Freychenet walks

Circular starting from Nalzen, climbing to the village of Freychenet, then taking the Col de la Lauze road and returning via the hamlet of Gabachou. This section of road is pleasant in wet weather at the foot of Mont Fourcat.

A circular loop, mainly on footpaths and a little bit of a very quiet road. Beautiful views of the castles of Roquefixade and Montségur in the distance, as well as the mountains of the Tabe massif.

A beautiful hike, mostly through woods and without difficulty. Various routes are listed in a booklet available at the stopover lodge. At the start, our route is marked as No. 6.

Walk through the ruins of Roquefixade Castle and the Coulzonne Cave.

A pleasant walk in the hills above Roquefixade, near Foix. Passing by its Cathar castle and the Grotte de l'Église Catholique, used to celebrate Mass during the French Revolution. A varied route: heath, woods and clearings. Suitable for families, but caution is advised along the cliff ridge.

This hike takes you to the first peak over 2,000 metres from Toulouse, with magnificent views from the summit.

At an altitude of 2,000 metres, Mont Fourcat is the northernmost peak of the Cirque des Monts d'Olmes. It offers a vast view of the plain to the north and a view of the entire Ariège mountain range to the south and west. Beyond that, on a clear day, you can even see the Maladetta glacier in the distance. To the east, the view plunges into the Cirque des Monts d'Olmes, dominated by the imposing Saint-Barthélemy. You first climb through a beautiful forest and as soon as you reach the open space among the ferns and heather, which then give way to rhododendrons, broom and gispet, you can enjoy a beautiful view as you walk along a ridge formed by continuous grassy hillocks leading to the summit. This outing is quite challenging (800 m elevation gain), but the route is entirely on very comfortable trails and tracks, hence its "medium" rating.

Most of the hike takes place in the forest on easy trails. At Les Brougues, and especially at the Cabane de Carmilles, you have a beautiful view of the Pyrenees. A beautiful hike for a very hot day! The starting point for this hike is not accessible in snowy conditions.

Despite its modest altitude (1,618 m), this peak, well known to paragliders, offers a 360° panorama including the Cathar fortress of Montségur and the Montagne de Tabe. The circuit begins with a steady climb through the Bois de Montminier and continues over wide, grassy ridges that present no difficulty. On the way back, the Lac de Moulzoune and its picnic area offer a very pleasant place to stop.

A circular route starting from Montferrier, mainly through woods, with a section near the Château de Montségur and a return along the Ruisseau de Freychinadel. The route is not always well marked, so follow the trail and instructions carefully at junctions.

A very short walk in the woods to discover the Roquefort waterfalls.

A short outing for an afternoon of snowshoeing in the woods with magnificent views of the Ariège Pyrenees towards Andorra.

A beautiful hike, without any real difficulty, on the heights of Roquefixade, near Foix, and at the Roquefort Waterfalls. The first part of the hike is uphill through the woods until you reach the cliffs on the heights of Roquefixade (castle, ridge and cave) before re-entering the forest to the waterfalls and picnic tables.

Circular hike from Roquefort-les-Cascades to Roc des Abeilles via the ruins of Château de Teyrac and back via Jean de Lamic, Les Monges and Daribeau on the other side of the valley. The route passes through two impressive climbing spots with routes rated from 4 to 7c. Some fairly steep passages where you need to use your hands.

A pleasant short hike for families with children. No particular difficulty.

A circular route for a family hike with wide, safe paths, starting from the village of Ilhat (from below). The outward route runs along the top of the cliff with a beautiful view to the south over the Pyrenees. The return route runs along the bottom of the cliff. A path through the woods leads to the hamlet of Gréoulou. There are many alternative paths, but some of them are dead ends! So it's best to stick to the trail.

Enjoy magnificent views of the Ariège mountains as you cross the Col de Cadène and Col de l'Étang d'Appy. You can relax at the foot of the Étang d'Appy, dominated by the Pic de Saint-Barthélemy.

The village of Montgailhard is dominated by the famous Pic de Montgailhard or Pain de Sucre, rising proudly to an altitude of 627 m. But there is another, lesser-known peak called Carsabel, which is well worth a visit because, at 615 m above sea level, it has nothing to be ashamed of compared to its big brother. Less imposing and much less easily accessible, but without any major technical difficulties, you do, however, have to brave the complications of its winding and unclear paths to reach its summit in the middle of the forest. This is the domain of wild boars, roe deer and other mammals and birds of this region of the Pyrenean foothills, but also of foresters who (moderately) exploit its slopes.Part of the route follows the paths of the plain, in the municipal park or the old paths along the banks of the River Lios.An unusual route, reserved for hikers seeking a challenge or runners looking to diversify their routes.

