The Area

The regional capital is the medieval town of Foix, whose 10th century, 3 turreted castle sits atop of a rocky outcrop and lords over the town. This is the ancestral home of the Counts of Foix who at one time controlled the fortress.

The streets of Foix are very pleasant to wander around – lots of cafe’s and small shops. Market day is on a Friday & is well worth going to for delicious cheese, saucisson, fresh vegetables and bread.

Another town worth visiting for the Saturday market is St Girons, as there are many craft stalls, and home made wares for sale.

The spa resort of Ax les Thermes is about 40 mins drive from Foix, towards the Andorran border. It is a good base for walkers and cyclists alike, plus gives telecabine access to the ski town of Ax Bonascre and its ski slopes (le 3 domaines). Ax still has thermal waters flowing through the town, and the spa centre is currently under renovation. You can however dip your feet for free in the open air Basin des Landres which is a very pleasant way to spend half an hour or so.

See

Ariege houses the famous castle of Montsegur, with its rather bloody history of the Cathar massacre. The chateau stands on a high pog, 1000 m above the valley, and high above the village of Montsegur.

It is worth climbing the 150m (ascent) to walk around the ruin, as it is very atmospheric, and the views across the valley are stunning. It is open all year round apart from in Dec/January. The walk is fairly steep and takes about 35 – 40 minutes. Good walking shoes are ideal as it is rocky and can be slippery in places.

While you are in the area, go and visit the medieval town of Mirepoix, which used to be a Cathar stronghold before being destroyed and then rebuilt as a bastide in 1279. The main square is very pretty, with many overhanging walkways and historic buildings.

The area has numerous caves to visit, including Labouiche, near Foix, which has a underground river boat ride (3 km long), and the Grotte de Niaux, where you can see some fantastic cave paintings of bison, horses etc.

The famous Mas d’Azil is also worth driving through. It’s one of the most renowned prehistoric sites in the world, dating back to the Paleolithic era. This immense cave, with a road running right through it, is remarkable both for its scale and its fascinating history, linked to the earliest inhabitants of the region. A must-see for archaeology and natural heritage enthusiasts.

Do

The Ariege is a haven for outdoor mountain activities. The walking and trekking options are almost endless, and whilst there are not the highest Pyrenean peaks in this region, there are some stunning routes that keen walkers would be foolish to miss. One advantage of the Ariege is that the road network goes fairly high, allowing people to walk to the highest peaks in a day trip. There are some good guide books available eg ‘L’Ariege a pied’ which you can buy. The GR10 is a classic mountain walk which crosses France from one side to another and Chemin de la Liberte which leads you from the French  Pyranees to the Spanish Pyranees which is the escape route to Spain  used by the resistance in the second World War are within the Ariege region amongst others. Within the area are different levels of walking, plus other activity holidays such as mountain biking, road biking and cross country skiing in the winter.

For cyclists among you, the Tour de France comes to Ariege almost every year. This year Stage 15 ended up at the Plateau de Beille, an infamous 16 km climb from the village of Les Cabannes up to what is a fantastic cross country ski station in the winter, and a great place for some walking in the summer. At 1800m it has fabulous views of the Andorran / French border mountains and in summer is normally a fantastic temperature (a few degrees cooler than the valley). There are numerous other cols for cycling up for keen road cyclists.

Cross country skiers are spoilt with a choice of two ski stations, the one at Plateau de Beille (60 km of pistes) and the Domaine du Chioula (another 50 km or so of tracks). The altitude of Beille means that it has an excellent snow record.

Eat

The local mountain cuisine is easy to find in the local restaurants: some excellent tartiflette, cassoulet and catalan influenced dishes. The local cheeses, moulis and bethemale (both hard cheeses) are delicious.

Drink

The Ariege is not a wine growing region, so it brings in wine from the nearby Aude. Most local are Corbieres, Cahor and Fronton wines. There is not much white wine available in the area, but plenty of very good red and rose. Limoux, just over into the Aude, is the home to Blanquette de Limoux, which is a fantastic bubbly and very economical (about 6E a bottle).

Other Places of Interest

Cafés, Bars, Restaurants, Supermarkets, Markets,  Bakers, Butchers, Tourist Offices and Chemists can all be found in Daumazan sur Arize & Montesquieu-Volvestre.

More Information

http://www.ariege-pyrenees-tourism.co.uk/home/discover-the-ariege/about-the-ariege.aspx

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g1577394-Activities-Ariege_Midi_Pyrenees.html

ariege.com – Information in English and French on accommodations, leisure and cultural activities, mountain recreation in the Ariège region of the central French Pyrenees.

about-france.com – Essential travel information for France, and an independent guide to France and French life for tourists, visitors and general interest.