Two people are cycling on a dirt path in the forestTwo people are cycling on a dirt path in the forest. One of them raises their hand in a gesture of joy. The forest is dense with green trees and the path is shaded.
©Two friends enjoy a bike ride in the forest.|GUILLAUME PAYEN

I'll be arriving by train for a car-free adventure !

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Nature, escape and sports Between Ax-les-Thermes and Orlu

This morning, Nico and I are on the train for a “low-carbon” nature and leisure day. Like a lot of people, we’re paying attention to our footprint on Earth by adapting our lifestyles, especially our travel!

Getting there
A woman with an electric bike on a train platformA woman wearing a bike helmet and a backpack stands on a train platform with an orange electric bike. She is dressed in a pink jacket and black pants. A red and gray train is visible in the background. The bike is equipped with red and black saddlebags.
©A cyclist waits for her train with her electric bike on the platform.
Main entrance of Ax-les-Thermes station with information signsThe main entrance of Ax-les-Thermes station is marked by a blue sign reading 'Gare de Ax-les-Thermes'. Next to it, a welcome sign in French and English is visible. The entrance door is made of glass with a sign indicating 'Entrée principale'. To the right of the door, there is an information board with schedules and train information. The building is light-colored with stone elements and windows to the left of the entrance.
©Ax-les-Thermes station welcomes travelers with information signs and a modern entrance.
Directional signs indicating tourist spots and distancesSeveral directional signs are attached to a metal pole. The signs indicate tourist spots such as 'Grotte de Lombrives', 'Grotte de Niaux', 'Lac de Campauel', and 'Forges d'Orlu' with respective distances of 2.7 km and 9.4 km. An additional sign indicates a train station 0.3 km away. The signs are attached to a metal pole in front of a stone wall covered with vegetation.
©Directional signs indicating tourist spots and distances in France.

As it’s the first weekend of the month, we found train tickets for 1€ thanks to the Occitanie Region and SNCF Voyageurs! Arriving at Ax-les-Thermes station, the sky is blue, the weather is sunny but not too hot, in short, the best for this spring day.

Stéphane, from Loc de Sault, is waiting for us in the station parking lot to deliver and rent Nico’s electrically-assisted mountain bike (I was able to bring my own). The rental company shows us the various functions, with different levels of assistance depending on the terrain and our energy level.

As we’re just a stone’s throw from the tourist office, we check out some information, and Jean’s advice is invaluable in fine-tuning our program, including buying some local produce at La Boutique de la Ferme for our snack.

easy rolling

The way is clear!

We drive towards Orlu, following the signs for La Camina, a somewhat atypical itinerary in the image ofAriège, a sort of “all-terrain” greenway shared with hikers, horseback ridersanddonkeys…

We leave the tarmac for a narrow path through a beech forest, where the sun’s rays shine right through. It’s so beautiful, I’m already stopping for a photo. The little technical passage forces us to put our feet down, but the push of the mountain bike over a few meters is very short.

Arriving at the Lac de Campauleil, we admire the view of the Dent d’Orlu (one day, we’ll have to be guided on theseclimbing routes, as we love to climb). The drive through Orgeix is very peaceful, with the Mérens horses, the little stone bridge, the meadows, the apple trees… Ha there’s a food truck! How about a crêpe on the way back?

Crossing the Orlu campsite also makes us want to stay, when we see the tented pitches, the swimming pool, the river running through the middle… it’s all so charming!

Stone bridge with flowers and statuesA stone bridge with two arches spans over a river. Colorful flowers are planted along the edges of the bridge. Statues and crosses are visible on the bridge. In the background, green mountains under a clear blue sky.
©A picturesque stone bridge with colorful flowers and statues.|O. RODBAG
Village with stone houses and a church by a riverA picturesque mountain village with stone houses and a church, located by a river. The river flows through the village, with visible stones under the water. The surrounding mountains are covered with vegetation.
©A small mountain village with stone houses and a church, crossed by a river.|GUILLAUME PAYEN
Three people walking on a dirt path near a mountain streamThree people are walking on a dirt path near a mountain stream. The green mountains and trees surround the landscape. The sky is blue and clear, and there is a traffic sign visible on the side of the path.
©A peaceful mountain hike with friends.|O. RODBAG
    Ancient stone mill in a forestAn ancient stone mill is situated in a lush green forest. The stone structure is partially covered with moss and ivy. A small stream flows nearby, and wooden benches are arranged around the area. The mill is surrounded by trees and abundant vegetation, creating a serene and picturesque atmosphere.
    ©An ancient stone mill stands in the middle of a lush green forest.
    Two people walking on a forest trailTwo people are walking on a forest trail surrounded by trees and moss-covered rocks. Sunlight filters through the leaves, creating a serene and natural atmosphere.
    ©A peaceful walk in the forest with majestic trees.

