Gîte de la Borde: Gîte and outdoor activities in the French Pyrenees

Welcome to Gîte de la Borde, our house near Foix in the Ariège département of France , in the foothills of the Pyrenees.

We would like you to share with us the wonderful opportunities for outdoor activities and gentle recreation this largely unknown area offers. Gîte de la Borde is easy to reach by rail, road and air. There are opportunities for a wide range of activities close by. It is situated in a rural village, yet is only 10 minutes by car or train from a major town.

We welcome visits from individuals and groups. Gîte de la Borde can sleep between 2 and 10 – 12 people and you may rent all or part of it.  We also have a seperate 2 bedroom apartment which can sleep 4.

We can also provide further bunkhouse accommodation. If required we will work with you to organise activities that meet your specific needs.

We have 4 and 6 year old boys, and the Gîte is especially suitable for families. It is safe for children, with enclosed gardens and away from busy roads.

Gîte de la Borde is in the small rural village of Loubières, one hour South of the airports of Toulouse and Carcassonne . It is a comfortable, newly-converted, stone and timber farmhouse on four floors. It has an enclosed parking area, and a quiet garden with above-ground swimming pool and hot-tub. On the first floor there is a kitchen/dining-room and a large lounge with wood-burning stove,sofas and TV/DVD/Video.  Above this are two floors with three large bedrooms (one with shower), one smaller bedroom and two bathrooms. There is wi-fi broadband.

We are experienced outdoor professionals, passionate about the activities we enjoy. We can suggest and arrange activities to suit all ages and all levels of experience.

In the adjoining barn we have an indoor climbing wall, and a fully equipped bike workshop. We can guide you on nature trails in the local woods or take you into the high mountains, walking to snow-covered 3000m peaks, perhaps saying overnight in a mountain refuge. Perhaps you would like to learn how to use a map and compass or try orienteering? There is bouldering, rock-climbing and mountaineering at all grades, and the biking, both road and mountain, is superb.  Stage 15 of the 2010 Tour de France departs from nearby Pamiers on the 19th of July.

We can offer a child care and baby-sitting service, and arrange transport to and from airports and during your stay. We can provide car seats, prams and cots and hire bicycles and other outdoor equipment.

In the winter, there is excellent downhill skiing at Ax-les-Thermes and other resorts, and there is cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing and dog-sledging at Plateau de Beille, both a 40 minute drive away. You can also take the ski-train to Ax-les-Thermes from nearby Foix.

For those looking for something a little less active, there are themal spas and Cathar castles and some of Europe 's most important prehistoric caves to visit, as well as fantastic local towns, villages and markets.

The Ariège is one of Europe's true wildernesses, and a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts – and yet Gîte de la Borde is only a ten minute drive from the bustling mediaeval town of Foix with its landmark three-towered castle. There you will find all the facilities you'd expect of the administrative centre of Ariège – banks, cinema, good shops and restaurants, and more. Toulouse, Carcassonne and Andorra are all an hour away. Toulouse is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city, and the walled city of Carcassonne is a World Heritage Site. Andorra is well-known for its ski-resorts and its duty-free shopping.