Three children on sleds on a snowy slope with mountains in the backgroundThree children are sitting on red sleds on a snowy slope. They are wearing winter clothes and hats. A wooden sign with an arrow is visible next to them. In the background, there are snow-covered mountains under a clear blue sky.
©A family skiing day in the Alps.|STEPHANEMEURISSE

I'm arriving by train for a snow weekend in the mountains

Nature, escape, sports and wine tasting in Beille

This winter morning, I’m so excited to be waking up on the train for a snowy weekend in the mountains! It was a bit of a crazy idea, but my family said ‘yes’. We left Paris last night on the night train and arrived in the Pyrenees this morning!

Getting there

We found night train tickets for the weekend and chose to travel in comfort in a compartment with 6 berths. For me, it’s all about raising my tribe’s awareness of low-carbon holidays! The train left Paris at around 10pm, so we let ourselves be lulled to sleep all night, and this morning we were in the mountains! When we arrived at Les Cabannes station, the sky was blue and the weather was forecast to be cold but sunny, just the thing for this winter’s day. The view of the Quié de Sinsat was already a change of scenery and impressed us! A five-minute walk away, we check out some information at the tourist office, and the advice Céline gives us is invaluable in fine-tuning our programme, particularly the purchase of some local produce for our picnic tomorrow!

The second step is to drop off our luggage at the accommodation rented from La Maison. We’ll be well equipped (sunglasses, sun cream, après-ski, gloves, etc.) before taking the shuttle bus to the Plateau de Beille!

THE WHOLE MOUNTAIN ON A PLATE!

Beille on the summit

When we get out of the shuttle, everyone’s eyes glaze over, such is the contrast with our urban landscapes from the day before!

This really is Beille, the whole mountain on one plateau!

I bring everyone back to reality, because before the sledging, we have to pick up our lift passes bought online and go to the hire shop. Two double sleds and two single sleds should do the trick. This building is magnificent, but where are the sledge runs? Someone from the station was there to guide us, which was a pity because for me, orientation is easier in the metro!

Once again, my little family was stunned when they saw the bubble carpet and off we went for a run full of laughter, joy, happiness and… snow on our necks, it’s cold!
It all made us hungry, and we took a welcome break on the restaurant terrace. After the slides, we take our first snowshoeing steps with anAngaka guide. Isabelle welcomes us, equips us and explains everything about walking on snowshoes. The children look like little penguins, which is great fun. Our guide was incredible; she managed to explain complicated things about the formation of landscapes while talking to us about geology without me having an allergic reaction (yes, I’m more of a literary type…).

I nearly fell asleep on the return shuttle, but my little Simone had spotted where we were getting off. Time to do some shopping for local produce. Between the shops of Maison Lacube, Ariège Tradition, Les Biscuits du Moulin and Les Chutes d’Aston, we have a wide choice of charcuterie, trout and Ariège cheeses, not forgetting croustade, THE local dessert! The evening is warm and tasty at the restaurant La Maison Lacube where everyone seems happy to the tunes of mountain songs.

Our first steps in cross-country skiing

360° immersion and nature observation!

After a mild night’s sleep and the shuttle bus ride up to Beille, we were back on the Plateau to admire the scenery. After getting kitted out at the ski hire, Laure, an instructor from theFrenchSki School, welcomed us for our first cross-country runs. Her good humour relaxed us, as we were far from comfortable on skis (too thin, too slippery, I’m afraid!). With a few simple games, we gradually learned how to balance, brake, descend and change direction. This one-to-one family lesson reconciles us with the pleasure of learning! Of course, it’s not all perfect – the body is too far back and you fall – but we’ve got the basics down!

Tasting of local products

Terroir and culture

After our first blue run, it’s time for a picnic, which I collect from the lockers in the salle hors-sac. This beautiful wooden building with its green roof seems to have been inspired by the shepherd’s hut nearby. We sit down on one of the many picnic tables, facing the incredible view, and then it’s time for a slice of happiness! While savouring trout rillettes, farmhouse tomme cheese and traditional charcuterie…

action on the set

activities and overview

We’re looking at all the different activities on offer, and it’s a lot!

Mountain biking on snow with Le Petit Plateau, dog sledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, the snow carousel where the Mérens horse allows sleigh rides accessible to all!

We spend the afternoon making the most beautiful snowman. Not very original, the children call him “Olaf”, but he is very photogenic and the shooting session is endless! We admired the landscape, the sky, the forest, listened to the crossbills in the pines, watched the bearded vulture soar higher and higher in the sky… Yes, I’m being clever, but it was our guide from Angaka who made us realise all this!

Back to calm

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

Now it’s time to leave this beautiful place, our heads filled with beautiful, tasty and grandiose memories. Shuttle bus, change of clothes, luggage and off we go to the station. Goodbye Ariège, back to Paris, yes, but now we know that great car-free getaways are possible for a weekend in the Pyrenees and all year round!

Living intensely

Experiences in the Ariège Pyrenees
The Ariege Pyrenees, your oxygen bubble!

Looking for unspoilt nature, the great outdoors and white water?
In winter, skiing, snowboarding, skating, snowshoeing, sledging, 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, you can enjoy the benefits of the thermal waters at Ax-les-Thermes, Ussat-les-Bains or the Bains du Couloubret.
There are also some unmissable tourist sites: the Niaux cave and the Prehistory Park.

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

Book your next mountain holiday!