The Ariege – Explore the Pyrenees
 | La Maison Famille |
 | Ax-les-Thermes is an easy hours drive away and is the largest thermal spa in Ariege with no less than 60 natural springs, the temperature’s of which vary from 17-77 degrees. Here you will also find the largest ski station in the whole of the Ariege. |
 | Le Donezan is worth a visit to see the most spectacular wildlife and plant life. It is in the far southern most tip of the Ariege and is surrounded by beautiful mountain peaks of 2300 to 2808m and has marvelous forestry. This area is fantastic for hikers in the spring summer and autumn. |
 | Lavelanet – Pay D’olmes is for you if it is museums you are interested in. The museums include textiles and horn combs. |
 | Mirepoix is a medieval bastide town full of half timbered houses all converging onto a large square. Visit on a Monday Morning and you will find a vibrant market. In the evening the square is a great place to go with jazz bands and restaurants. |
 | Foix has cobbled streets and a market every Friday. A must while visiting Foix is the castle. Just near to Foix is the river of Labouiche which is the longest underground river which is still navigable and is open to the public. |
 | Mas D’azil is 10 mins away you can enjoy a visit to the caves and museums here. |
 | Saint Girons holds a lively and bustling farmers market on a Saturday where most of the produce is grown organically. |
 | Saint-Lizier is a beautiful ancient roman town which is steeped in histor y and about 20 mins away from us. The town is officially classed as one of the most beautiful villages in France. |
You are ideally located to explore the Pyrenees from the comfort of La Maison Famille. The Department of the Ariege is situated at the foothills of the Pyrenees, right next door to Andorra which offers great skiing and duty-free shopping. The Ariege is well known for being unspoiled, and is the least populated region of France.
The countryside in this area is famous for trout fishing, water sports, walking, hiking, cycling and, of course, winter sports. It also offers many towns steeped in history for sight-seeing and local markets with an abundance of shops for your enjoyment. Whatever your pleasure, you will not be short of things to do.
The nearest village is 7 minutes away by car, La Bastide-de-Serou. This has a restaurant, butchers, bakers, a bank, small store and a weekly market on a Thursday. Rimont and Maz d’Azil also have similar amenities, and are about a 10 minute drive. The nearest big towns to us are Foix, 25 mins by car, and St Girons, 20 minutes by car. Both these towns have an abundance of shops and restaurants and hold large weekly markets.
For more information on the area visit The Ariege website
We are a 2 hour drive from the nearest Mediterranean beach, at a resort called Narbonne. Here you will find a nice seaside town with a large beach.
If you are looking for a beach closer to home, the local lakes are great for swimming from May to September: there are lakes with beaches and childrens play areas at Carla Bayle (30 mins drive) Puviert (1 hour 15 mins), or Lac Montbel (1 hour 20 mins)
