The Sainte Catherine Tower offers a beautiful panorama of the Balaguères valley and the high peaks of Castillonnais. This vestige, visible from afar, is the only witness to a castle complex dating from the XNUMXth-XNUMXth century.
Tower of Saint Catherine

The only vestige of the refuge castle that protected the valley, whose village of Balaguères served as the setting for the filming of the film "The return of Martin Guerr".

Road access: From the Castillonnais Tourist Office towards St GIRONS D4, then D618 at 3 kms, turn left at the BALAGUERES valley junction until you leave the village of ALAS. Possibility of parking on the road to AGERT, former quarry summarily converted into a rest area. Departure from the old ALAS quarry.

Additional Information :
You are in the heart of the Pyrenees Ariégeoises Natural Park. We encourage you to adopt responsible behavior in this fragile and shared environment. - Stay on the trails and take your waste with you. - Observe the flora without picking it. - Remain discreet for wild animals. - In summer pasture areas, remember to close fences and barriers. Do not approach or feed animals. If a Patou (herd protection dog) approaches you, move away slowly and calmly. No big gestures or shouting, even if he barks, because he would consider you a threat. If he follows you, ignore him. - Swimming in lakes is not recommended. Sunscreen (even organic!) and other cosmetics are a source of pollution in this fragile environment. - Bivouac is authorized, but only between 19 p.m. and 9 a.m., and more than an hour's walk from a parking lot. - During periods of drought, all fires are prohibited. In other cases, fires are only authorized more than 200m from a forest. Prefer stoves to natural fireplaces. - In the event of a very unlikely encounter with a bear (which is trying to avoid us at all costs): show yourself calmly, move away gradually, and do not run.

Ranking & labels

  • Circuits of France_circuits
  • Registered with the PDIPR

Location

Couserans Pyrenees

On the western part of Ariège, the Couserans and its 18 valleys is a vast territory divided between high mountains, mountains and [...]

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Equipments & services

Equipments

  • Parking nearby
  • Picnic area.

Your itinerary

Map List
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Join the starting point
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1 - Departure of the hike

Take the BALAGUERES road for 200 m.

2 - Pass a barn

Take the path on your right which goes into the LACHEIN valley.
Once past the resurgence of the fairly characteristic stream (this water coming out of the ground!..), continue to a barn.

3 - Grotto of Saint Catherine

There, turn right and take the path that goes up to the SAINTE-CATHERINE cave (used by the CNRS laboratory in MOULIS to study the underground world - do not get too close to the edge).

4 - Tower of SAINTE-CATHERINE

Follow the well marked path and turn left. A steep path brings us in switchbacks to the tower. (pay attention to the holes). Old castle-refuge of which only the tower and the remains of the enclosure remain, panorama over the Balaguères valley whose village served as the setting for the filming of the film "The return of Martin Guerre".
For the return, follow the ridge to the left.

5 - Join the Balagué road

After 300 m, turn left and take a path lined with boxwood which leads you to the road to Balagué.

6 - Arrival at the starting point

Turn left, which will take you straight back to the outbound path.