5 days of roadtrip by van in Ariège

For too long, the Pyrenees are calling us. They scream freedom, road trip and wide open spaces. So, it is without hesitation that we start Léon, our house on wheels for almost 3 years, towards our next adventure: Ariège, here we are.

Through the motorhome window, the landscapes pass by and slowly gain height. The hills are so fiery green, they don't seem real. We are in the month of July, summer has indeed settled in and, from the very first kilometres, offers us a setting that seems straight out of our imagination.

In the distance, we begin to see huge peaks... these are them: the Pyrenees. The mountain range extends over more than 430 kilometers between Spain and France, from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic and sometimes reaches more than 3 meters in altitude. 

In other words? The show is breathtaking and, to our amazement, seems to never stop.

This van road trip in Ariège is off to a good start!

stop N°1 – We go to explore the cave of Niaux, Léon is waiting for us at the edge of the Vicdessos river

We continue our journey towards the valley of Vicdessos, because, if there is one thing that the people of Ariège have advised us to explore: it is the Cave of Niaux ! " She is unique " we say, so we couldn't miss it.

We put Léon under the trees, on the edge of the river which borders Tarascon-sur-Ariège, then, in a few minutes' walk, we are at the gates of the Niaux cave. I look forward ! The building that welcomes us is contemporary, unique, like an extension of the art that lies under our feet. Still wondering what's so special about this cave? : several kilometers of underground galleries in which, lit by the light of a lamp, one can observe the traces of our ancestors the men of Cro-Magnon. Here you can still contemplate paintings made between 17 and 000 years before our era, paintings that tell the way in which we lived in prehistoric times.

No, I will not reveal the photos to you prematurely. First, because once inside the cave of Niaux, photos are prohibited Secondly, because you must, in turn, see it with your own eyes during your next visit to Ariège. We promise, you won't be disappointed!

I have to say thatstill to this day, this journey through time remains one of the most beautiful historical emotions of our van road trip in Ariège.

We catch up with the motorhome through the forest: it is waiting for us, peacefully bathed in sunshine. A little tour in the river of Vicdessos, a nice meeting of a fisherman and his son and, a picnic at sunset later, this first stop in Ariège marks, as it should, the beginning of these next days of road trips.

stop n ° 2 - We discover two wonders of the Ariège Pyrenees: the pond of Lers and the waterfall of Ars

Our eyes open slowly, I almost forget where we were. But, drawing the curtain of the room, the running water and the ambient tranquility remind me of it very quickly: we are in Ariège and, today, we are leaving for a new dose of nature! We leave our haven of peace by the river and install the GPS: on the clock, a little over half an hour's drive to reach the Lers pond, the first stage of our itinerary for the day.

The mist clung to our wheels, giving even more charm and magic to the landscapes around us. Yet, just a few kilometers from home, I feel like I'm at the end of the world, totally disconnected, freer than ever. We are in the heart of the Regional Natural Park of the Ariège Pyrenees and the space available to us is immense, almost as much as the mountains bordering the valley.

We soon arrive at the Lers pond, the fog has left us. Perched at 1 meters and dominated by the Trois Seigneurs massif, the pond plunges us into an atmosphere as relaxing as it is bucolic. : the perfect place to take the time to have a bite to eat. Have you noticed how we don't take enough time anymore? As we try to make every second profitable when we travel and visit? Still, I feel like it's those simple moments that allow us to step back and appreciate the rest even more.

The mist has reappeared, giving a little more magic and mystique to this setting that we find it hard to leave. Back on the road, a sign quickly indicates: Aulus-the-Bains, authentic mountain village. This is where the hike to the Ars waterfall begins, it is now some 4 kilometers of walking that awaits us.

The path that leads to the waterfall begins in the forest. Our most beautiful hikes have always started like this, would that be a sign? Between hairpin bends, elevations sometimes positive, sometimes negative, balancing act on the trees which cross our road and catch of breath at the edge of the river of Ars, we soon hear the water splashing: I believe that we are touching the goal ! This waterfall is said to be one of the most beautiful in the Pyrenees, and between us, we quickly understood why.

At 1 meters above sea level, the Ars waterfall stretches 380 meters in height and over three successive floors. I don't have the words and still don't have them as I write today: the show is breathtaking.

In an almost meditative state, we forget all notion of time, letting the fading light remind us that it's time to turn around. Our initial itinerary wanted us to return to Aulus-les-Bains via the pond of Guzet but, the desire to savor the Ars waterfall from all these angles got the better of our timing. I've always thought that having adventures also meant accepting that the program could change sometimes, that you had to let yourself go if you felt good in a place, like today.

The return to the van is silent, as if speaking would break the magic of what we have just seen. Thomas cracks the first: “ no, but did you see that? It was crazy! ". I saw that, it was crazy.

stop n°3 – We spend the day in a little corner of paradise, walkers refine the itinerary of our road trip

We wake up gently in the middle of beeches and white fir trees, the sound of the waterfall still resonates in our heads. Waterfall of Ars? We will be back, and why not during the lovely fall colors?

