The Ars waterfall is one of the most beautiful Pyrenees waterfalls. Located in the Regional Natural Park of Pyrenees Ariégeoises in the Couserans, at an altitude of 1 m, it stretches over 380m in height and over 246 successive floors. It is an essential natural site ofAriege !
Walk to the Ars waterfall
Access is from thermal village of Aulus-les-Bains, a small mountain village located at an altitude of 750m in the Garbet valley. The environment is exceptional, forests, streams, stone houses with slate roofs ... Haut Couserans is a reserve of pure air and greenery, it is very exotic. Hiking, hydrotherapy and pastoralism particularly characterize this sector.
Our little tip
When the snow melts, the waterfall fills with water. This is when she is the most impressive. The ideal is therefore to hike to the Cascade d'Ars at the end of spring, in May or June.
To walk to the top of the waterfall it takes 2 hours, for the round trip it takes 3:30 to 4 hours.
The path offers magnificent views of the village of Aulus-les-Bains, of the mountain, streams, forests, the various views of the waterfall… a delight!
In summer, the sea spray cascade are a real treat after 2 hours of walking!
Fauna and flora at the Ars waterfall
True jewels of nature, the Ars waterfall is full of exceptions in both its flora and fauna. If you are careful you may have the opportunity to cross several species:
Fauna side
- le outrage or "trumpet rat", it lives in mountain streams. It's a endemic species of the Pyrenees ! He is very discreet, so you will have to be very patient, and not make noise to have the chance to observe him.
- Pyrenean forest fauna: capercaillie, black woodpecker, tengmalm owl, marten, rosalie of the Alps ...
- THERoyal Eagle and bearded vulture that hover on the heights
flora side
- The forest of beeches and silver fir (or white fir)
- The flora of the undergrowth, the blueberry and calluna, accompanied locally by the rhododendrons