Looking for things to do in Monistrol-d'Allier on a GR65 rest day? Walk up to the Sainte-Madeleine cave chapel (open daily in July and August, free), do the PR650 basalt columns loop (5.6 km, about 2 hours), cross the 1888 Eiffel bridge, then spend the afternoon on the Allier: rafting with Tonic Aventure (€55 per half-day, until 18 October in 2026) or supervised river swimming at Le Vivier in summer. All of it on foot, from the bottom of the gorge.
Why take your rest day in Monistrol-d'Allier?
Because it is the trough of the wave. Monistrol is the low point of the Saint-Privat-d'Allier to Saugues stage, at around 600 m, squeezed between two of the more serious efforts at the start of the Le Puy route. The day before, you came down from Rochegude: roughly 350 m of descent through the forest, with sections the official route description flags with a "careful!". The day after, you leave by the Madeleine and Escluzels climb: roughly 450 to 500 m of near-continuous ascent over the first few kilometres, with a handrail on the steepest part.
Stopping for a day in between gives your knees time to recover before you ask your thighs for a big effort. It is also one of the few places on the Way where a day off can be spent by a river, with plenty to do without a car: surprising heritage a few hundred metres away, a white-water activity base in the village, a train station and a bus line. And some thirty kilometres from Le Puy, the break comes just as your body is still learning the rhythm of the trail.
A suggested rest day in Monistrol-d'Allier
This plan can be done entirely on foot from the village. Adjust it to the season: some visits and activities only run in summer.
- Breakfast without an alarm 8am · village For once, no 6:30am start. Breakfast is served until 11am at L'Auberge des Amis: take your time, hang out the washing, watch the mist lift off the Allier.
- Sainte-Madeleine chapel morning · about 1.5 km · 720 m Following the GR65 past the bridge and the Ance river, the chapel is about 1.5 km away and a hundred metres or so higher, based on the Visorando track. It is a basalt cave closed off by a stone façade (17th–18th century), listed as a historic monument in 2005. Open every day from 1 July to 31 August, free. Bonus: you get to scout the start of tomorrow's climb without a pack.
- Or the basalt columns loop (PR650) morning · 5.6 km · +309 m For legs that want to keep moving: start at the church, about 2 hours (2.5 according to the town hall), basalt flows, an old quarry, a path suspended above the river, the Madeleine chapel and the hidden hamlet of La Valette. The path becomes narrow and tricky after point 2 of the route sheet: proper walking shoes are a must.
- Lunch noon–2pm · village The €22 lunch menu or a pizza on the terrace. All the options are in our guide on where to eat in Monistrol-d'Allier.
- An afternoon on the water 2pm · the Allier In season, a half-day of rafting with Tonic Aventure (meet at 2pm, back around 6pm); in July and August, supervised swimming at the Le Vivier beach. Out of season, a nap by the river does the job too.
- Eiffel bridge, church and basalt late afternoon · village The metal bridge built by the Eiffel company in 1887–1888 (69.15 m span) is free to cross. In the church, a former Romanesque priory, look for the polychrome statue of Notre-Dame d'Estours, carried in procession in 1767 against the Beast of Gévaudan.
- Drinks and dinner 7–10pm · village A draught beer at the bar, swapping stories with the walkers just arriving, then dinner. Order your packed lunch for the next day before heading to bed.
Things to do on the water in Monistrol-d'Allier
The village is home to Tonic Aventure's base in the gorge (+33 4 71 57 23 90, tonic-aventure.fr), open from 4 April to 18 October in 2026, daily from 9am to 6:30pm, with changing rooms and hot showers. A half-day of rafting costs €55 per person, wetsuit included: around 2.5 hours on the water in a six-person raft with a guide, from age 10, for swimmers only, in closed shoes. Meet at 9:15am or 2pm; online booking closes at 5:30pm the day before. Canyoning is open from age 12, and climbing on the village's basalt and granite cliffs from age 8. For the via ferrata, ask Tonic directly.
For a swim, the Le Vivier beach is supervised from 8 July to 31 August, 2pm to 5pm on weekdays and 1pm to 7pm at weekends and on public holidays, free of charge. EDF points out that hydro plants can start up at any moment and raise the water level fast: respect the bans and swim in the supervised area. More ideas in our guide to things to do in the Allier gorges.
