PROGRAM walking
days
Day 0 (extra night):
If you prefer arriving the night before the first walk you
can take an extra hotel night in Quillan and or Carcassonne. You will stay here on the base
of B&B. Dinner not included in Standard package but included in the Plus
package..
Day 1: From Quillan to Puivert
Start at your hotel in Quillan. (If you want a transfer to shorten
this first walk you can get one from Quillan to Nébias. Suppl.
€5,-Please let us know in advance). Nebias is a small Pyrenean village, the
walking trail known as the Sentier Cathare leads all the way to Puivert
castle. In its time this castle was far more festive than military a castle
of troubadours. The surrounding terrain is scrubby, there is a pleasant
vegetation of box tree, and juniper which gives a subtle fragrance to the
air, to be enjoyed in the shade of the oaks. From undulating valleys and
hillsides the castle comes suddenly into view, the imposing site gets ever
nearer. A ridge walk will lead you towards the castle doors, it’s possible
explore the towers, dungeons and the famous hall of the musicians. This
feudal castle was a hive of activity in the XII century, a meeting and performance
place for the most famous troubadours of the era. The village of Puivert
itself also represents an interest and vestige to the past, the museum of
Quercorb is a superb exhibition that really evokes the life of the area
at the end of the last century. There is a model of Puivert castle showing
how it would have been in the XIV century. (Please note it is also possible
for clients to be transferred directly to Puivert from Quillan and from
their chambre d’hote walk in the village and visit the castle.)
Night and evening meal in chambre d’hôtes at
Camurac.
5h45 effective walking, +115m altitude, -210m, 20,5kms
Day 2: From Puivert to Belvis
Today’s trail is for the most part in the forest, the Cathare footpath traverses
the forest of Lescale and Picaussel in the direction of the Pays de Sault.
A vast, airy wide open plateau situated high up between 950 et 1300m,
the plateau is the gateway towards the high mountain summits. Does, stags,
roe deer are at home in these thick fir tree forests, if you don’t have
the chance to observe them you will surely see their tracks and hear them
nearby. The forest is also home to foxes, squirrels and fouines, just thirty
years ago lynx, wolves and bears would also have been present.
During this day’s walking you will be surprised by the diversity of the
vegetation, different species of trees such as oak, fir, silver birch
and ash. On the outskirts of the forest the land is covered with the box
tree, heather and juniper. The village of Belvis has a traditional architecture typical of the style to be found in mountain villages between
900 and 1000m, slate roofs, houses huddled closely together and concentrated
around the church interwoven with small alley ways.
Night and evening meal in Chambres d'hôtes at Camurac.
4h15 effective walking, +583m altitude, -25m, 15,8 kms
Day 3: From Belvis to Comus
Today we have a section of the walk that offers a wonderful transition of
scenery. The walk will lead you into the county of Ariège and the ‘Pays
d’Olmes‘ by a footpath that was once used at the beginning of the century
by the local inhabitants whether for simple means of communication and travelling
or for commercial exchanges. It was the main route between the ‘Pays de
Sault’ and the ‘Pays d’Olmes’ regions.
Night and evening meal in Chambre d'hôtes at Camurac
5h15 effective walking, +660m altitude, -772m, 20 kms.
Day 4: From Camurac/Comus to
Montsegur
The lay of the land dictated the
route and the natural route of access between the villages of Comus and
Montségur was by the gorge of the Frau. For one kilometre the gorge is notched
out of high chalk walls, the path passes between cliffs soaring impressionably
straight up, vertically, towards the sky. The name itself Frau means fear
or apprehension.
Before penetrating into the gorges, you will pass through the picturesque,
rural villages of Camurac and Comus. It is here in these out of the way
corners that the phenomena of the ‘inquisition’ hit particularly hard across
the Pays de Sault and the lands of Ariège in the XII and XIII centuries,
the views are captivating.
The castle of Montségur balancing high on the pog, a high
mountain pinnacle is a very emblematic symbol. Built between
1204 and 1211 by Raimon de Péreille at the request of the local Cathare
clergy, this site was to become during the first part of the XIII century
the religious capital of the Cathare church. You will find here, a place
and atmosphere out of the ordinary.
Night and evening meal in Chambre d'hôtes at Montsegur
3h15 effective walking, +660m altitude, -772m, 13 kms.
Day X: Walk Around Montségur
The site of Montségur, the very bastion of the Cathare resistance certainly
requires an additional day for exploring. The village itself is quite unique,
the houses and buildings are in long curved lines one after another. They
flank the mountainside in a well defined pattern and are linked by small
streets and pedestrian walkways. There is a museum and some art and craft
shops. From the museum a pathway leads to the foot of the pog, a high rocky
buttress, it takes about 30 min to walk up to the summit where you arrive
at a sumptuous belvedere. The panoramic view extends for miles around over
the Massif de Tabe, with the Pic de Soularac and further East the mountain
of the Frau. Having visited the castle a circular walk in the direction
of the ridge of Taulat will allow you to discover high altitude mountain
plains, still used to graze the local cattle.
Night and evening meal in Chambre d'hôtes Montségur.
6h30 effective walking, +774m altitude,-580m, 12kms.
Day 5: From Montségur to Roquefixade
The ‘Sentier Cathare’ or Cathare footpath progresses through the heart of
the region known as the ‘Pays d’Olmes’, in past times a land renown for
the weaving of cloth, wool, fabrics and certainly specialised in the production
of combs made from cows corns.
Still in the county of Ariège, traversing lush, green countryside, undulating
between valleys and mountainsides the trail will lead you towards the medieval
castle of Roquefixade. Crossing through the village of Montferrier and the
hamlet of Coulzonne you may well run in to some locals and experience a
warm exchange or interesting insight into the life here.
Night and evening meal in chambre de hote at Roquefixade.
4h30 effective walking +400m altitude, -760m, 17kms.
Day 6: From Roquefixade to Foix
The last section of the sentier Cathare presents the double particularity
of visiting a medieval castle at the beginning and at the end of the day.
The route itself follows for most of the time a ridge walk between the small
village of Roquefixade and the county, country town of Foix.
The town of Foix was a counts town and its castle linked to Gaston Febus
is characteristic by its three towers and high, unusual rocky base. Foix
is the principal town of Ariège and in during the Summer months it is a
centre of music and animation, a season of festivities and merriment as
well as the colourful Friday morning market.
Night and evening meal in a hotel at Foix.
5h00 effective walking +350m altitude, -720m, 18.5kms.
Day 7 Last visit of Foix
This morning, the last possibility to visit the centre of the old town and
to wander through the old streets and to visit the castle .
2h00 effective walking.
The programme is an example of the itinerary we aim to
adhere. If due to situations beyond our control the itinerary may be modified.
IMPORTANT PRECISIONS
LEVEL
The walks are on good footpaths and trails. You need to be used to walking
and taking regular exercise to enjoy this holiday. There is between 4h30
and 6h00 effective walking each day. The ascents and descents
are constant. There will be between 350m and 750m ascension per day.
