La Bourboule - Charlanne (1146 - 1288 m)

Located between 1,146 and 1,288 meters altitude in the Puy-de-Dôme, La Bourboule - Charlannes is a premier Nordic site in the heart of the Espace Nordique Sancy which totals 250 kilometers of groomed trails. A renowned spa town in summer, La Bourboule transforms in winter into a haven for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing enthusiasts, offering a pristine forest setting and exceptional panoramic views of the Auvergne volcanoes. Just 12 kilometers from Le Mont-Dore and its 40 kilometers of alpine slopes connected to Super-Besse, La Bourboule - Charlannes provides the perfect Nordic complement for a complete Sancy vacation.

For cross-country skiing, the La Bourboule - Charlannes sector offers 14 kilometers of trails groomed for both classic and skating techniques through the forest, featuring 2 green beginner trails of 0.3 and 0.6 kilometers for beginners and families on the plateau, 1 intermediate blue Balcon trail of 1.6 kilometers, 1 advanced red Pierre Bastide trail of 3 kilometers for experienced skiers, and 1 very difficult black Gîtes trail of 8.5 kilometers for experts. A 5.6-kilometer connecting route links to the neighboring La Tour d'Auvergne - La Stèle sector and its additional 45 kilometers of trails, offering nearly 70 kilometers of interconnected cross-country skiing between the two sites. Trails are marked, groomed daily for both classic and skating, secured and reserved exclusively for Nordic skiing, with paid access valid across the entire Sancy Nordic area.

For snowshoeing, the Charlannes area offers 3 loop routes totaling approximately 13 kilometers: the easy green La Plaine trail of 4.1 kilometers ideal for families with minimal elevation and open views, the intermediate blue Bois de Charlannes circuit of 4 kilometers through the forest, and the advanced red Belvédère route of 5.2 kilometers offering panoramic views of the Sancy and the Dordogne valley. A 5-kilometer snowshoe connecting route links to La Stèle to explore the entire massif. The site also features a free 0.6-kilometer multi-activity trail accessible to pedestrians, snowshoers, cross-country skiers and leashed dogs, as well as a 0.9-kilometer Tibou Family Special trail for children, and a groomed toboggan run for youngsters.

At the trailhead, the Charlannes sector features a picnic room accommodating approximately 30 people, a rescue station, ticket office, toilets and free parking. Individual cross-country ski lessons available for ages 6 and up with ESF instructors. Nordic passes are valid across the entire Sancy area (La Bourboule, Le Mont-Dore, Chastreix, La Stèle, Super-Besse, Besse) and available as day passes, weekly passes or Nordic Massif Central season passes. A quintessential family Nordic resort in the heart of the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Natural Park, La Bourboule - Charlannes represents the ideal destination for discovering wide open spaces and pristine nature just 45 minutes from Clermont-Ferrand.