Information about the area
In the Middle of the franch Ariege, towards the Spanish border there is one of the most untouched
hiking area's in Europe. There are even some brown bear!
The nature is very important for the Ariège. The Mont Valier massif is one of the largest
reserves of the french Pyrenees where about 900 Isards live. In this area there is one
big french cabin where you can come after an 4 hours' hike.
The Pont Valier is 1 of the highest peaks in the Couserans (2838 meters) that you certainly
must conqueror!
The domain of the Bergtoppers starts in Melles and ends in Siguer
where we focus on the valley of the Garbet with the biggest village Aulus les Bains;
the valley of the Alet, with villages around Ustou; the valley of the Salat
with villages like Salau, Couflens and Seix and the valley
of the Lez with villages like Eylie, Sentein and Castillion.
The biggest place in the neighborhood (a city) is St. Girons.
The GR10 and the Haute route Pyrenées
go through this part of the Pyrenees, which can be hiked.
If you go hiking or trekking watch always the
wheather.
There are nice villages in the neighborhood lik Seix, Oust of a bit bigger St Girons and
St Lizier. Every village has its own specialty: a nice Roman church, or a nice market.
Toulouse is 115 kilometer from Seix and Foix ca. 45 km.
The majority of the locals lives from cows, sheep, horses, cheese etc.
In most villages cheese is made so it is possibel to visit a cheese farm.
Next to hiking you can do some other activities such as mountainbike,
kayakkings, rafting, parapanten, canyon.
Do you want to know where you can sleep, or how you can
travel to Seix?
Take also a look at the following link to get an idea of
our region.
If you want to live here after your visit,
take a look at the website of a french agence Charvy or
if you have been to Spain with any hike take a look in this Spanish brochure.
Activities
In summer you have a party every weekend in one of the villages.
You can join dinner for a reasonable price. Often there are games for jeu de boule
with a whole pig as price.
Mid June is the transhumance. Cows, horses and sheep go with sheppard into the mountain.
It is possible to walk with the sheppards and their cattle.
In most villages this goeas together with a party. Everybody is happy that the cattle and the
sheppards disappear for 3 months.....
Also the Tour de France is always in the domain of the Bergtoppers.
This year there is a start in Saint Gaudens and a finish at Plateau la Beille!
This means that they pass the col de la Core! See also the french Link.
Pas moins de six cols assureront la densité de cette courte étape : le col de Portet-d’Aspet, le col de la Core, le col de Latrape,
le col d’Agnes, le Port de Lers et l’arrivée au Plateau de Beille pour la cinquième fois. L’histoire retiendra que le vainqueur au
Plateau de Beille a toujours été en jaune sur le podium des Champs-Élysées. La tradition sera-t-elle respectée ?
No less than 6 cols have to be conquered this day, again for the 5th time.
The winner of this day can win the Tour de France!
The first sunday of august there is a Pujade. French people and Spanish people climb to
Post Salau to lunch together and dance. Also the mare is coming (by helicopter).
If you want to hire a MTB or ride a few days very spectacular take a look
pn the site of Col d'Extrême.
You can send an email directly to Col d'Extrême
or contact Bergtoppers.
Other activities
Kayakken/raften for a half day is about 25 euro pp.
E half day canyoningen is about 45 euro pp.
A visit to a cheese farm is about 5 euro pp.
Possible places to spend a night in our region |
|
The prices are from 2010!
In a hotel.
A night is about 40 euro for a room and half board is possible for 55 euro pp.
It depends of the period.
There are 2 hotels in Oust:
- Hotel de la Poste
- Hotel les 4 saisons
In an Auberge.
A night is about 40 euro for a room and half board is possible for 37 euro 50 pp.
In the high season (july august) you must make a reservation for at least 3 nights!
- Auberge du Haut Salat in Seix,
- Auberge des deux rivieres in Pont de la Taule,
- Auberge les Myrtilles in Salau
In a gite.
