Walking the Cathar trail in the Pyrénées

Cathar Castles of the Pyrenees : From Carcassonne or Quillan to Montségur and Foix

From the Mediterranean to the Pyrenees Ariegeoises in the heart of the sun blessed Corbieres region, or between Quillan and Montségur is where you can find the secret trails and castles of the Chateaux Cathares. Imposing stone castles built high up in rocky crags or pogs.  These fortresses are the symbol of a tragic, political intrigue and drama that shook the South of France. This walking holiday combines a historical interest that stirs the imagination as well as some memorable walking through lush unspoilt mountains and valleys.

We offer the Cathar trail on this page as a week itinerary from Quillan to Montségur, but you can book a 7 to 13 days walk along the trail from the beginning of the Sentier  Cathare in the East  at the Med to Montségur in the West.

You can book this trip here

Hotel Aragon

PROGRAM walking days

 

Day 1: From Quillan to Puivert
Start at your hotel in Quillan. (If you want a transfer to shorten this first walk you can get one from Quillan to Nébias. Suppl. €5,-Please let us know in advance). Nebias is a small Pyrenean village, the walking trail known as the Sentier Cathare leads all the way to Puivert castle. In its time this castle was far more festive than military a castle of troubadours. The surrounding terrain is scrubby, there is a pleasant vegetation of box tree, and juniper which gives a subtle fragrance to the air, to be enjoyed in the shade of the oaks.  The village of Puivert itself also represents an interest and vestige to the past, the museum of Quercorb is a superb exhibition that really evokes the life of the area at the end of the last century. There is a model of Puivert castle showing how it would have been in the XIV century. (Please note it is also possible for clients to be transferred directly to Puivert from Quillan and from their chambre d’hôte walk in the village and visit the castle.)

Transfer from Puivert to Camurac.
Night and evening meal in chambre d’Hôtes at  Camurac.
5h45 effective walking, +115m altitude, -210m, 20,5kms

Day 2: From Puivert to Belvis
Transfer to Puivert
Today’s trail is for the most part in the forest, the Cathare footpath traverses the forest of Lescale and Picaussel in the direction of the Pays de Sault. A vast, airy wide open plateau  situated high up between 950 et 1300m.  Does, stags, roe deer are at home in these thick fir tree forests, if you don’t have the chance to observe them you will surely see their tracks and hear them nearby. The forest is also home to foxes, squirrels and, just thirty years ago lynx, wolves and bears would also have been present.
During this day’s walking you will be surprised by the diversity of the vegetation, different species of trees  such as oak, fir, silver birch and ash. On the outskirts of the forest the land is covered with the box tree, heather and juniper. The village of Belvis has a traditional architecture typical of the style to be found in mountain villages between 900 and 1000m, slate roofs, houses huddled closely together and concentrated around the church interwoven with small alley ways.

Transfer from Belvis
Night and evening meal in Chambres d'Hôtes at Camurac.
4h15 effective walking, +583m altitude, -25m, 15,8 kms
 

Day 3: From Belvis to Comus
Today we have a section of the walk that offers a wonderful transition of scenery. The walk will lead you into the county of Ariègeand the ‘Pays d’Olmes‘ by a footpath that was once used at the beginning of the century by the local inhabitants whether for simple means of communication and travelling or for commercial exchanges.

Transfer to Belvis.
Night and evening meal in Chambre d'Hôtes at Camurac
5h15 effective walking, +660m altitude, -772m, 20 kms.
 

Day 4: From Camurac/Comus to Montségur
The lay of the land dictated the route and the natural route of access between the villages of Comus and Montségur was by the gorge of the Frau.
Before penetrating into the gorges, you will pass through the picturesque, rural villages of Camurac and Comus. It is here in these out of the way corners that the phenomena of the ‘inquisition’ hit particularly hard across the Pays de Sault and the lands of Ariègein the XII and XIII centuries, the views are captivating.

The castle of Montségur balancing high on the pog, a high mountain pinnacle is a very emblematic  symbol.  Built between  1204 and 1211 at the request of  the local Cathare clergy, this site was to become during the first part of the XIII century the religious capital of the Cathare church. You will find here, a place and atmosphere out of the ordinary.

Night and evening meal in Chambre d'Hôtes at Montségur
3h15 effective walking, +660m altitude, -772m, 13 kms.

Day X: Walk Around Montségur
The site of Montségur, the very bastion of the Cathare resistance certainly requires an additional day for exploring. The village itself is quite unique, the houses and buildings are in long curved lines one after another. They flank the mountainside in a well defined pattern and are linked by small streets and pedestrian walkways. There is a museum and some art and craft shops. From the museum a pathway leads to the foot of the pog, a high rocky buttress, it takes about 30 min to walk up to the summit where you arrive at a sumptuous belvedere.

Night and evening meal in Chambre d'Hôtes Montségur.
6h30 effective walking, +774m altitude,-580m, 12kms.
 

In 2020 the last 2 stages of the Sentier Cathare (Montségur-Roquefixade en Roquefixade-Foix) are not possible. 

Day 6: From Roquefixade to Foix
The last section of the sentier Cathare presents the double particularity of visiting a medieval castle at the beginning and at the end of the day. The route itself follows for most of the time a ridge walk between the small village of Roquefixade and the county, country town of Foix.   The town of Foix was a counts town and its castle linked to Gaston Febus is characteristic by its three towers and high, unusual rocky base. Foix is the principal town of Ariègeand in during the Summer months it is a centre of music and animation, a season of festivities and merriment as well as the colourful Friday morning market.

Night and evening meal in a hotel at Foix.
5h00 effective walking +350m altitude, -720m, 18.5kms.
 

Day 7 Last visit of Foix
This morning, the last possibility to visit the centre of the old town and to wander through the old streets and to visit the castle .

2h00 effective walking.
 

 

The programme is an example of the itinerary we aim to adhere. If due to situations beyond our control the itinerary may be modified.

IMPORTANT PRECISIONS

LEVEL
The walks are on good footpaths and trails. You need to be used to walking and taking regular exercise to enjoy this holiday. There is between 4h30 and 6h00 effective walking each day.  The  ascents and descents are constant. There will be between 350m and 750m ascension per day.