      We continue to ride on paths that vary between tarmac and forest tracks. We take a short break at theOrlubouldering area, where people are already starting fires on the barbecue and climbers are getting ready with their crash pads.

      Games and discoveries in Orlu!

      Water, forest and wolves

      The alternation of small ascents and descents is a delight with electric-assist mountain bikes, and we’ve already arrived at the Forges site. We find a place to park our bikes under the two-wheeler shelter near the Mountaneô reception area. We start our activities with theescapegameonhydroelectricity: it’s not easy to save the day, but we manage well, as we’re used to these games. The mountain museum is also very nice, with some beautiful images.

      We chose the Bistrot des Forges for lunch, although we were also tempted by the burger at La Maison des Loups.

      To digest, we set off on the blue trailofOrlu’s Akrobranch’. Evolving in this beautiful forest is quite incredible. We followed this up with a red course, and as we were so comfortable, we ended up on a black course where the zip-line over the torrent refreshed us! What fun!

      We’re just in time to see the wolves feeding, where the guide shares his knowledge of this species which is returning to the Pyrenees in the wild…

      Now we’ve got to get a move on if we want to catch the train home! We pick up our bikes and ride at full throttle all the way to Ax. Of course, we slow down just as we pass a group of parents with their toddlers on a donkey ride on La Camina!

      Person doing a zip line between treesA person is zip lining between two trees. They are equipped with a safety harness and are in mid-air, with a blue sky and green trees in the background.
      ©A thrilling experience in the heart of nature.
      Gray wolf standing in a dark forestA gray wolf stands in a dark forest. Its fur is thick and its eyes are alert. The forest is dense with green trees and bushes. The ground is covered with moss and leaves.
      ©A wolf carefully observes its surroundings in the forest.
      Four people in a futuristic control room with screens and illuminated panelsFour people are standing in a futuristic control room. The room is filled with screens and illuminated panels of various colors, mostly blue and green. The people appear to be interacting with the screens and panels. The text 'CAPTURE' is visible on one of the screens.
      ©A team works in a futuristic control room with screens and illuminated panels.
      Child horseback riding in a forest with mountains in the backgroundA child wearing a safety helmet rides a pony in a dense forest. Several other people on horseback and on foot follow a forest trail. The trees are lush and green, with mountains visible in the distance. The trail is shaded and surrounded by vegetation.
      ©An adventurous day in nature with horses and hikers.|STEPHANE MEURISSE

        Back to calm

        After all these adventures, the train lulls us to sleep!

        After handing in our helmets and bikes, we finally sit down in the carriage of the return train to Toulouse, which leaves right on time! Phew, we can breathe a sigh of relief after such a dynamic day! I suggest to Nico that we take the next train trip, but over two days, to enjoy the Ariege Pyrenees in a different way. I’ve already come up with a number of ideas from the stations at Tarascon-sur-Ariège, Les Cabannes, Mérens-les-Vals and even L’Hospitalet-Près-l’Andorre!

        Living intensely

        Experiences in the Ariège Pyrenees
        Immersion in the mountain spirit
        Northern ambience at Beille
        My spa treatment at Ax-Les-Thermes
        Family vacations in the snow
        Goulier, my favorite resort
        Skiing in the fir trees at Ax 3 Domaines
        My thermal water wellness day at Ax-les-Thermes
        My anti-burn-out cure at Ussat-les-Bains
        I’ll be arriving by train for a mountain adventure
        Snowshoeing in Chioula
        Ariege's little extras
        The Ariege Pyrenees, your oxygen bubble!

        Looking for unspoilt nature, the great outdoors and white water?
        In winter, ski, snowboard, skating, snowshoeing, sledging and dog sledding at Ax 3 Domaines, Beille, Ascou and le Chioula, Mijanés and Goulier...

        In summer, hiking, mountain biking, paragliding or canyoning...

        And all year round, enjoy the benefits of the thermal waters at Ax-les-Thermes, Ussat-les-Bains or the Bains du Couloubret.
        And don't miss the Grotte de Niaux and the Parc de la Préhistoire.

        Not forgetting the history of our mountains and their heritage, pastoralism and local produce!

        Book your next mountain vacation!