After the Couserans and the Cathar Pyrenees, I take you to the Arize and Lèze regions. A region in the heart of nature, which shines with its revitalizing corners and the indelible mark that prehistory has left behind. Travel through time and ages during this completely exotic road trip!

Stage
1 / 4

Step 1: Departure from Foix, the county town

Step 1: Departure from Foix, the county town

A new adventure awaits us today! With Pierre and Eden, we wanted to go and say hello to our colleagues from the Tourist Office of the Arize and Lèze valleys. For this, we planned a fairly early departure in the morning because we had a good half-hour drive to get to Mas d'Azil. It's summer, the girls gave us an appointment at 10am for a little surprise 😉

Step 2: Le Mas-d'Azil, a village rich in history

After half an hour of contemplating the scenery and sing at the top of your lungs songs that we will not reveal (refer to the Deezer playlist: guilty pleasure), here we are in the charming village of Mas d'Azil.

Just in time for the departure of the photo rally organized by Sebastian riff in collaboration with the tourist office which offers this format every summer for free*. We are super happy with this surprise because it is a very original way to discover a village!

We move very quickly to action and teamwork does its job, we walk through the alleys of the village from photo to photo. We learn more about the history of Mas d'Azil and we even have access to the chapel which is normally closed.

It was a great time which allowed us to educate ourselves while walking in the cool air before the crushing heat of the sun showed its face.


Once the challenge of the rally has been met, we set off towards the Mas d'Azil cave, which has a very unique feature...


*Visits offered every other week, in summer only. You can also take part in guided tours. 👉 More information here.

Step 3: The Mas d'Azil cave, a real surprise

We are going in search of a great picnic spot near the Mas d'Azil cave. This gaping hole, over 70 metres high, is quite impressive. But the most surprising thing is that you can cross it by road!

This is a unique experience which does not leave you indifferent. Here we are eating in front of this sublime cave that we will then cross on foot to go see the waterfall which is on the other side. It is magnificent!

The plus: The coolness of the cave is a real treat in summer weather.

Step 4: Time to go back in time at Xploria

After this most pleasant break, we follow thewise advice from our OT colleagues and we head straight towards Xploria.

What is Xploria? 🦕

In the heart of the Castagnès forest, stroll along a nature trail designed to discover the history of biodiversity while having fun. From the creation of the universe to the evolution of species, you will be an expert on the history of our planet!

In the shade of the trees we discover this journey through the eras. We participate in a dig workshop where Léo gives us the secret of the real fossils that he presents to us. Between everything that the place has to teach us and the immense representations of dinosaurs, we only enrich our knowledge about life on earth!

We meet Florent, the creator of the site and he tells us with passion about the creation of the park, its archaeological discoveries and everything related to his universe. A beautiful human encounter which only increases the positive feeling of our visit.

To finish in style and before getting back on the road, we treat ourselves an ice cream break at the Xploria shop. It’s the end of the day and we have to go back to Foix, after a wonderful day.

The roadtrip in video

Roxane

About Roxane

A true lover of Ariège, I arrived in Foix in 2014, never to leave again!
In a few lines, I try to take you on a journey to the lands of Foix Ariège Pyrénées... Roadtrip, hikes, landscapes, good deals, good addresses, everything goes!

Was this content useful to you?