Photo : Jacques Labas / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Gorges d'Enval
The Gorges d'Enval are a natural site near Riom and Châtel-Guyon, in the Puy-de-Dôme, on the Limagne plain. A stream flows through a deep wooded valley, and the site is classed as a natural area of ecological, faunal and floral interest.
An iron-rich spring, the Source Marie, was discovered there and exploited for its therapeutic properties. The gorges were visited in the nineteenth century by spa guests from Châtel-Guyon, notably George Sand, and Maupassant mentions them at the start of his novel Mont-Oriol.
A shady path of about five kilometres overlooks the so-called Bout du Monde waterfall and offers views over the Limagne. Longer circuits, such as the Montaclier one, also cross the gorges. You can park on the D15, between Enval and Châtel-Guyon.
