Pleine nature in the footsteps of the jasseries peddler | Vacances en Auvergne

In the footsteps of a travelling salesman

I came very close to staying up there. To arrive at the Col des Supeyres and walk in the footsteps of the colporteur des jasseries is indeed to stop the race of time and the little worries of everyday life, in the midst of majestic nature. This makes the Jasseries peddler’s hike one of the most memorable walks in Auvergne’s Regional Nature Park. In Livradois-Forez, straddling the Monts du Forez, in the Puy-de-Dôme, just a few kilometers from Prabouré. It’s here, this family hike, adapted to the greatest number of us sportsmen and women, but also gourmets. In fact, the gradient along the route is not very steep, except on short, quickly covered distances. What’s more, the variety of natural environments on offer makes for wonderful discoveries.

At the start of the pass, we cross large meadows with short grass. Then, after a few passages under the trees, the peat bogs become recognizable. Then come the summer pasture fields, close to the jasseries. Then a narrow path leads through a bushy beech forest. Time stands still as you follow in the footsteps of the peddler. Indeed, enameled lava panels line the route. They tell a story, brought back by this itinerant merchant. Imagination is at its best in the Forez mountains. But what’s most conducive to disconnection is the relaxing silence that envelops the Hautes-Chaumes.

Pleine Nature Sur Les Traces Du Colporteur Des Jasseries

High-altitude living at the top of your lungs in the heart of nature

From Thiers towardsAmbert, take the D906, the nerve center of the Livradois-Forez region. Valcivières is signposted shortly after crossing Vertolaye. Then handy signs point the way to the long-awaited pass. The ascent by car is easy. In fact, it’s one of Livradois-Forez’s best-known cycle routes. However, given the steepness of the road, I’m quite happy to be in a vehicle without pedals. It was a rude awakening this morning, and it was already almost 11 o’clock when I reached the Col des Supeyres. The latter, perched on the Forez mountains at 1366 metres, is just behind its companion, the Col du Béal (1390 metres).

My partner, my dog and I aren’t the only ones who came up with the idea for this hike. A good fifteen cars are waiting, parked in the parking lot next to the Chalet des Gentianes. Although there’s an appetizing aroma wafting up from the gîte d’étape, it’s still a little early for lunch. I set off to explore and take a few photos. The air is crisp, so I knew I had to cover up. In the Auvergne, at an altitude of over 1,000 metres, you should never forget one or two extra layers of clothing.

After the effort, the comfort

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A hike punctuated by nature stories by the jassery peddler

I’m off to the Hautes-Chaumes with my dog and my partner. With our taste buds satisfied and our motivation fired up, we set off into the heart of nature on the sentier du colporteur des jasseries. The walk is easy, only 9.2 kilometers long, and has little difference in altitude (257 meters). I look for the first emblematic marker of this hiking trail: a little bouncing rabbit, drawn on a square of enameled lava. And there it is! White and overhanging a wooden post, it stands out well in the landscape. Nearby, the first sign welcomes visitors and explains the route of the walk. There are 7 stops along the way: the peddler, the huts, the path, the seasons, on the moor, in the meadow and the Fourme cheese.

My feet tread the oily grass of the Hautes-Chaumes for the first time.
They sink slightly into the soil, soaked with ancient humus. The little hike is made all the easier by the fact that this “bouncing effect” underfoot attenuates the sensation of gravity felt by us earthlings. Here and there, snow decorates the trail. I realize that I’ve never hiked on snowshoes before. My walking shoes slip lightly on the icy snow. Even so, the white blanket of snow isn’t thick enough to consider a snowshoe hike now. At the second sign, I meet the peddler who, on enameled lava, recounts his life as a traveling merchant from jasserie to jasserie. “Je vends livr’ et potions pour vous r’donner du cœur” he sang.

The peddler sold sheets, cloth, thread, ribbons and hardware… all useful and heavy goods that he carried to the “farms above”. He accompanies us along the way, through these panels that teach us many things about life in the Hautes-Chaumes. At the next break, a humorous sign introduces us to the Supeyres farm. We’re at an altitude of 1,300 metres. The view is Supeyres(be). I continue peacefully along the path towards Malmotte.

Pleine Nature Sur Les Traces Du Colporteur Des Jasseries 3

Pleine Nature Sur Les Traces Du Colporteur Des Jasseries 4

Pleine Nature Sur Les Traces Du Colporteur Des Jasseries 5

A relaxing walk in the Hautes-Chaumes region

My partner and my dog are a little ahead of me. I’m out in nature, on the edge of a forest. Only the sound of my footsteps breaks the ambient silence. These precious moments of calm are all too rare in everyday life. In the distance, a stream flows gently. A cowbell tinkles. A small sparrow flies from the branch of a fir tree. The air is damp and fresh. Disconnection is the order of the day. I think for a moment of the peddler who would make this journey many times a month. He must have been quite an athlete to carry such a heavy load over the Hautes-Chaumes. But the pleasure of hiking is also knowing how to clear your head. It’s a way of stopping time in its tracks and taking full advantage of the present moment. As a famous snow queen sings, “The past is gone”.

The trail winds gently through the forest. On the north side of the trail, the vegetation is very different. Lichen takes over the trees, giving a fantastical feel to a forest that was here long before us. A few steps off the trail, an abandoned sheepfold, hidden under the trees, arouses my curiosity. The roof is gone. I enter cautiously, following a natural path: I’m not the only one who’s curious. Inside, a small room stands out from the main dwelling. A drinking trough is still visible in this almost windowless niche. You can almost hear the bleating of small animals huddled together for warmth.

Some time before the final loop, I discover the trail dusted with snow. At the end of January, we haven’t seen much of it in the Livradois-Forez region. This little path through the heather reminds us that it’s still winter. But my poetic inspiration is shattered as my feet slide over this trampled poetry: it’s time to reach the Col des Supeyres.

What’s more, the last sign on the sentier du colporteur des jasseries mentioned fourme d’Ambert, that other natural wonder… The best for last. By the way, isn’t it time to try the famous Fourme d’Ambert, the fruit of the Hautes-Chaumes?