For now, it's time to change course and drive to the Bethmale lake, in Couserans. I read on a few blogs that, although it rises to 1 meters above sea level, it is still easily accessible if you travel by van or motorhome. When you go on a road trip and walk around a house of almost 074 meters, this kind of info is always to be considered!

We will spend the afternoon in front of this wonder of nature. Between picnics, walks under the leaves and photo breakss, we never tire of looking at this exceptional emerald water. “No but, look at this color! ». If you are passing through Ariège, you should not miss it.

On the small paths that we take, we start chatting with walkers who quickly ask us what we are doing here, in Ariège, " are you from here? ". The idea that we could be on a road trip with our motorhome for a few days seemed to intrigue them, and they all began to give us their best advice to refine our itinerary and take advantage of the Ariège and, of all that the region has to offer.

Do you remember when I told you that an itinerary is sometimes created according to a moment or an encounter?

stop n°4 – We cross the authentic Saint-Lizier to end the day with our heads in the stars

On this fourth day of road trip in Ariège, we let ourselves be guided by the wise advice of the people of Ariège and the signs which, after half an hour, begin to indicate Saint-Lizier: our next stage is no longer so far.

Before regaining it, we give ourselves a coffee break on the banks of Saint Girons. Captivated by its picturesque streets and its old XNUMXth century bridge, this morning vision reminds me that this kind of moment can be just as appreciable as an ascent in the mountain.

Saint-Lizier is only a few kilometers away now. Our meetings yesterday described it to us as, perhaps, one of the towns in the department of Ariège with the most history. And, the testimonies of this rich past are surely its cathedral, its XNUMXth century pharmacy and its Bishops' Palace.

We pace the old Gallo-Roman city, taking in puffs of history on the left and on the right. You are getting to know us, we like to leave our part to improvisation (distortion of roaming surely) so, climbing up to the Palais des Évêques, we did not expect to come face to face with the Pyrenees and a panorama of Saint Lizier and its cathedral. The view from up there is magnificent.

Our eye, as eager for historical as it is gastronomic discoveries, spots a restaurant in the heart of the Palace. How can you resist a lunch with a view of the Pyrenees? But the Carré de l'Ange doesn't just offer a view, it above all offers creative cuisine inspired by the culinary culture of the Pyrenees… The appointment is made. The time for us to learn more about what was once the Palace of the Bishops or Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède Cathedral as it was called.

We have stories, alleys, views, art and fillets of Bar full of head (or, belly for that matter): the day ends gently, at the same time as the sun begins to decline. Barely time to climb into the van and drive to a spot in the heights of Saint Girons. The sky is clear, promising us a night lulled by the stars. We embark on a fairly steep climb, which does not resist us (nothing seems to resist this old racing car from 1988), then a narrow passage. We are alone in the world. Alone in the middle of this nature which seems infinite.

Could this day end on a better note?

stop n°5 – We're trying whitewater paddleboarding for the first time !

Like all our alarm clocks since we arrived in Ariège, this one mixes birdsong and, for the occasion, a slight touch of sadness: today is our last day of road trip in the beautiful Pyrenees.

In order not to regret anything, we decide to live a last experience before leaving : I've always dreamed of paddling and, that's good because, an hour from our spot, the team of la Belle Verte has found a place for us among them.

The kilometers pass and I secretly dread not being up to it. Literally. What if I can't get up? Or to stand for more than 10 seconds? We will find out soon enough.

Léon finds his place in a shady car park while I realize that we are, as often in Ariège, moving forward in a corner where nature is queen. In a century-old park bordered by the river, you can see kayaks and paddleboards in the distance: the moment has arrived, you have to get started.

A few laughs, a few explanations and a few safety rules later, here we are in the waters of Ariège. To give myself courage, I launch myself first, without thinking. A paddle stroke. Two paddle strokes. Three strokes of the paddle, I can no longer resist the urge to stand up… I feel like I've been doing this all my life, like being a real adventurer. " You not packed ". A first rapid points the tip of its nose and makes my legs wobble in two stages, three movements. My bad faith says she wasn't ready, my reason says I could have at least acclimatized myself 10 minutes before getting up.  

We will long remember the hours that followed: the sun caressed our faces while we slid on the water, the roots of the trees ran, the beaches were hidden, the atmosphere was warm and the sensations incomparable.

The day already seems to be over, but we haven't said our last word. We reserve one last surprise… Tomorrow morning, we have an appointment with one of the last refuges of the Cathars.

It's time to leave Ariège...

As if to say goodbye to Ariège, we let the alarm clock take us out of our dreams a little earlier than usual. The lights are soft and adapt our eyes to the spectacle playing out in front of us: we are at the foot of the castle of Montségur and, almost at the same time as the sun, we are perched at an altitude of 1 meters between the stones of the famous castle. Cathar to savor our last day here.

Can we really say goodbye to a region conducive to road trips in vans, to freedom, to discovery, to local kindness, to sensations, to wide open spaces, to a nature that is still wild and preserved? It's just a "see you soon Ariège".