Ariège by Campervan: A 9-Day Tour of a Wonderful French Region

Ariège is a department of the Occitanie region, located in the heart of the Pyrenees in southern France. We discovered it by chance coming from Andorra and heading towards Carcassonne, and we immediately fell in love with its landscapes of unspoiled nature and villages straight out of the Middle Ages, all framed by majestic mountains.

Between nature and tradition

Ariège is a place that satisfies everyone: those who love nature and outdoor sports, those who love prehistoric sites and natural landmarks (Ariège has several caves you can visit to admire cave paintings), history buffs (many Cathars took refuge in the castles of this area to escape the Catholic inquisition), and those who prefer small villages to the chaos of big cities.

It’s also a region rich in culinary tradition, populated by people smiling in the streets of every village while waving baguettes, and perfect for those travelling on the road.

Unmissable stops

Below are the stops that excited us most in Ariège; to follow our 9-day itinerary, head to the dedicated section (which you’ll find by clicking here). Buckle up, because in Ariège it’s all quite a rollercoaster of ups and downs, and get your camera ready to capture some truly exciting views!

Ax-les-Thermes

A pleasant mountain town, known for its thermal waters and ski slopes. 2 km away is the small village of Savignac-les-Ormeaux, where you can enjoy a beautiful nature walk following the lake’s perimeter and the riverbank.

Tarascon-sur-Ariège

A truly characteristic medieval village, well worth a stroll through streets leading to a small viewpoint and the old Clock Tower.

Foix

The very characteristic town is famous for the castle  , whose origins date back to the 10th century, and whose perched position allowed the city to withstand the crusade against the Cathars.

La Bastide-de-Sérou

A small, picturesque village, offering lovely walks in the surrounding area. Don’t miss a stop in nearby Durban-sur-Arize, where we bought wood-fired bread from a young baker who loves his craft. If you can’t find the shop, just follow your nose (or click here  )!

Saint-Lizier

This beautiful town has the prestige of hosting the seat of an important bishopric. What struck us was its lovely historic centre, cared for down to every detail and full of artisan shops. If you have time, visit nearby Montjoie-en-Couserans for a walk through a village stuck in another era.

Le Mas-d’Azil

This place is known for the Grotte du Mas-d'Azil  . It’s a mystical place: besides being able to cross the cave not only on foot but also on 2 or 4 wheels, it lets you discover the prehistoric life of the Cro-Magnons. Don’t miss a walk among the colourful half-timbered houses of the village of the same name a little further on, from where numerous nature walks depart, including some to ancient dolmens.

Camon and Carla-Bayle

A lovely fortified village home to numerous artists’ workshops, overlooking the lake that shares its name, along whose shores you can enjoy a lovely nature walk. If you find it open, don’t miss the church’s paintings — truly unusual.

Montségur

A beautiful mountain village reached via a paved climb nestled between the mountains, at the end of which the first wood-and-stone houses appear, along with a single grocery shop, a small restaurant, a tiny church and a wonderful panorama.

Here you’ll also find the imposing Cathar castle  . If you want to visit the ruins of Montségur castle, keep in mind it’s reached by at least half an hour’s uphill walk.

Lac de Montbel

A lake with a 16-km perimeter, offering wonderful walks along the shores as well as the chance for a refreshing swim.

Mirepoix

Considered one of the most beautiful villages in France, Mirepoix is a small medieval town with half-timbered houses and wooden galleries hiding restaurants and shops. The Cathedral is wonderful, with rose windows overlooking a large nave. On Monday mornings the village hosts the region’s most famous market. Our verdict? Delightful, but spoiled by too much tourism. That’s why we recommend a stop, even if brief, in nearby Camon, a fortified village famous as the village of roses and visible from afar thanks to its imposing castle and abbey — decidedly more authentic.

Carcassonne

A typical medieval town, ranked among the 5 most visited cities in France, with a double set of walls, 4 gates and 52 towers visible from a distance, conjuring up images of knights and ladies. We talked more about our visit and why we went there in this article. If you have time left, head to nearby Fanjeaux, a small medieval village where we visited a beautiful exhibition of painting and sculpture.

Itinerary

Below is the 9-day itinerary that most excited us in Ariège:

Day 1: Ax-les-Thermes and Tarascon-sur-Ariège

Day 2: Foix and its castle

Day 3: La Bastide-de-Sérou and Saint-Lizier

Day 4: Le Mas-d’Azil and the cave

Day 5: Carla-Bayle and the lake

Day 6: Montségur and the Cathar castle

Day 7: Lac de Montbel

Day 8: Mirepoix and Camon

Day 9: Carcassonne

In our itinerary, improvised on the spot (but which gave us so many great moments), we skipped Toulouse because reviews about campervan parking weren’t the most reassuring. There would have been many more stops worth considering, between small villages and natural sites. Unfortunately we couldn’t stay longer in this French region, which nonetheless let us admire all its splendour in just a few days. If you cross Ariège to reach Andorra or Spain, or on your way back, we recommend a stop in L’Hospitalet, a small village nestled among woods and mountains.

We took advantage of the calm and serenity that Ariège gives off everywhere to fall in love once again with the French countryside, and once again not only thanks to the sweetness of pain au chocolat!. If you’d like, you can discover the full series about our other adventures in France at this link  .

Roads, services and stops

All the roads we drove in Ariège were in excellent condition and gave us some truly breathtaking views. In this French region it was very easy to find equipped, free service areas for water fill-up and waste disposal. You’ll find our spots here.

Travelling with your pet

To travel within Europe with your pet you need to have:

• passport
• microchip
• valid rabies vaccination

Check whether your pet's breed is allowed in the country you're visiting. We recommend always being careful in crowded places, as people might be scared of your pet which is why we always keep our pets on a leash. In many cases a muzzle is required, so we recommend keeping one handy.

We recommend bringing a bowl (we use one that clips conveniently onto a backpack) and a water bottle if the day is particularly hot.

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