Ariège: Holiday apartments and holiday homes

Ariège between the Pyrenees and 14,000 years of history

Ariège is located in the Pyrenees and offers visitors a heritage spanning 14,000 years of history. The landscape ranges from lakes, valleys and waterfalls to historic sites and prehistoric caves.

Culture and history

Château de Montségur was converted into a royal fortress in the late 13th century to defend the border with Aragon. Grotte du Mas-d’Azil has been classified as a Monument Historique since 1942. Its archaeological reputation gave its name to the prehistoric period known as the Azilian.

The entrance gallery of Grotte de Niaux is 55 metres high and 50 metres wide. For conservation reasons, only the first 800 metres of the cave are open to visitors. Free parking is available on site, while the access road is a narrow mountain road. The Musée de la Préhistoire in Ariège is the department’s only prehistoric museum and displays remarkable objects from the cave.

A connection has existed between Ariège and the Tour de France since 1903; the race regularly crosses the mountain passes of the department.

Nature and mountains

Ariège offers a mountain landscape with cirques, waterfalls, peaks, valleys and lakes. The Parc Naturel Régional des Pyrénées Ariégeoises is recognised for the diversity of its natural, cultural and landscape heritage across 138 municipalities. In the forests of Ariège, it is possible to encounter chamois, deer and marmots.

The lakes and natural sites of Ariège provide opportunities for rafting, canoeing, kayaking, walking, hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, skiing and snowshoeing.

Winter and activities

Ariège has six downhill ski areas: Ax-3-Domaines, Guzet, Les Monts d’Olmes, Ascou, Mijanès-Donezan and Goulier. The four Nordic areas are Plateau de Beille, Etang de Lers, Chioula and Mijanès. These four Nordic areas offer cross-country skiing, skating, snowshoeing, Nordic walking, trail running, dog sledding and biathlon.

Plateau de Beille has 40 kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails. Chioula has 48 kilometres of cross-country ski trails and 16 kilometres of snowshoeing trails. The Ax-3-Domaines ski resort is directly connected to Ax-les-Thermes by gondola lift.

Getting there and mobility

Foix has daily SNCF connections from Paris, Toulouse, Carcassonne, Bordeaux and Montpellier. Ariège can be explored without a car by train, bus or bicycle. By road, Ariège is approximately one hour from Toulouse and approximately one hour from Carcassonne.

Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Ariège can then continue their accommodation search.

Cuisine

Products associated with Ariège include saucisse de Foie, Bethmale cheese, millas, flocon d’Ariège, wine, foie gras, honey, preserved foods and fruit juices. Bethmale is a classic cheese from Ariège made from cow’s milk; there are also variants made from sheep’s and goat’s milk, as well as mixed-milk varieties.

The Saturday morning market in Saint-Girons offers a selection of local cheeses, including tommes, crottins, pyramids and palets.

Places in Ariège

Ax-Les-Thermes, Carla-Bayle, Durfort, Fougax-Et-Barrineuf, Lézat-Sur-Lèze, Tarascon-Sur-Ariège, Tignac, Varilhes, Saint Lary, Buzan, Mazeres, Foix, Seix, Saint-Lizier, Pamiers, La Bastide-De-Sérou, Aulus-Les-Bains, Bélesta, Mercenac, Ustou, Mirepoix, Teilhet, L'herm, Montardit, Château De Montségur, Lacave, Serres-Sur-Arget, Allières, Lorp-Sentaraille, Saint-Pierre-De-Rivière, Brassac, Les Cabannes, Saint-Girons, Mercus-Garrabet, Villeneuve-Du-Latou, Cazaux, Audressein, Ornolac-Ussat-Les-Bains, L'aiguillon, Villeneuve-D'olmes, Surba, Aleu, Ignaux, Carcanières, Camon, Arrien-En-Bethmale, Gaudiès, Rieux-De-Pelleport, Le Pla, Rieucros, Oust, Sainte-Foi, Laroque-D'olmes, Siguer, Artigat, Castelnau-Durban, Montaut, Esplas, Biert, Les Bordes-Sur-Lez, Luzenac, Lʼhospitalet-Près-Lʼandorre, Ercé, Saverdun, Fabas, Montferrier, Rimont, Lavelanet, Le Peyrat, Ascou, Goulier, Mijanès, Massat, Aston, Ganac, Le Carlaret, Soula, Betchat, Le Fossat, Auzat, Sainte-Croix-Volvestre, Léran, Montgaillard, Miglos, Madière, Escosse, Vicdessos, Pailhès, Loubières, Couflens, Bédeilhac-Et-Aynat, Le Mas-D'azil, Daumazan-Sur-Arize, Saint-Jean-D'aigues-Vives, Montseron, Saint-Martin-D'oydes, Tabre, Castex, Vernajoul, Roquefixade, Malegoude, Rivèrenert, Moulis, Niaux, Aucazein, Durban-sur-Arize, La Bastide-sur-l'Hers, Le Bosc, Sorgeat, Cadarcet, Arrout, Unzent, Bethmale, Savignac-les-Ormeaux, Montbel, Unac, Sautel, Boussenac, Bonnac, Cazals-des-Baylès, Saurat, Orlu, Bonac-Irazein, Balaguères, Capoulet-et-Junac, Montjoie-en-Couserans, Château-Verdun, Dun, Orus, Trémoulet, Soueix-Rogalle, Saint-Quentin-la-Tour, Aulos, Alzen, Soulan, Verniolle, Sentein, Orgibet, Bagert, Argein.

To the main travel overview: Midi Pyrenees.