Gîte de la Borde: Activities: Walking
The eastern area of the Pyrenees offers some of the best and most varied walking in Europe!
From high peaks with magnificent views, to awesome mediaeval castles perched dramatically on the top of cliffs. There are caves with prehistoric art to discover, or in winter enjoy the stunning scenery on snowshoes.
Self Guided Walks
With our local knowledge of the area we can give you all the information you need to make the most of your holiday. We can suggest routes to suit your fitness level and interests. You are welcome to borrow our maps and guide books.
Many of the routes can be done using local buses and trains. For more inaccessible routes we can pick-ups and drop-offs. While you may wish to hire a car, this is not essential. There are plenty of good walks you can do from the house.
Guided Walks
Our walking and sight-seeing trips are led by qualified International Mountain Leaders (IML) who have extensive knowledge of the history, local culture, geology and fauna of the area in which we work and live. All our walks are tailored to your particular interests and abilities. We offer full day and half day walks. We offer walks for children. We can also provide you with all the walking information you need to enjoy this wonderful walkers paradise.
Here are some ideas for walks in the region:
Castle Walks: Explore the amazing mediaeval Cathar castles. One of the most well known long distance routes in France is the 12 day walk called the "Sentier de Cathare" that goes from the Mediterranean coastline to Foix (4 km from Gite de la Borde). It covers 250 km and links 9 fortresses! From our Gite you can walk parts of the Sentier de Cathare, or there are several really good circular walks around the castles. Most of the walks are in the foothills therefore can be walked all year round. You can find more information in Alan Mattingly's book "The Cathar Way" (Cicerone).
Peak Walks: From the Gite you can easily access the high mountains where there are many peaks between 2000 and 3000m, many of then being accessible by train. There is also a very well developed network of mountain refuges.
For nature lovers: In spring and early summer the meadows are full of flowers. "Few European ranges can match the Pyrenees in their variety of summer flora at all altitudes" (The Rough Guide to the Pyrenees). You will never see one, but some of the re-introduced Pyreneen bears have been tracked in the forests just a few miles from the house.
Cave Walks: The Ariege hosts some of the best cave art in Europe! It is possible to do a 7 hour walk in the Grotte de Lombrives which is the longest cave in Europe. "Tarascon-sur-Ariege has nothing to suggest that it's the heart of one of the most fascinating areas in Europe. Any account of the emergence of the human species must include the caves around Tarascon, which together constitute an unequalled display of prehistoric painting and artefacts". (The Rough Guide to the Pyrenees).
The Chemin de la Liberté: The Chemin de la Liberté starts from the near by town of Saint-Girons. During the Second World War more than 33,000 civilians and 6000 allied servicemen climbed over the peaks of the Pyrenees from France to escape Nazi occupation and regain their liberty in neutral Spain. The whole trail can be walked in 5 days staying in huts, or the walk can be shortened to 3 days starting higher up the trail. Parts of the trail also make really nice day walks. For more information have a look at Scott Goodall's book "The Freedom Trail".
