The Area sports
Water sports
The Truyère gorge was dammed in the early 1930s to provide hydroelectric power. The nearest reservoirs, upstream of Grandval and Sarrans, offer facilities for sailing, water-skiing, canoeing, kayaking, and sail-boarding.
Swimming
Pierrefort has an open-air swimming pool suitable for children (10-minute drive), and there is a Centre Aqualudique in Saint-Flour (20 minutes). You can also swim in the Truyère at the Pont de Tréboul (20 minutes) or at Laussac (30 minutes).
You can paddle and cool off in the stream by our mill, just 5 minutes’ walk from the gîte.
Fishing
The rivers and reservoirs nearby are well stocked with fish. Seasons and permits.
Pony-trekking
The Centre Equestre de Chabridet (10 minute drive) offers rides round the local countryside.
Tennis
There are public courts in Pierrefort (10 minutes away).
Golf
The 9-hole course at Le Battut has spectacular views over the Truyère (25 minutes away).
Skiing
There is a very reasonably-priced resort at Le Lioran which offers downhill and cross-country skiing at all levels. The resort itself is on the far side of the Plomb du Cantal (one hour’s drive), but it is accessible from the col du Prat de Bouc on our side (35 minutes’ drive), where you can hire equipment, and take ski-lifts up to the ridge and the pistes on the other slope. There is usually good snow from mid-December till early March.
The nearest cross-country skiing and snow-shoe trails are at Gourdièges (10 minutes’ drive); more reliable snow and more extensive trails can be found higher up at Cézens and Vigouroux (30 minutes’ drive), or at Prat de Bouc.
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