Le Sentier Cathare by mountain bike
Le Sentier Cathare by mountain bike
Bike up to the Pyrenees and visit cathar castles
6 days / 5 nights or 5 days / 4 nights
Departing from the Corbières (South of Carcassonne) to the Pyrenees mountains, the Cathar path is a link between Languedoc and Pyrennes. This route unveils different kind of sceneries such as garrigues, plateau, forests, gorges and mountains. This area was also the place where strong and tragic moments of the History took place when the Cathar people turned their back to the French Kingdom in . Queribus, Peyreperthuse or Montségur are some of the castles remaining from this period. We propose to ride on this path in 5 stages. You ride in an amazing natural environment and you can stop to visit the fortified castles.
- the rich heritage of the Cathar castles along the route.
- the encounter with an exciting story
- the evolution of landscapes: from the garrigues of Corbières to the Ariège Pyrenees. A treat!
- wilderness trails
- welcoming villages
- the Corbières' good wines... once the stage is finished!
Guided Tour
A fully qualified MTB guide provides his services for party of 4 minimum
Independant Tour
We provide you with the maps and the road book. The accommdation and the catering will be reserved for you.
Good morning, sir,
As last year we spent 5 extraordinary days, the organization was faultless, the gites welcoming, even the rather capricious weather over the period spared us. Our trip went really well, without technical problems or great fatigue, only a few bruises and small sores have marked some ... The stress of the taxi for the return trip at the end of the trip was quickly forgotten, everything was very quickly in order.
In short, we are already ready to leave!
Concerning the route, we really liked the change of climate and the variety of landscapes crossed. I propose to you to transmit you our track with some suggestions of variations on certain stages. The time to analyze the trace made in detail, I will send you the traces and suggestions in a few days.
Thank you for the organization of this trip and at your disposal for any further details.
See you soon,
Alain
Good morning, sir,
Here I am, back from the Cathar path. A superb experience, with beautiful difficulties, beautiful encounters and magnificent castles. Thank you for the organization. The gites are very well chosen (special mention to those of Days 2 & 3) and the maps with the topo are very useful (well, I still managed to be wrong 3/4 times ...). You'll find enclosed one of the watercolours I was able to make (the castle of Aguilar).
Thanks again and I look forward to seeing you again for another trip!
Adrien
Good evening, Frederic,
As usual you prepared a stay which I think is the most successful in terms of mountain biking, accommodation, meals of course and heritage to discover. A lot of difference in altitude but we like it, we didn't have the time to prepare variations and that was enough. The first day, following a mistake of course (on our part) we "hit" 80 km. It cooled the ardour of some ... We made this stay under a beautiful weather for mountain biking the landscapes of some sites were beautiful. To conclude: a great stay with a bunch of biking friends who have already signed up for next year you can already start thinking about it!!!!!
Thanks again for this week of escape.
See you soon.
François
Good morning, sir,
We enjoyed our stay on the Cathar Trail enormously. We liked the itinerary as much for the landscapes as for the variety of paths (forest roads, trails, meadows, roads...). The always very impressive castles, the immense forests, the gorges, the passes above Comus, the small memorial of the resistance fighters lost in the middle of a forest,... were beautiful discoveries. The length and difficulty of the stages suited us well.
The accommodations were all good, especially the last 3. We appreciated the luxury of Sougraigne (swimming pool and excellent meals) and the welcome of the boss. We then spent two beautiful evenings first with the craftsmen who made the puppets . They were very interesting and the other tourists very funny. In Comus, the evening was very nice. In these three lodgings it was people who liked to talk about their region and what they were doing.
We were very happy with your organisation. For me it was the first time that I made such a trip on a mountain bike and it really delighted me.
With my best regards.
Sabine
This path is especially demanding since some stages are long, the difference in height is important and the ground is difficult.
Therefore we advise you to do some sport to be fit and physically trained. You can bike during several weeks prior to your arrival. It is even better if you bike all year long in order to get or reinforce your resistance. Going to the fitness club or jogging can also help you to prepare your trip.
Mountain Biking during 5 stages (240 km)
5 days tour
Day 1 : 46 km - elevation gain : + 1290 m
Day 2 : 44 km - elevation gain : + 1410 m
Day 3 : 53,5 km - elevation gain : + 1520 m
Day 4 : 43 km - elevation gain : + 910 m
Day 5 : 54 km - elevation gain : + 1465 m
Mountain Biking during 4 stages (192 km)
4 days tour
Day 1 : 58 km - elevation gain : + 2018 m
Day 2 : 44 km - elevation gain : + 1165 m
Day 3 : 36 km - elevation gain : + 910 m
Day 4 : 54 km - elevation gain : + 1465 m
PERIODS
From May to October
| La prestation comprend |
|
• The accommodation in B&B and gites for groups. |
| La prestation ne comprend pas |
| •The cancellation insurance (4,5%) • The beverage • The personal expenditures • Bike hire (possible if chosen) |
We all know the impact of our car travels on the environment. Driving to the holidays location can produce a large amount of CO2 because of the long haul distance to get away...
Therefore, if low impact mobility interests you, Rivesaltes, welcomes you. A bus or our minivan can take you to your accommodation.
Check your journey by train with SNCF or OUIGO and contact us for any further information.