There a 2 different type of gites. You have the gite d'etape and the Rando'Plume.
A gite d'etape is normally situated next to a dayhike or the GR10 or the GRP. They
exist for a long time and you can stay there for 1 or 2 nights. You can prepare your dinner
yourself in a kitchen that everybody can use or take half board. Sometimes there are rooms for
2-4 people but mostly you have big places (10 - 12 people).
You are a guest but you have to clean your room and kitchen yourself.
In Aulus les Bains, Rouze, Aunac, Cos and Esbints you find there gites.
The price for a night is from 15 euro and half board is possible for 35 euro pp.
A Rando'Plume is an accommodation that you can reach easily by car.
There is more comfort than in a gite d'etap with rooms for 2 - 6 people. Sheets you can use here.
So it is like an auberge, you do not have to take your sheets.
Often you have to take half board in summer.
You can stay here for more than 2 nights, for example a whole week.
Also here you have to clean your room and your bathroom (according to an auberge).
The price of a night is based on a half board night and is possible from 37 euro pp.
In Cominac, Bidous and St. Lizier d'Ustou you find these gites.
The advantage of a gite (according an auberge or hotel) is that you do not pay extra for 1 person.
You can spend the night in the following places:
- Cominac
- Aulus les Bains
- Bidous
- St. Lizier d'Ustou
- Rouze
- Esbints
- Aunac
- Cos de Bergerac
At the cabin of the Bergtoppers.
Our cabin is an old sheppard's cabin 3 to 3 meters, situated next to our house.
On the first floor there is a double bed and downstairs is a bunk bed (2 beds above each other).
At the cabin is a toilet, sink and a shower with hot water.
In front of the cabin is a terrace with a superb view of the Mont Valier (see the header in the
home page).
Guests in the cabin are guests of the family. In the morning the hike
can start after a very good breakfast and in the afternoon the drinks are cool.
On the picture our house is on the left and the cabin on the right.
At a campsite.
The price or a place is about 3 euro and for 1 person also 3 euro. Sometimes you have to pay
extra for a tent. Mostly you can put more tents on 1 place.
You can make a selection of the next camping's:
- le haut salat *** te Seix
- les 4 saisons *** te Oust
- la Cote ** te Oust
- Cos de Bergerac ** te Oust
- La Claire ** te Soueix
- Bergtoppers
Since 2006 we have a little campsite with 4 places
where we have put on the tents.
All there tents have a matras for 1 or 2 persons with 2 till 4 places.
In 2007 we have 2 wc's and 2 showers. In the months July and August you have to take
half board, the price is then 25 pp. We eat with all the hikers in a big party tent
where we have 2 big picnic tables and a stove. Other months you pay 7 euro 50 pp.
for a night.
Is is a start.....
In 2007 we make an extra place where you can put 1 or 2 tents for 5 euro pp.
Possible places to spend a night in the Pyrenees
Hotels Pyrenees: Pyrenees Holiday and Gites, Skiing and Hotels in Pyrenees
- By car.
From Amsterdam the distance is about 1330 kilometer. Fro the peage you have to pay about 45 euro.
The time to travel is about 13 hours depending of your speed.
- By bus.
You can go by eurolines directly from
London to Toulouse. It takes about 25 hours and the price is about 180 euro
for a return.
From Toulouse you can go by train to Boussens and from there by bus to St-Girons
(ca. 1,5 hour and ca. 13 euro).
- By train.
From London to Toulouse is too expensive.
- By plane.
You can fly with easyjet from london to Toulouse.
Pick-up
We can pick you up in the following places fro the following prices.
| Place | Price for a transfer |
| St-Girons | 30 euro |
| Boussens | 65 euro |
| Toulouse or Melles | 100 euro |
| Carcassonne or Pau | 160 euro |
In St-Girons it is never a problem to pick you up. The other places are mostly also possible
but we have to communicate about it.