Sheet n°35
Roc de Courlande
The summit or the meadow at
the base
Description of the site:
Type of soil/surface
area/vegetation/exposure
 Le Roc de Courlande
Name
of
village/town:
Chastreix-Chastreix
Sancy
Owner: split
References:
in the IGN (French National
Geographic Institute) topographical map entitled,
TOP25 1:25000 de randonnée Massif du Sancy 2432
ET,
Latitude: fold 3, GPS coordinates between 481 and
482
Longitude: fold C, GPS coordinates between 5040
and 5042
Access: can be reached by car up to a point; you
must then continue on foot.
By car, go out of the village of Chastreix. Follow the
D615 for 5 km until you reach the Chastreix-Sancy ski
resort. Just before you arrive at the ski resort, park at the
foot of Roc de Courlande in the car park situated on
the right side after the hairpin turn.
Length of itinerary: the site is right next to the
road.
Public parking and activities: 1 car park with a
rest area, and 1 equestrian centre.
Location of the artwork: at the summit of the
Roc, with the slopes or the meadow below.
The Chastreix-Sancy ski resort is located on the
Western slopes of the Monts Dore. You can see the
outline of the peaks of the mountain range at the
summit of the resort. The Roc is located on an
immense plateau named “la plaine brûlée” (the
burnt plain). The name refers to the type of flora in
this area. The flora is typical of the high plains, where
there is a complete absence of trees and shrubs;
here, only heath, short grasses, and prairie flowers
growi amongst the chaos of the stones.
This type of plateau is overlooked by jagged peaks
of about 1700 m (in altitude.
They confer a
remarkable characteristic of grandeur and give the
impression of a lunar landscape that is unique in
Sancy.
The nearby mountains of the ski resort are Roc de
Courlande and Mont Redon. Roc de Courlande,
dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was a destination for
religious pilgrimages.
Statues of the Virgin are
located along the path that leads to the cross at the
summit. The Roc de Courlande is a popular
destination.
Mont Redon, which is located less than 1 km from
the Roc de Courlande, looms over the area from its
altitude of 1582 m.
The summit offers an exceptional view of the even
bigger Artense and Millevaches plateaus, and of the
Monts du Cantal in the distance, as well as a
panoramic view of the local surroundings.
The summit and the slopes are covered primarily in
short grasses that are full of flowers in the
summertime. A small stream snakes through the
meadows, which are surrounded by the type of flora
typically seen in humid zones. There is sunshine
throughout the day, since it is not hindered by a
mountain.
The site has a surface area of several hectares.
.
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Technical aspects of the site: in the meadow
at the base of the Roc, the paths can be used by any
type of vehicle. To go higher, a 4x4 vehicle must be
used.
Best points:
the sites that can be seen in the
distance, such as Chastreix, the Puy de Sancy (the
highest volcano in Auvergne), the route through the
peaks of the Monts Dore (the very popular GR30), and
Sancy’s Fontaine Salée natural reserve.
.
Discover the different mountains of the Chastreix-Sancy
area on a loop with a panoramic view of the peaks of
the Sancy mountain range, the Artense plateau, and in
the distance, the Millevaches plateau. Hike through the
prés d’estive at the end of the loop.
Note:
the prés d’estive provides summertime
pasture for herds of cattle.
, vue d’ensemble du Roc de Courlande (à gauche) et du Mont Redon (à droite)
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* Depuis la route et le parking de la Roc Courlande, des prés d’estive en premier plan avec à gauche Chastreix et en face le plateau de l’Artense
 Le Roc de Courlande à gauche, le mont Redon en face et à droite le pré qui peut être utilisé
aussi
 Le Roc de Courlande
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