscovered Cantal Mountains you will spend most of your walking days above 1000m altitude and frequently above 1500m (higher than Ben Nevis at 1343m).
Unlike other, more popular walking regions of France, the paths are never busy and it is possible most of the year to walk all day and see few other walkers.
One of the most beautiful aspects of the Cantal (aside from the unique volcanic peaks) are the mountain meadows and 
pastures. During the warmer months these are awash with an enormous variety of wild flowers, butterflies and wildlife. You will walk to the background chimes of the cowbells. The Saler cows are indigenous to the area and are put out to pasture at high altitude for the summer months.
The Auvergne has several hundred volcanoes. Most people know the Puy de Dome; famous for the challenge it has posed to Tour de France competitors. Further South is the Sancy Massif and then that of Cantal.
The Cantal Mountains, situated in the southwest corner
of the Auvergne, constitute the largest volcanic
massif in Europe with twelve glacial valleys radiating
out from Puy Mary.
Whichever holiday option you choose, your starting and finishing points will be in the small mountain village of St Jacques des Blats, sharing our traditional mountain home.
Our home is situated on a quiet country lane just 1km from the village centre. The village is perched in the foothills of the Plomb du Cantal at an altitude of 990m. The surrounding area provides us with a year-round outdoor paradise. Spring, summer and autumn are the best walking seasons and in winter the area becomes a ski and snowshoeing haven. The ski station of Super Lioran is just 6km from St Jacques des Blats.
In the surrounding area there are more than 25 distinct peaks over 1500 metres high with about 10 being over 1700
metres. The peaks vary in character from the gentle rounded variety such as Gros and Plomb du Cantal to the conical Puy Griou and the pyramid shaped Puy Mary. In further contrast, Peyre- Arse and L'Elanceze are rocky and more rugged