To the south of the Loire département is a backdrop of greenery, consisting of pine trees, plateaux, fields and sunny hills… A very varied range of landscapes, you go from an altitude of 140m in the valley to 1432 m at the highest point in just a few kilometers. In the summer when the sun beats down on the steep hillsides of the Pilat, hikers are grateful for the shade given by the trees higher up, close to the mountain peaks where the "chirats" (piles of granite stones) are of interest.
Its hills makes the area especially suited for mountain bikers, whilst there are unusual sites just off the beaten track such as a monastery transformed into a village... the only one of its kind in France!