Sentein: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Sentein is home to a fortified church with a 42-metre-high bell tower; it is classified as a Historic Monument.

Culture and History

The former fortifications of Notre-Dame Church in Sentein include two preserved square towers. Remarkable frescoes can be seen inside Notre-Dame Church.

Those travelling to Sentein want to rent a holiday apartment and discover the fortified church, the mining sites and the village’s landscape.

Access

Road access to Sentein is exclusively via the D4 départemental road.

Landscape and Nature

The Laspé landscape area beyond Sentein comprises remarkably well-preserved pastureland with barns, dry-stone walls, hazelnut hedges and herds.

The large gypsum concretions make the Grotte de la Cigalère an internationally recognised site of great scientific significance and conservation value. Special protective measures therefore apply there.

The Grotte de la Cigalère lies at an altitude of around 1,700 m at the foot of the Bentaillou mines and is part of an underground cave system currently being mapped that extends for more than 10,000 m.

Mining and Trails

The marked Tour du Biros is a 53-km circular hike over four days that starts and ends at the d’Anglade car park in Sentein and reaches the Bentaillou mines. This industrial heritage mining site lies at an altitude of 1,900 m; zinc and silver-bearing lead were extracted there in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Bocard d’Eylie is a significant mining site where numerous tools and materials for processing and extracting lead and zinc ores are still preserved today.

The GR10 passes below the dam; after ten minutes, you reach a mountain refuge above the Étang d’Araing.

Traditions

At the beginning of June, visitors can follow the herds through the valley during the transhumance. Transhumance in the Biros Valley includes a festive meal at which the livestock keepers tell the history of the valley.

More Local Pages

L'herm, Aulus-Les-Bains, Goulier, Escosse, Mazeres, Sorgeat, Le Bosc, Savignac-les-Ormeaux

To the higher-level travel overview: Ariège.