Vicdessos walks

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 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 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".

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.

A beautiful hike ending at the Étang d'Izourt with a stunning view. The Étang d'Izourt is a dam lake with a tragic history (read about it on the commemorative plaque). There are two paths you can take to get to the Étang d'Izourt: the left bank or the right bank of the stream. The outward journey is on the right bank of the Arties stream and the return journey is on the left bank.

A beautiful cross-border high mountain loop between France, Spain and Andorra, which takes you through the highest peaks of Ariège and Andorra, as well as other iconic peaks in the region. It also allows you to discover numerous lakes and ponds, as well as a multitude of different landscapes (forests, summer pastures, scree slopes, etc.) to delight all hikers. This itinerary takes us through three natural parks: the Ariège Pyrenees Regional Nature Park, the Alt Pirineu Natural Park and the Coma Pedrosa Valley Nature Park.

The first stage of the journey, the shortest and easiest, to warm up your legs, passing through the Bois de Fontanal and the Étang Sourd to the Refuge du Pinet. The elevation gain is still significant.

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 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 Port de Lers, passing by Pic de Girantes (or Mont Ceint) with magnificent 360° views, then descending to Port de Saleix and climbing back up to Port de Bassiès with superb views of the refuge and the Bassiès lakes. Return via Pas de la Portère via a difficult climb.

A circular walk in a magnificent landscape bathed in a calm and soothing atmosphere. This loop will delight lovers of peace and quiet as well as those wishing to reconnect with nature.

A lovely viewpoint, a dolmen and a rural plateau.

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.

A very beautiful hike, but one that has to be earned. 1,000 metres of elevation gain over a short distance. The variety of paths taken, including rivers, forests, mountainsides and lakes, will make you forget the difficulty. The view of the Bassiès massif on the way up and down is truly magnificent. The best part: the welcome at the refuge is very warm. From the refuge, you can continue on to several other lakes, or enjoy the beautiful view of all the 3,000-metre peaks around Montcalm.

A gentle walk to the Artigue waterfalls.

This high mountain hike allows you to climb the two iconic peaks of the Vicdessos valley in Ariège: the Pique d'Estats and Montcalm! Montcalm (3,077 m) is the first "3,000" peak in the Pyrenees when coming from the Mediterranean, and Pique d'Estats (3,143 m) is the highest peak in Catalonia, which explains their symbolic status. Please note that the descent is described as dangerous by some hikers. See the reviews and let us know if you have any information, but please remain cautious

A lovely loop around the Ruisseau de l'Artigue and Estats. This loop allows you to avoid the crowds that can gather in summer due to the easy access to the waterfall and the canyoning activity.

This hike, accessible to all, offers a taste of the high mountains. After the Étang de Labant, the route leads to the Pic de Cabanatous, a marvellous lookout point over the Étangs de Bassiès and beyond to the great summits of the Ariège. On the way back, the Étang d'Alate is the perfect place to stop for a break before heading back to the Port de Saleix, a very important ancient communication route that facilitated trade between the Couserans and Vicdessos regions.

A beautiful blue pond at the foot of the granite Mont Garias with a beautiful view of Mont Valier during the ascent

Circular around Coumebière with beautiful views of the surrounding peaks. It will allow you to discover the Étang de Labant, an old mine and the Girantes plateau, which is not as flat as its name might suggest, all at the foot of the 1,975 m Mont Ceint.

The climb is divided into two stages: the Cirque de Garbettou, which is easy to access, with its waterfall and streams, and the steeper, rockier climb to the Étang du Garbet, with its turquoise reflections, waterfall and occasional snowfields. 26/08/2024: Allow an extra 30 minutes on average to complete this hike.

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.

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.

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

A beautiful hike in the Mounicou Valley (Soulcem) that invites you to contemplate four little-visited lakes.The goal of the day is to discover the four Picot lakes! While the first two are rather unremarkable, thethird andfourth have a charm that strikes you as soon as you see them and rewards you for your efforts.

This circuit provides access to the dry stone hamlet of Les Orris. It is a magnificent pastoral village, used for summer grazing, set in lush green surroundings opposite the Pic des Trois Seigneurs. The hamlet of Les Goutets was used from the 1800s until around 1950.

The second day is a high-mountain stage passing through the highest point of this itinerary: Pic d'Estats, as well as two other peaks over 3,000 m nearby, Pic du Montcalm and Pic de Verdaguer. The route is largely over scree and rocky terrain, which will greatly appeal to mineral enthusiasts. The trail largely follows the Porta del Cel hike and the GR®T61. Although not particularly technical, this stage should not be taken lightly due to its altitude (three peaks over 3,000 metres), its length, its elevation gain and its trails composed of loose stones that can make progress difficult.