Ornolac-Ussat-les-Bains walks

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 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 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.

A lovely off-trail walk through the forest and boxwood trees.

A pleasant family walk in a beech forest, interesting in all seasons, including for snowshoeing.

A lovely viewpoint, a dolmen and a rural plateau.

Despite its modest altitude (1,840 m), Roc de Querquéou offers a superb view of the many peaks of the Haute Ariège. After the beautiful climb through the woods to Col du Pla de Faradu and then Col de Lastris, you will need to redouble your efforts to climb the extremely steep ridge that leads to the summit. The return journey takes you via the Col de la Bène and the pretty pastoral site of La Grangette d'en Bas before returning to Génat.

Circular route from Les Cabannes station. Beautiful views of the valley and varied surroundings.

Round trip to reach the Hermitage of Saint-Pierre and its view of the Ariège valley from the Cabannes railway station.

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.

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

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.

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.

A magnificent hike with no major difficulties. A majestic lake and wonderful views of the Ariège Pyrenees and Andorra from Pic de Bassibié.

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 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.

From the Appy car park, climb the peak but follow an anti-clockwise circular loop, which is much less common. That is to say, ascend via the Jasse de Sédars then the Sarrat de Bertenac, and return via the Col de Girabal, the Col d'Appy and then the Étang d'Appy.

A short, pleasant half-day hike in spring to the Étang d'Appy and its cirque.

Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the Pyrenees. From Canigou to Mont Valier, the summit of Pic de Saint-Barthélemy offers breathtaking views of the entire eastern Pyrenees and the Ariège plain. The ridge path and the pretty Étang d'Appy lake are a pleasant addition to this beautiful route. The significant elevation gain and length of this route are its main difficulties (²). See practical information (¹).

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

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.

Snowshoe hike from the Monts d'Olmes resort. We did this hike on a Friday in January, outside of school holidays, which was great. It's likely to be a bit busier during school holidays or at weekends! If possible, choose a day with clear weather. It would be a shame to miss the view.

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.

Snowshoe hike starting from Ramon, depending on snow conditions. Be careful of road conditions; make sure you have good winter tyres (keep chains in the boot of your vehicle as a precaution). It is sometimes possible to drive to the small car park just next to the cattle grid. Fairly gentle slopes, mainly on tracks and trails, except before the summit of Bout du Touron. South-facing with a beautiful view, short section through the forest to see the Cabane des Gardes on the trail.

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.

Starting from Lordat, this route takes you through six small mountain villages, all well exposed and offering beautiful views of the surrounding peaks and the Ariège valley. Alternating between small sunken paths, stream crossings and balcony trails, the route is not difficult, but you will need to save your strength for the last part, which involves a steep climb of a few hundred metres.

Perched on a rocky promontory, Lordat Castle guards and dominates the Ariège valley. This hike takes you around it, offering panoramic views and typical mountain villages. Yellow markings. Be careful as the markings are sometimes difficult to see.

A magnificent circular route through the forest with numerous information panels along the route, offering welcome breaks during the tough climb and breathtaking panoramic views. With two must-see sights, the Refuge de Grail (closed) and the Col de Grisoul! This short but steep hike in the Vicdessos valley reveals an important part of the mining history of the Ariège. Here, in the heart of the mountains, the Mines du Rancié began with modern open-pit iron ore extraction at an altitude of over 1,500 metres, before more and more tunnels were dug, descending ever deeper! Connected to each other, they saved many lives during the frequent rockfalls that led to their permanent closure in 1931, despite the fact that the deposit was far from exhausted.

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.

This is a short, easy, accessible and aerial hike offering views of the entire Ariège Pyrenees, from Mont Valier to the Orlu Reserve, as well as the plain.

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).

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

For a change from the much more popular western and eastern routes.

This hike in the Siguer valley is very varied. The climb along the Brouquenat stream is bucolic and feels easy despite the length and elevation gain.

This is a fairly long route, taking around 6 hours to climb up to Étang Blaou. The route is easy up to Cabane de Peyregrand, where you simply follow the yellow markings. In the plain around the hut, the markings are more or less faded and it is easy to lose track of them. They reappear at the start of the final climb, where the cairns and yellow markings are fairly easy to see. It's a real treat once you reach the lake, where there is no one else around and the landscape is magnificent.