Post-symposium excursions : monts du Cantal
11 – 13 September 2026
Participants in the post-excursion will mainly discover the vegetation from the upper montane belt, from around 1,400 m to the highest peaks, in the subalpine belt in the areas of Plomb du Cantal, the highest peak in the Massif at 1,854 metres, and the “Cirque de l’Impradine-Puy Mary”. A more limited additional excursion will take place in the sub-montane belt zone, in a sheltered climate on the basalt hills around the town of Murat.
Participants will discover also the types of vegetation, localities or locus typicus described and explored by Josias Braun-Blanquet (1926), in particular: Nardion, Adenostylion, Genisto pilosae-Vaccinion, Cardamino-Montion, Festucion variae. And also the vegetation of Koelerio-Phleion desribed by Luquet (1939).
Accommodation will be in a holiday home in Le Lioran (Laveissière). Please note that the number of participants will be limited to 50. Departure will be from Clermont-Ferrand on Friday 11th at around 17:00. The return to Clermont-Ferrand is scheduled for Sunday 13th at around 16:30, with stops at the station and airport for connections.
Friday, September 11th
Departure by bus at 5:00 pm from Polydôme and arrival around 7:00 pm at holiday accommodation center “le Bec de l’Aigle”, village of Le Lioran, commune de Laveissière.
Saturday, September 12th
9:00 am: Departure for the Le Lioran cable car;
9:30 am: Departure by cable car (lunch will be a picnic on the mountain or in the picnic room upon return to Le Lioran, it will depend on the weather): subalpine vegetation following in the footsteps of Braun-Blanquet (1926): Locus typicus of the Nardion type; loci of relevés of Genisto-Vaccinion and Cardamino-Montion; vegetation of Festucion variae and Calamagrostion.
2:30 pm: Return to Le Lioran via cable car and departure for Murat.
3:00 pm: Hike up the hill of Chastel-sur-Murat to the Saint-Antoine Chapel. Observation of the xeric grassland vegetation of the Koelerio-Phleion, following in the footsteps of A. Luquet (1937).
Visit and free time in Murat until 6:30.
6:30 pm: Refreshments at Murat Town Hall, then return to the Lioran accommodation center.
8:30 pm: Regional meal at “Bec de l’Aigle” accomodation center
Sunday, September 13 th
8:00 am: Departure by bus for Eylac pass;
8:35 am: Arrival at the Col d’Eylac;
8:45 am: Hike in the “Cirque de l’Impradine” and to the “Brèche de Roland”, following in the footsteps of Braun-Blanquet (1926). Locus classicus of Adenostylion and Caricion. Locus of a relevé of the Nardion.
12:00 pm: Lunch at the restaurant in Eylac, above the pass;
2:30 pm: Departure by bus from the Eylac pass to Clermont-Ferrand;
4:30 pm: Arrival at Clermont-Ferrand SNCF train station (connecting trains to Paris…);
5:00 pm: Bus arrival at Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne Airport (connecting flights to Paris…)
The excursion guide will be available for download here shortly