The Grand Traverse of the Massif Central. Alan Castle

      Typical village by the Tarn (Stage 10) (Alan Sides)

      Perversely, for a trail that is to head south to the coast, the GTMC begins by travelling north, to visit the town of Volvic, famed for its natural spring water. The fascinating visitor centre here should not be missed, before you continue across the Monts Dôme, an incredible area dotted with many long-extinct volcanoes, the highest of which is the Puy de Dôme, at 1464m (4800ft).

      The next few days are spent in the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne, at first following the main Chaîne des Puys of volcanic hills, and then skirting to the east of the Monts-Dore, a series of high peaks and ridges topped by the highest summit in the whole of the Massif Central, the Puy de Sancy (1886m/6186ft). The GTMC crosses the high Cézallier plateau and then to the east of the extinct Cantal volcanoes, before descending first to Allanche and then to the historic town of Saint-Flour.

      The first stage of the GTMC now over, the route then proceeds over the high hills of the Margeride, a remote area from which many Maquis operations were launched during the Second World War. The national monument to the French Resistance is located near the highest summit of the Margeride, Mont Mouchet, at 1490m (4887ft), and there is the opportunity to visit both. The way continues across sparsely populated country – passing the route taken since medieval times by pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain – finally descending to the spa town of Bagnols-les-Bains.

      The trail now stands at the northern foot of the Cévennes, one of southern France's most romantically beautiful areas. The crossing of this great range of high, forested hills begins with a traverse of Mont Lozère, beneath the summit of its highest mountain, the Pic de Finiels (1699m/5570ft), before a long descent to Le Pont-de-Montvert.

      This charming village, steeped in history, lies on the River Tarn, perhaps southern France's most celebrated river. More Cévenol hills are traversed as the GTMC now heads west, over the Bougès ridge to Florac, capital of the Cévennes, where the Tarn is encountered once more. We are now close to some of the spectacular Tarn Gorges, above which our trail journeys still westwards to reach one of the main settlements on the river, Sainte-Énimie, ancient village turned water sports capital.

      The Tarn is reluctantly left behind as the trail crosses the sun-baked and often windswept Causse Méjean, a very extensive high limestone plateau, ablaze with flowers in the springtime. The southern Cévennes then have to be conquered, the GTMC climbing to its very highest point, the summit of Mont Aigoual, an extensive viewpoint. The Trèvezel Gorges are passed en route for an overnight at the gîte d'étape at the picturesque village of Dourbies. A final climb over the southernmost of the Cévennes hills and forests leads to a lower, more open plain, which is crossed to reach the historic, small walled town of La Couvertoirade, another grand place to spend the night.

      Our trail continues across more fairly open plain, dotted with tiny settlements, until the foot of the last major barrier before the coastal plain is reached. The crossing of the high Saint-Baudille range of limestone hills, and a visit to the revered village of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert in the l'Hérault valley, are both highlights of the next stage. Only a visit to refined Montpellier remains before the Mediterranean Sea is reached, for a very relaxing finale to the GTMC – a ride or walk along the Canal du Rhône to journey's end, the ‘island’ peninsula that is the town of Sète.

A GTMC for Road Cyclists

      A traverse of the Massif Central, following the line of the GTMC very approximately, can also be made by road cyclists. This visits all the major places through which the GTMC passes, but keeps to roads – for the most part relatively quiet ones, where the volume of traffic is not excessive. There are several alternative routes, with the major contenders described in this guidebook. Such a road route would probably take the average cyclist somewhere between eight and 12 days, and would vary in distance between about 660km (410 miles) and 800km (500 miles), depending on the exact route chosen.

      Mountain bikers need not always stick to the GTMC on their journey south, of course – you can easily ‘mix and match’, riding some sections of the GTMC and others on quiet roads. This option will probably appeal particularly to the less competent or enthusiastic mountain biker, especially in poor weather conditions (always remember that enjoyment is the main reason for making this journey).

Walking the GTMC

      The GTMC not only makes an excellent off-road mountain bike trail across the hills, forests, plateaux and valleys of the Massif Central, but as such a high percentage of it is off-road, and much of that along numerous GR Trails, it also provides a first-rate long-distance walking route across the region. Rather like a coast-to-coast route in Britain, there is a great deal of satisfaction to be had from a project that involves traversing a whole region right down to the very edge of the sea.