Pèira arsa means "burnt stone" in Auvergnat, the name evoking the rocky chaos and small cliffs that form the summit.

[2] The easiest ascent route is the GR 4 to the west, which follows the ridge line between Puy Mary and Peyre-Arse.

Access is also possible from the southeast (Col de Cabre), but the ascent is significantly more strenuous.

[3] The painter Théodore Rousseau traveled to Cantal in 1830 and produced numerous studies, including that of the Saint-Vincent-de-Salers valley.

The valley is crossed by the Mars River [fr] and is home to many villages.