How to rest your legs before the climb to Saugues
A good rest day is not a day spent lying still. A few common-sense tips, heard a thousand times at the bar:
- Move gently. A short walk without a pack, like the round trip to the chapel, loosens you up better than a day in bed. Save the PR650 for fresh legs.
- Put your feet in the water. A few minutes with your legs in the river, in the supervised swimming area, feels good after the descent.
- Treat blisters while they have time to dry out. Note that there is no pharmacy in the village: the nearest on the route is in Saugues. Arrive with a full first-aid kit.
- Wash everything. The auberge has a laundry with drying: the moment to set off again with truly clean socks.
- Eat and drink properly to prepare for the climb. The auberge's Wi-Fi lets you check in with home and look up the weather on the plateau.
Practical info: money, post, transport
No ATM in Monistrol (the nearest are in Saugues) and no pharmacy. No grocery shop can be confirmed either: bring cash and supplies with you.
- Post office: a municipal postal counter, Tuesday to Friday 9 to 11:30am and Saturday 8:15am to noon (+33 9 63 43 03 63). Handy for sending home whatever is weighing down your pack.
- Stamp: at the town hall on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:15am to noon, or at the auberge during opening hours. See our guide to the pilgrim credential.
- Train: the station is on the Clermont-Ferrand to Nîmes line ("le Cévenol"), between Langeac and Alleyras; tickets are bought on board. Engineering works are announced from 5 October to 6 November 2026, with replacement coaches: check SNCF Connect or TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
- Bus: regional line H04 links Saugues, Monistrol and Le Puy-en-Velay. The train does not go to Le Puy.
- Luggage: La Malle Postale (+33 4 71 04 21 79) carries bags along the Le Puy route; confirm with them that Monistrol is served.
A half-day in Langeac (15th-century collegiate church, Tonic's main base) or a bus ride to Le Puy are possible, but the real rest here is not catching anything at all.
Where to stay in Monistrol-d'Allier for two nights
To be clear: L'Auberge des Amis is, for now, a restaurant and bar. Its 17-room hotel opens in March 2027 and rooms cannot be booked yet. For a bed, the town hall lists several places: Le Repos du Pèlerin (gîte, seasonal), Gîte du Pont Eiffel, Le Ricochet, La Tsabone, La Poustach'Hutte, Domaine de Doux Chêne, Gîte de la Madeleine at Escluzels, L'Oustal du Blagaïre at La Molle and the Le Vivier campsite. Book both nights at once, especially in summer.
As for meals, the auberge is open every day, from the first coffee to dinner. Book your table, then get ready for the Monistrol-d'Allier to Saugues stage with fresh legs.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do in Monistrol-d'Allier in one day?
Walk up to the Sainte-Madeleine cave chapel, do the PR650 basalt columns loop (5.6 km, about 2 hours), cross the 1888 Eiffel bridge, then spend the afternoon on the Allier: rafting with Tonic Aventure in season, or supervised swimming at Le Vivier in July and August.
Can you visit the Sainte-Madeleine chapel all year?
It is open every day from 1 July to 31 August, free of charge. The rest of the year, visits are on request for groups of 10 or more, through the town hall (+33 4 71 57 21 21).
Can you go rafting in Monistrol-d'Allier?
Yes, with Tonic Aventure, from 4 April to 18 October in 2026. A half-day costs €55 per person, from age 10, and you must be able to swim. Book online until 5:30pm the day before or call +33 4 71 57 23 90.
How do I get from Monistrol-d'Allier to Le Puy-en-Velay without a car?
Regional bus line H04 links Saugues, Monistrol-d'Allier and Le Puy-en-Velay. The train does not go to Le Puy: Monistrol station is on the Clermont-Ferrand to Nîmes line, which serves Langeac among other towns.
Can I stay overnight at L'Auberge des Amis?
Not yet. The restaurant and bar have been open since September 2026; the 17-room hotel is due to open in March 2027 and rooms cannot be booked yet. The village has several gîtes and a campsite.
Photo credits — Monistrol-d'Allier © Rémih, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Monistrol-d'Allier © Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Chapelle Sainte-Madeleine (Monistrol-d'Allier) © Rémih, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Activités © Tonic Aventure
