The right gestures
Before any activity on the Grand Site de France Puy Mary – Volcan du Cantal, here are the good gestures for your safety and the preservation of nature.
Before you leave
- Check the local weather forecast.
- Take waterproof and warm clothes.
- Put on shoes and equipment.
- Take supplies (think of local producers) and hydration.
- Do not overestimate your physical abilities.
- Take a guidebook or an IGN map.
During the activity
- Stay on the marked trails.
- Adjust your route according to changing weather conditions.
- Do not open the fences, use the crossings and close the gates once you have passed them.
- During the hunting season, ask the Cantal Departmental Federation of Hunters for information on hunting schedules.
Am I allowed to…
Walking with your dog on a leash
✅ Tolerate on hiking trails.
❌ Even on a leash, do not cross the summer pastures with your dog.
Bivouac
✅ Tolerated on the GR® itinerary in the context of a touring hike (set up at sunset, leave at sunrise).
❌ Wild camping (staying several days in the same place) is prohibited.
Making a fire
✅ Only on developed areas.
❌ Prohibited within 200 m of a border, a wood, a forest, you expose yourself to a fine of 135 €. A fire start that can destroy several hectares of greenery.
Throwing away my waste
✅ Prepare a bag to take your waste back with you.
❌ Throw away your waste: an apple core takes 5 months to degrade in nature, a candy paper 5 years, a plastic bottle 1 century…
Observe the wild fauna/flora
✅ Stay low-key, you’ll have a better chance of seeing wildlife at sunrise or dusk. Admire, observe, photograph the plants.
❌ Keep a safe distance, don’t try to get too close. Picking the plants exposes you to a fine of 135 €.
