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A walk around the Gour de Tazenat

Published 25 August 2021

Fancy a walk with a swim along the way?

A perfect circle 700 m across and around 66 m deep, the Gour de Tazenat is a crater lake, or maar, whose clear waters are home to varied aquatic life. It lies at an altitude of 700 metres in the commune of Charbonnières-les-Vieilles (north-west of Riom and Châtel-Guyon), on the northern edge of the Chaîne des Puys in the Puy-de-Dôme département.

The gour was formed by an eruption some 30,000 years ago. Magma rising to the surface through one of the region's (many) faults came into contact with the Rochegude stream. The sudden vaporisation of the water caused a violent reaction: the rocky mantle literally exploded, creating a crater. This happened several times, until the magmatic activity died down.

Its depth is estimated at 80 metres, although the water itself is put at 68 metres deep because of the sediment. Swimming is allowed.

The Gour de Tazenat is also an ideal setting for walkers. A path circles the lake: the loop is 4.5 km long with 100 metres of ascent. Allow about 2 hours (taking the time to enjoy the surroundings).

More information:

https://www.tourisme-combrailles.fr/gour-de-tazenat-charbonnieres-les-vieilles.html