A few days in a motorhome in Ariège

A colorful road trip!

Heading for the Ariege Pyrenees

Today it’s decided! After seeing it on TV again, we’re taking the camper van to the Ariege Pyrenees!

My husband has often talked to me about these passes, he who loves cycling so much and has watched a lot of the Tour de France. So off we went, on a whim, because that’s what motorhoming is all about! Our daughter will be joining us on site with her van and her little family, and we’ll be hiking and sightseeing while the men try out the Tour de France passes.
Arrived on site, we chose to follow the itinerary of the most beautiful landscapes in the Ariege Pyrenees, available on the tourist office website. Well, well, well! We weren’t disappointed. It’s true that we’d left in a bit of a hurry, but thanks to the itineraries “in the heart of history” and “the most beautiful landscapes of the Ariege Pyrenees”, we know where to sleep, where to eat and above all what to do with our days!

Click on the photo to view it better.
Realized by Chloé RIDRAY, intern at the Tourist Office in 2022.

Accessible routes

Stroll through Tarascon-sur-Ariège and discover the Prehistory Park

On our first day there, we discovered this beautiful mountain village.
We stopped to do the discovery itinerary of the old town then walked to the magnificent Arnave chapel where we could see Tarascon and its valley from an unforgettable vantage point and had a picnic in front of this view. In the afternoon, we took the children to the Parc de la Préhistoire, where they had a great time. As they study prehistory at school, they’ll have plenty to tell their teacher! They even got to paint on the walls of a cave, which made us laugh a lot.
With the camper van it’s practical, we know which roads to take thanks to the various road accessibility maps.
As indicated on the itineraries, we parked the motorhome and the van in the parking lots provided, it’s much quicker and easier than looking for a spot.
In the evening, we decided to go and park as a family at the Val-de-Sos motorhome park, we loved parking by the river, it was cool and so relaxing.

The Vicdessos Valley

The next day, we decided to cool off first thing in the morning at the Artigue waterfalls.
This hike is suitable for children, and is very enjoyable. On the way back down, we ate in Auzat at one of the restaurants recommended on the itinerary.
In the afternoon, we stayed in the village of Val-de-Sos to visit it, and went on to discover the surrounding villages on the roads recommended for our size. We were lucky that the road to the pond at Soulcem was open, so we had a great time at the end of the afternoon!
In the evening, we headed for the village of Les Cabannes. With our camper van, we set up at the village’s motorhome area, and my daughter with her van at the campsite, for the kids.

Cani-rando on the Plateau de Beille

As luck would have it, we were in Les Cabannes on a Sunday, so we were able to do the local market.
After spending a morning walking around the village and eating at the farmer’s restaurant la maison Lacube, which offers many local dishes, we had the good idea to climb to Plateau de Beille.
The boys got on their bikes and we waited for them at the top. A fan of the Ariegeoise cyclosportive, my husband wanted to try out this climb he’d heard so much about.
While we waited for them, the kids watched the cows, and were very happy that they were right there, estivating in front of us.
For the afternoon we booked a cani-rando. We really enjoyed walking with someone!

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A solitary cabin in the middle of a lush green field, surrounded by sheep and majestic mountains.
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STEPHANE MEURISSE

A walk with a view at the Ax 3 Domaines resort

After sleeping at the Ax-les-Thermes motorhome park, we really enjoyed strolling through the streets of this village. We dipped our feet in the hot-water pools leave a wonderful souvenir for the kids! Even I’d never seen anything like it, and was pleasantly surprised.
In the afternoon, we swapped our vehicles for the gondola and took to the skies at 1400m! Luckily, we were there during the school vacations, so the chairlift was also open and we were able to access the Saquet plateau at 2000m. In the evening, we returned to Ax-les-Thermes and, after a fine meal in a restaurant, stayed at the Wellness Sport Camping. The next day, the kids enjoyed the pool and we stayed a day longer than planned! We took the opportunity to see the marmots in the Orlu valley.

Donezan village tour

After a good day’s relaxation the day before, we hit the road early to get to Donezan. I drove the motorhome and we passed through the Aude as the road is a little narrow over the Col de Pailhères and we wanted to take our time. The boys climbed the Col de Pailhères and we met up in Mijanès! For the day, we set off on a tour of the villages. The walk took us through the village of Artigues, where we had lunch at Le Sapin Rouge, a delicious restaurant!
We finished our walk, then returned to our camper vans and spent the night at Le Bosquet campsite.
The next day, we headed back home. We all had a great time, the boys exceeded their cycling limits, we had a good walk and the kids have already decided to come back next year!

More experiences

Pyrenees

Ariège's little extras

Book your mountain vacation,

Book your mountain vacation for hiking in unspoilt natural surroundings, for outdoor and white-water activities, for visits to must-see tourist sites such as the Grotte de Niaux and the Parc de la Préhistoire... In winter, skiing, snowboarding, skating, snowshoeing, tobogganing and dog sledding are all on offer from Ax 3 Domaines to Beille, via Ascou and Le Chioula or Mijanés and Goulier... All year round, enjoy the benefits of thermal water for spa treatments at Ax-les-Thermes or Ussat-les-Bains, or relax at the Bains du Couloubret. The history and heritage of our mountains, pastoralism and local produce will add to your stay with unforgettable experiences... Don't miss the festivals and major events, and take advantage of the many activities for the whole family all year round... The Ariege Pyrenees, your bubble of oxygen destination!