Things to do around the house, from 5 minutes to 1 hour away

With children

• Velay Express (4,3 km · 6 min): France’s highest steam railway (1,062 m), 27 km between Raucoules, Tence, Le Chambon and Saint-Agrève; runs Sundays May–October and Wed/Thu/Sun from 15 July to 31 August 2026, plus Easter, Halloween and Santa trains. Adults €16.50–22.50, children 4–12 €13.50–19.50, group rate from 15.
• L’Ours Maçon (4,5 km · 8 min): France’s only putting-golf, in the forest, with a restaurant and summer concerts.
• Lac de Lavalette (12 km · 13 min): free supervised swimming 1 July–31 August, kayaks (€10/h), pedalos, paddleboards, sailing.
• Écureuil Aventure (10 km · 11 min): the largest tree-top adventure park in the Haute-Loire, from age 3, plus archery tag.
• Lieu de Mémoire (12 km · 14 min): the story of the plateau that sheltered thousands of refugees during WWII; children’s treasure hunt; €5 / €3, free under 10, groups of 10+ €3.50.
• River Lignon at Tence’s stade du Pont: picnic tables, playground, paddling — free.

Sources: Haut-Lignon tourist office1 · Velay Express timetable 20263 · Lieu de Mémoire: opening times and prices4 · Lac de Lavalette leisure centre5

Outdoors

• Pic du Lizieux (19 km · 22 min): 360° view over the Velay volcanoes; 5.2 km loop from Chièze; a playful “volcano trail” for children.
• Mont Mézenc (35 km · 36 min): the roof of the Haute-Loire, 1–1.5 h return from Croix de Peccata; then the source of the Loire at Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc.
• Lignon gorge footbridge (15 km · 17 min): a Himalayan-style suspension bridge, 30 minutes’ walk from the Villedemont car park.
• Via Fluvia: 40 km of car-free greenway on an old railway line, access at Montfaucon-en-Velay (8 min); rail-bike at Dunières (14 min).
• 25 waymarked loop walks from 1.7 to 16.6 km with official GPX files — list in French.
• Golf du Chambon-sur-Lignon (18 km · 19 min): 18 holes, par 72, at 1,000 m.

Sources: Haut-Lignon tourist office1 · Haute-Loire tourism key figures 20242

Culture and food

• Le Puy-en-Velay (48 km · 45 min): UNESCO cathedral, start of the Camino de Santiago, Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe rock (268 steps), Notre-Dame de France statue; free light show “Puy de Lumières” every evening from 3 July to 13 September 2026; the Renaissance festival “Roi de l’Oiseau” (16–20 September 2026, 120,000 visitors).
• Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid (15 km · 16 min): Régis and Jacques Marcon’s three-Michelin-star restaurant and the mushroom fair on 7–8 November 2026.
• Markets: Tence on Tuesday morning, Le Chambon-sur-Lignon on Saturday morning; local goat cheeses, Le Puy green lentils (AOP), blueberries, Fin Gras du Mézenc beef (AOP).

Sources: Haute-Loire tourism key figures 20242 · Haut-Lignon tourist office1

Winter

Two Nordic areas: Meygal at Raffy (≈ 23 km · 25 min by car; 44 km of trails, snowshoe circuits, equipment hire from age 2, adult day pass €7.50 in 2026) and Mézenc / Les Estables (≈ 39 km · 39 min by car; 54 km of Nordic trails, 9 downhill runs, snowshoeing, dog sledding). Then the sauna, the wood stove and a raclette. Santa’s train runs from Tence on 19–21 December 2026.

Source: Meygal Nordic area (Nordic France)6