Monistrol-d'Allier

Monistrol-d’Allier is a commune at the bottom of the Allier gorge in the Haute-Loire department, one of the lowest and most enclosed points on the first section of the Via Podiensis. The village sits where the route arrives at the river, having descended steeply from the plateau above.

A medieval stone bridge crosses the Allier here, and the combination of the river, the bridge, and the towering basalt cliffs of the gorge makes Monistrol one of the most striking landscape settings on the early stages. The valley is narrow and the walls steep, giving the village a sheltered, almost hidden character.

Pilgrims typically stop here for the views and a rest before the long climb back out of the gorge on the far bank toward Saugues.