Génat walks

A lovely viewpoint, a dolmen and a rural plateau.

A beautiful loop starting from the village of Gourbit.Passing by the Étang d'Artax (Artats), the Roc de Querquéou and the Col de Lastris.The viewpoint, at an altitude of almost 1,900 metres, is a feast for the eyes.

A family hike accessible to all, including children, in an area rich in pastoral history. This hike gives pride of place to wooded trails and highlights the waters of the Torrent de la Courbière. Beautiful mountain views and magnificent undergrowth.

A beautiful circular starting from the small village of Gourbit. You will pass through Artax, then Pic de Bassibié and Pic de Pioulou, before descending to the Étangs Bleus de la Courbière via the Col de la Couillate. Finally, the hike ends at the Cirque d'Embans, the Cabane d'Embanels and then a climb back up to the village of Gourbit.

An easy hike between Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs and Bédeilhac offering a beautiful view of the valley from the Roche Ronde.

Starting from the Contrac car park in Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs, this is an accessible circular route with beautiful sights along the way.After the first climb, you will reach the architectural structure "Le Monolithe", created by students from the Toulouse School of Architecture: an unusual seat with a view over the valley. Then enjoy the panorama from the ruins of the ancient Cathar castle of La Roche Ronde, before finally descending past the Calamès Cave and its climbing site.

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!

A beautiful nature hike in the mid-mountains, starting from the small village of Larnat. The ridge passages and side traverses offer extensive panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and the Ariège valley. The entire route is on wide stony or partially grassy paths and ends on the Doulent forest road through a beautiful forest of beech and spruce trees. This hike can be done on snowshoes, in which case it is rated as difficult.

This hike will allow you to discover two remarkable sites, the Sommet du Mont and the Roche Ronde, for the views they offer over the Tarascon valley and some of the peaks of the Pyrenees: Saint-Barthélémy and Pic des Trois Seigneurs.

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.

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 high-altitude hike gives you an exact view of the high mountains of the Ariège and their perched ponds. This small pond in a peaceful setting has an immediate charm. Moderator's warning as of 22/03/2021: Caution! in snowy conditions, very tricky passage; see reviews

This peak at the gateway to the Pyrenees, 1 hour from Toulouse, offers a magnificent panorama of the 3000-metre peaks (Montcalm, Pic d'Estats). The hike is a little challenging, but the varied landscapes (streams, ponds, meadows, peaks) more than make up for the effort. There are no real technical difficulties, apart from the need to use your hands occasionally on certain sections of the ascent or descent.

A beautiful route alternating between beech forests, stunning views of the Os Valley and old iron mines, starting from the small village of Sem, above Vicdessos. Best done in dry, clear weather.

The mining trail winds its way through the woods around the delightful Sem valley. Follow in the footsteps of the former miners of Rancié and discover the past.

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

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.

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.

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.

An easy walk along the ridge between the Toulouse plain and the Pyrenees mountain range from Mont Valier to Saint-Barthélémy.

The Pique d'Endron is a central viewpoint in the Haute-Ariège. From here, you can see the Montcalm massif and the Bassiès massif with its terraced lakes up close, and you can look out over two large ponds: Gnioure with its small island and Izourt. The view to the north stretches far into the distance. The outing is relatively short but quite challenging with its 1,000 m elevation gain, dizzying views and a short passage where you have to "use your hands".

A pleasant hike above Foix (in Ariège), alternating between forest paths and ridge trails, with beautiful views of the plain to the north and the Pyrenees to the south.

This is an easy hike, although the last part is not marked. The first part is shaded. There is a pretty cabin and beautiful views of the region. At (5): you can extend the hike with a return trip along the ridges after Bout de Touron.

The granite cirque of Bassiès, near the Montcalm massif, is impressive for its size and its lakes. It is accessed from the right bank of the steeply-sided Bassiès stream via a comfortable but steep path that passes through a beautiful forest before coming out onto a rocky outcrop that marks the first lake. The descent is on the other bank, which is just as steep, following a well-maintained stony mule track.

This is a beautiful hike accessible from the Col de Port, offering magnificent views of the Pyrenees mountain range, from Saint-Barthélémy in the east to Mont Valier and beyond in the west. After a fairly short climb to Pic d'Estibat, the hardest part is over, as the rest of the route continues in a circular fashion along a beautiful ridge before descending through woods and returning on the north side via a pretty valley past the Estibat hut. Please take note of the comments in the practical information section.

A short, easy Sunday hike (500 m elevation gain) leading to Pic de Razels (1,600 m) with a magnificent 360° view. After a winding climb, you reach the ridge, which you follow to the left through a pretty wood to the peak. Lovely views all along the way.

This circular hike will take you across the Plateau de Beille, offering beautiful views of the eastern Ariège Pyrenees throughout the hike. When you reach the top of the plateau, you may encounter a few herds grazing (goats, cows or Mérens horses).