With numerous prehistoric sites and cave paintings dating back over 14,000 years, medieval castles and Cathar sites, the Ariège has a long and rich history. So make the most of your camping holiday in Ariège with your caravan, tent or motorhome to take a trip back in time.

Camping holidays in the land of prehistory

Ariège has 6 caves worth visiting. Not all have been inhabited by man, but the Grotte de Niaux, the Grotte du Mas d’Azil and the Grotte de la Vache bear witness to human occupation dating back 14,000 years, to the time of the Magdalenians, hunter-gatherers who were the last people of the Palaeolithic period. The Salon Noir room in the Niaux cave is the masterpiece of this period. Its walls are decorated with highly realistic black line drawings of animals. The cave was not inhabited, but was used as a sanctuary, so people came especially to the cave to paint the animals they had seen in nature. There are no fewer than 100 representations of animals in the cave, 80% of which can be seen in the Salon Noir. Unlike other great prehistoric caves such as Lascaux or the Chauvet cave, when you visit the Niaux cave you are not visiting a facsimile, but the original cave. Not far away, the Grotte de la Vache is the perfect complement to the Grotte de Niaux. This cave was occupied by humans when the Salon Noir was covered in cave paintings. We can therefore imagine that the men who decorated the Niaux cave, or at least their contemporaries, lived in the Vache cave.

The Mas d’Azil cave was once inhabited by man. Numerous prehistoric remains have been found there, including paintings and tools. An interpretation centre provides a better understanding of the period thanks to the excavations that have been carried out in the cave. The Mas d’Azil cave is one of a kind. A river runs through it, as does a road that you can take by car.

If your dive into the prehistoric caves of Ariège has left you wanting to find out more about our ancestors, then a short diversions to the Parc de la Préhistoire in Tarascon-sur-Ariège is in order. In addition to its 2,500 m² of museum space, this park is a fun visit for families, with workshops that will put you in the shoes of Cro-Magnon men (lighting fires, flint knapping, hunting, wall painting) or archaeologists (learning excavation techniques).

If you want to know everything there is to know about prehistory, be sure to visit these caves or the prehistory park during your camping holiday in Ariège.

A stroll in Cathar country

Around the turn of the millennium, many deviances of Christianity were born in Europe. Among these deviances, Catharism left a profound mark on Ariège. Born in France in the 12ᵉ century, this movement claimed to be Christian and New Testament, living in poverty and working with their hands, like the apostles. They also denounced a church that was too rich and linked to the powerful. After several decades of condemnation, Pope Innoncent III launched a crusade against the Cathar heretics. In just over 30 years, the Cathars were exterminated in south-west France. The symbol of the crusade against the Cathars is the castle of Montségur. Occupied by a Cathar community, this hilltop castle became the headquarters of the Cathar movement in 1232. After a siege lasting several months, it was the last Cathar stronghold to fall in 1244, and more than 200 Cathars were burned there. Today, you can visit the remains of the castle, still perched on its hilltop, and enjoy magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.

As well as the castle of Montségur, there are other Cathar sites worth a visit on your camping holiday in Ariège, in particular the castle of Foix. Standing atop a rocky outcrop 60 metres above the town of Foix, this perfectly preserved medieval castle is very distinctive, with its ramparts and three towers. Although the castle was never associated with Catharism by the Church and its crusaders, the Counts of Foix maintained good relations with the movement. Today, the castle offers a real immersion in medieval Ariège. During your visit, you will discover rooms that appear to have remained unchanged since the 13ᵉ century, as well as siege weapons (trebuchet, catapult, etc.) outside the building. There are also workshops where you can try your hand at activities from the period, such as crossbow shooting, blacksmithing or stone cutting.

Medieval towns and villages near your campsite in Ariège

The castle is not the only attraction in Foix. Its old town is a plunge back into the Middle Ages, with its narrow streets, covered passageways, covered market, fountains and half-timbered houses. It is not the only testimony to this period. With its covered market halls and colourful half-timbered houses, Mirepoix is one of the other jewels in the Ariège crown. Every year in August, this small town comes alive during the international puppet festival, with its many shows and festivities. A different way to enjoy the town. If, however, you prefer a quieter time, avoid these few days, which attract thousands of people to Mirepoix. As well as its medieval towns, the Ariège is home to a number of villages with authentic charm, such as Saint-Lizier and its bishop’s palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Camon, the only village in the Ariège to have been named the most beautiful village in France. So many places not to be missed during your next stay in a caravan, tent or motorhome at one of the Ariège campsites.

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