Tour of Queen Margot (Puy-de-Dôme)

Hike in Auvergne through Puy-de-Dome department on loop of Queen Margot from Sauxillanges via Le Montel, Usson, La Redonde, Durette, Gevillat, Le Chauffour, Orbeil, Perthus, La Laye, Roure, La Guelle, Saint-Babel, La Ribeyre, Le Chat, Tarragnat, Manglieu, Chaumat, Sugeres, Ronland and Mouteix. Guest House, Bed and Breakfast, Hotel, Camping, Shelter, Inn.

The site known as the Queen Margot site is centered around the Château d'Usson in the Puy-de-Dôme department, famous for having been the place of exile for Marguerite de Valois for nearly twenty years. The landscape is marked by a steep basalt peak upon which the fortress once stood, offering a commanding view over the fertile valleys of the Auvergne region. The history of the site is inextricably linked to the fate of the queen, who held a brilliant court there despite her captivity, making this château an unexpected cultural center at the end of the 16th century. The local flora consists of deciduous forests and meadows, typical of this transitional zone between the mountains and the plains. The fauna is that of the Auvergne bocage and mid-altitude woodlands, including numerous bird species and small mammals, which today benefit from the ruins in an environment that is both wild and steeped in history.

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Nearby paths:
Tour of Robe de Bure and Cotte de Mailles (Haute-Loire)
GR®30 Around Auvergne volcanoes and lakes (Puy-de-Dome)
GR®89 Montaigne Trail
GR®300 From Sancoins (Cher) to Puy-en-Velay (Haute-Loire)
GR®441 Around Puys Range (Puy-de-Dome)