E-Bike & Hike in the Ariège Pyrenees

This ride takes you along the old railway line connecting Lavelanet to Mirepoix commonly called "Voie Verte" or the Greenway. You will travel between Aude and Ariège with a first stop in the lovely village of Chalabre. Not to be missed here is the Chalabre Castle, dating back to the 13th century! You cycle the Voie Verte again and cross Chalabre’s bridge to find the fortified village of Camon. Camon is praised as one of the most beautiful towns in France and for good reason. Here you will find a 16th-century abbey that is well worth a visit (advanced reservation required). You will eventually return to your accommodation with the Pyrenees as a backdrop.

• Difficulty level: Moderate
• Duration: 3 hours 5 minutes
• Elevation: 918 ft/280m
• Distance: 23 mi/37 km

This ride starts exactly the same as the short version, taking you to Chalabre and through Camon. From Camon, you will head to Lagarde. This idyllic little village is a perfect glimpse of traditional country life in France. Lagarde Castle, an ancient fortified castle overlooking the town, sits in majestic ruin. Before returning to your accommodation, you'll make a stop at Sibra Castle.

• Difficulty level: Moderate
• Duration: 4 hours
• Elevation: 1312 ft/400m
• Distance: 29 mi/47 km

This rural bike ride in the heart of Ariège is the ideal journey to escape the hustle and bustle and admire unspoiled nature. You will cycle through simple villages like Laroque-d'Olmes and Sautel before reaching Lieurac. Lieurac is famous for its Extraordinary Garden (open mid-July through August). This is an atypical place offering botanical strolls showcasing land art and nature. You'll continue on the bike to reach Coteaux d'Engraviès Wine Estate, a highlight of the day! This small organic vineyard won the gold medal in 2020 at the largest organic wine fair in the world "Challenge Millésime Bio". You'll return back to your hotel via quiet country roads with beautiful scenery. 

• Difficulty level: Easy
• Duration: 2 hours 50 minutes
• Elevation: 1214 ft/370m
• Distance: 27 mi/43 km

The long version of this itinerary takes you first to Carla-le-Roquefort. The village is quaint and scenic but the real treat is the waterfall located just outside of town. Roquefort-les-Cascades are thirty meters high and are produced from a very rare and very fragile phenomenon: a tuffière. A tuffière, or petrifying waterfall, is a geological curiosity that forms when carbonate minerals precipitate out of water. In summer, the water does not flow but the area is quite beautiful and well worth a trip! You also have the opportunity to visit La Distillerie du Sud, a small distillery where you can taste French gin, vodka, and whiskey all produced from locally grown fruits and herbs. 

As with the short version, you will visit the Extraordinary Garden in Lieurac (open mid-July through August) and the awesome vineyard Coteaux d'Engraviès, ending your day back at Nature Cathare.

• Difficulty level: Moderate
• Duration: 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Elevation: 1673 ft/510m
• Distance: 33 mi/53.5 km

This ride again follows the voie verte along the old railway line connecting Lavelanet to Mirepoix. This itinerary will take you to the city of Mirepoix. Mirepoix is an architectural gem of Ariège, it has preserved its medieval appearance with its narrow streets, colorful houses, and the small canal at the end of the city. The House of Consuls is a must-see, this superb half-timbered house is adorned with pieces of wood carved with strange faces typical of the era. If at all possible, try visiting Mirepoix on Monday where you'll find a lovely weekly market with local vendors.

You will continue to Lagarde to visit the stunning castle before returning to Nature Cathare. 

• Difficulty level: Easy
• Duration: 3 hours
• Elevation: 1017 ft/310m
• Distance: 26 mi/42 km

The difference in this itinerary is a stop at Sibra Castle at the end of the itinerary.

• Difficulty level: Easy
• Duration: 2 hours and 50 minutes
• Elevation: 1148 ft/350m
• Distance: 26 mi/42 km

7 minutes from the hotel by car.

This walk goes through the villages of Montbel and Bayard. At the dam entrance, you have a magnificent view of the Tabe mountains. When Montbel lake was created, it flooded two ancient farms including Rey farm, now demolished, that forms a little island in the middle of the lake. Montbel lake covers 570 hectares. 

• Difficulty level: Moderate
• Duration: 4 hours
• Maximum altitude: 1312 ft/400m
• Elevation: 30 D+
• Distance: 10 mi/16 km

30 minutes from the hotel by car.

This route will take you around the peaks of Roquefixade, first in Soulane where you can admire a large portion of the Ariège Pyrenean mountain range, then on the north slope, among fields and forests of beech or chestnut trees, facing the green and hilly Douctouyre valley.

• Difficulty level: Easy
• Duration: 2 hours
• Maximum altitude: 3018 ft/920m
• Elevation: 290 D+
• Distance: 4 mi/6 km

50 minutes from the hotel by car.

This hike up the Mont Fourcat is a classic in the Ariège Pyrenees. It starts off in the forest, then rises up through the grasslands to reach its summer at over 2000 meters high. Throughout the climb, you can admire a panoramic view. The trail is also ideal for snowshoe hikers.

Difficulty level: Moderate
Duration: 4 hours 30 minutes
Maximum altitude: 6565 ft/2,001m
Elevation: 860 D+
Distance: 7 mi/11 km

1 hour and 20 minutes from the hotel by car.

Tarbésou is a magnificent point from which you can observe Mount Valier and St. Barthélémy to the West and the Canigou to the East. It is an unforgettable hike in Ariège which offers not only an outstanding view of the Pyrenees mountains but also a perfect spot for those who are fond of sunrises! Its advantages: this hike is easy to get to. It allows everyone to enjoy a beautiful ride into the wilderness. 

• Difficulty level: Easy
• Duration: 2 hours 50 minutes
• Maximum altitude: 7743 ft/2,360m
• Elevation: 400 D+
• Distance: 7 mi/12 km

2 hours from the hotel by car. 

Located in the "upper part" of the commune of Aston, one of the largest in the Ariège, the lakes known as "les étangs de Fontargente" (silver mountains) are remarkable for more than one reason. They are nestled at the foot of the lowest mountain pass between France and Andorra (Port d'Inclès at an altitude of 2,262m) in a setting that is both lush and wild, with grassland bordering magnificent rock escarpments. 

• Difficulty level: Moderate
• Duration: 3 hours 35 minutes
• Maximum altitude: 7086 ft/2,160m
• Elevation: 463 D+
• Distance: 5 mi/8 km