On the rails of time

Day 1 program

10:00 am: Visit to Rêve et magie du rail

The “Rail Modélisme Ariégeois” association presents its superb model “Rêve et Magie du Rail” in a specially equipped passenger carriage, an exceptional achievement in Europe with the application of modern techniques, sound, light, animation and the quality of its scenery.

Adjacent to “Rêve et Magie du Rail”, a postal carriage belonging to the old itinerants, which stopped its travels in 1991, and an ALSTHOM BB 4736 locomotive, built in 1934, will remind you of an eventful human adventure, so near and yet so far. Last but not least, an exhibition entitled “du portage à dos d’Hommes aux Trains à Grande Vitesse” (from man-carrying to high-speed trains) will take you on a 20-panel tour of the extraordinary history of land transport since antiquity (20 people max, subject to sanitary modifications).

12:00 pm : Lunch at the Parc de la Préhistoire restaurant (single course for the whole group)

2:00 pm : Visit to the Parc de la Préhistoire.

On a 13-hectare site, relive prehistory, discover Cro-Magnon man and delve into the origins of his art. Discover archaeology, hunting, art and camp activities (fire lighting and flint knapping) in our fun, hands-on workshops. Covered, they operate in all weathers. The Grand Atelier, a museum dedicated to prehistoric art, features numerous artefacts and facsimiles, including the Salon Noir in the Niaux cave, the “Niaux Forbidden” and the Marsoulas cave.

“Les Géants de l’âge de Glace” (Giants of the Ice Age): immersed in a real steppe landscape, you’ll discover the emblematic species of prehistoric times, whose mere mention takes your imagination on a journey: the cave lion, the steppe bison, the giant deer (megaceros) and the most famous of them all, the mammoth. Life-size, larger-than-life reconstructions will take you back in time to learn more about the extinct species that lived alongside your distant ancestors.

6:00 pm: End of the day

7:30pm: Dinner and overnight stay at Hostellerie de la Poste** in Tarascon

9pm: An evening of tales and legends from the Ariège region

Day 2 program:

Breakfast at the hotel

10:00 am: Guided tour of the Bédeilhac cave, remarkable for its extraordinary subterranean landscape with immense chambers and spectacular concretions dating back millions of years.

Remarkable, too, for the chance to meet the Cro-Magnon men and women who, 16,000 years ago, decorated the cave using a variety of techniques: painting, drawing, engraving, clay modelling… and even handprints.

Last but not least, it was used as an industrial site during the 1940-1945 war.

During your visit, you’ll be impressed by the vast galleries, their volume and the underground landscape, with its mix of tall columns and imposing concretions.

As the lights come on, the tour reveals the patient work of water: mysterious shapes appear to the eyes plunged into darkness, allowing everyone to give free rein to their imagination in the face of nature’s extraordinary sculptures.

The cave has very few facilities, and the route (1.5km in all) is rugged, which is why the visit is inaccessible to people with motor disabilities, and strongly recommended for those with mobility problems.

12:00 pm: Lunch at the hotel

2:30 pm: Guided tour of Tarascon’s old town with Sébastien, tour guide.

Tarascon’s old town holds many treasures from the Middle Ages. You’ll first discover the rue du barri, which was the entrance to the ancient stronghold. You’ll climb up to the Tour du Castella, built in place of the ancient fortified castle, which was destroyed by order of Richelieu because it was considered impregnable and suspected of harboring heretics. You’ll then discover the 14th-century Porte d’Espagne, which commanded the southern entrance to the town, then the inside of the walls via Place Garrigou and the 13th-century Eglise de la Daurade, and finally the 14th-century Tour Saint Michel.

4:30 pm: Visit to the Sinsat mill with a snack: coffee and cookies from the mill.

Come and discover the Sinsat mill, built in the 17th century, in the footsteps of the millers of yesteryear. In this magical setting, the artisanal cookie factory Le Moulin creates original cookies, free from additives and preservatives, offering you the true luxury of simplicity.

6:00 pm: End of the day