Circular starting from the Monts d'Olmes resort, passing through the Pics de Girabal and Galinat via the Col de Girabal, the Col de l'Étang d'Appy (with a beautiful view of the lake) and finally the Col de Cadène. Some sections require the use of your hands but are not particularly dangerous (in the absence of snow). You can also make a round trip to Pic du Han (from Col de Cadène) or Saint-Barthélémy (from Col de Girabal), but the additional elevation gains are not included in this technical data sheet.

Circular starting from the village of Montgailhard, near Foix, climbing up the Côtes, then to Saint-Genès. Hike through the woods during the ascent and descent. May be a little slippery if it is very wet. The passage along the ridge offers a beautiful view to the south over the Pyrenees, from Soularac in the east to Pique d'Endron, then to Roc de Batail in the west.

Wide open spaces with aerial views of the Monts d'Olmes massif; reminders of an industrial past with old quarries; paths through the forest, then along ridges offering magnificent panoramic views, a small lake, two huts... Simply bliss for a family walk that everyone can enjoy!

Loop starting from the Étang de Moulzoune via the peaks of Soularac and Saint-Barthélémy. To be done between June and November, checking that there is no snow on the north side (visible from Lavelanet), as access would be difficult.

Superb viewpoint over the entire eastern part of the Pyrenees. The Pic de Saint-Barthélemy also offers an exceptional view of the plain to the north. It is easily identifiable on a clear day from the motorway... The route combines beech forest, where the small Lac de Moulzoune nestles, two old quarries, grassy hilltops overlooking two high-altitude lakes, a small forest of mountain pines and ends with a stony ridge covered with rhododendrons.

This hike in the Tabe Massif leads to the Étang des Truites and then the Étang du Diable, both nestled beneath the Pic de Soularac and the Pic de Saint-Barthélemy, which they form part of the ascent routes for. The passage through the old talc quarries of La Porteille and Fangas adds a moving historical touch. Finally, on the way back, the Étang de Moulzoune offers a peaceful break in a magnificent setting.

A very pleasant hike in the hills of Ariège, between forest and ridges.

Circular starting from the hamlet of Prayols through the woods. Provides access to the three beautiful Cascades de la Piche waterfalls, as well as an orientation table describing the valley to the east that leads to Lavelanet. Beautiful view of Roquefixade and Mont Fourcat.

Starting from the village of Seignaux, which was once an old kaolin (white clay) mine used to make porcelain, you will reach the Col de Belvèze to discover a superb view of the Pyrenees mountain range. Back in the village, you can take a few minutes to learn a little more about kaolin, see the wagon used in the mine, and admire the view from the orientation table.

This varied hike around the village of Arnave takes you over four mountain passes in a landscape dominated by the lofty silhouette of the Teste de Cuing. Alternating between woodland trails, forest tracks and balcony paths, it offers beautiful views of the Ariège Pyrenees and the Tarascon-sur-Ariège basin. There are a few sections on roads that are generally quiet outside the summer season.

This loop takes you from the village of Arnave up to the Col d'Ijou, where you can see the village of Croquié before starting the descent via the village of Serres. You can also admire the beautiful view of the Pyrenees at various points along the walk.

This route, which circles the village of Arnave, is particularly dedicated to visiting the Romanesque chapel of Saint-Paul, a jewel of tranquillity in a rural setting. From its promontory, it invites you to take your time and enjoy the peace and quiet.

A family-friendly route that is not too long but has a slight incline and, above all, a beautiful view of the Tabe massif, Saint-Barthélémy and Mont Fourcat. The path continues a little further but is a dead end above the cliffs of the Gorges de Péreille. The return journey can be made via a slightly sloping trail, then a path that can be muddy after rain.

Hike starting from Lavelanet with a very steep climb through the woods, followed by magnificent panoramic views of Montségur Castle, to reach the Croix de Morenci and its charming metal origami bison sculptures. Beautiful view of Mont Fourcat as well.

From hamlets to villages, forests to woods, set off to discover the hidden charms of this little corner of Ariège! Take a breather and discover a 400-year-old oak tree, small wash basins, old stone shepherds' huts (orrys), views of the Péreille Gorges... and a few steep slopes, one with a 17% gradient and another with a 20% gradient!

Randonnée longue et partiellement hors sentier. Vue magnifique du sommet de la Frau à 1900 m et possibilité de visiter la grotte de l'Ourse qui est exceptionnelle. Ce parcours comporte des passages hors sentiers, l'application ou un GPS de randonnée est fortement conseillée.

Loop starting near the village of Montségur, via the peaks of Soularac, at 2,368 m, and Saint Barthélémy, at 2,348 m, then return via the Diable and Truites lakes. This is a fairly demanding circuit in terms of elevation and the nature of the trails.

Located on the outskirts of Tarascon-sur-Ariège, this hike gradually takes you up the slopes where you can admire the Ariège, Tarascon and several peaks of the Pyrenees!