This walk is available as:

Selfguided moving on walking trip in the Pyrénées in South of France

Walking the Cathar trail in the Pyrénées

Planning a trip

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 Corbières 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 of 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.

The price includes: the moving on of baggage between hotels, the dossier containing your maps, route notes and all necessary details needed for your holiday.

The price does not : Drinks, picnics, entrance fees, additional transfers, travelling from Carcassonne to Quillan, Travelling from Montségur and holiday insurance.

6 - 9 days tours

Supplement taxi transfer from Montségur to Quillan on last day : 96 per pax up to 4 personen.  (Supplement Ukraine not included)
Supplement taxi transfer from Montségur to Carcassonne on last day : 154 per pax up to 4 personen.  (Supplement Ukraine not included)
Supplement taxi transfer from Montségur to Foix on last day : 64 per pax up to 4 personen. (Supplement Ukraine not included)
Supplement taxi transfer from Quillan to Carcassonne on last day : 144 per pax up to 4 personen. (Supplement Ukraine not included)

WALKING STAGES DAY BY DAY

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.  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.

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

Day 2: Walk from Puivert to Belvis. Transfer from Camurac to Puivert to the start of the walk.
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 to Camurac.
Night and evening meal in Chambres d'Hôtes at Camurac.
4h15 effective walking, +583m altitude, -25m, 15,8 km

Day 3: Walk from Belvis to Camurac. Transfer from Camurac to Belvis to the start of the walk.
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 km.

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 km.

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, 12km.

In 2025
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, 18.5km.

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 .

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

LEVEL
You walk on walking trails with good footpaths and tracks. 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 ups and downs are constant. There will be between 350m and 750m ascension per day.

LODGING: In *** and ** hotels and chambres d’hotes in double or twin rooms

STARTING POINT
Carcassonne or Narbonne or the Med at Port la Nouvelle.

END
At the hotel in Quillan or Carcassonne.
Transfers to airport or Carcassonne are not included, but we can arrange for that.

SELF-GUIDED
We propose a independent walking formula without a guide. You choose your departure date and we will take care of all the rest. We transport your bags between the hotels, provide the maps and good walking notes.

DATES
Departs day 1: every day all year round.

HOW TO GET THERE

- From Toulouse it is 105 km by motorway to Carcassonne.

- By Train :
- There are regular trains from Toulouse or Montpellier to Carcassonne, Narbonne or Port-la-Nouvelle.

- by Air:
- Toulouse, Montpellier or Carcassonne.

-Toulouse or Carcassone (Ryanair from London).

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
- Railway station at Foix: 0836353535
- Meteo Aude: (+33) (0)436680211
- Ariège: (+33) (0)536680209