Where to Stay
Assuming you want to visit the cave and Prehistoric Park ( page 1 ), you'll probably want to stay in nearby Tarascon. Accommodations in Tarascon are quite reasonable in price. We stayed at L'Hostellerie de la Poste, an old postal stop in the heart of Tarascon. It is a Logis de France hotel, a symbol I look to for guidance when choosing a hotel in France because it indicates a reasonable priced family-run hotel that serves regional cuisine in the restaurant. The food was indeed excellent, and the waiter could be counted upon to help choose good local wines as well as hold our favorite table. You can take an aperitif or brandy out to the garden in the back of the hotel, where chairs and little tables are set out near the river bank. Rooms for two run under $50. There was an internet station quite close by when we visited.
Other inexpensive lodging options include L e Relais Alaric on the edge of town. Cost is about the same. Camping is also plentiful in the Ariège. See the linkbox above for resource links.
Other Activities in the region
The Tour de France 2004 will be passing through the Ariège Pyrenees in July. Accommodations will be tight for that period. [ More on the route]
Tarascon is located on the River Ariège and you'll see kayaks, canoes, and rafts zipping by the fast-running but shallow river cutting through town. It's easy to rent one; see our resource links at the end of this article.
The town also hosts one of the best model train demonstrations we've ever seen. Called the reve et magie du rail, it is a good introduction to the region, as it recreates in miniature the region's attractions. It's near the train station (trains stop infrequently in Tarascon). Open only July 1-September 17th.
You can also visit the House of Tartarin de Tarascon, whose adventures were recounted by Alphonse Daudet in 1872.
There are plenty of opportunities for skiing and other winter sports as well.
The area is home to many Cathar castles. Cathars were quite interesting people as far as heretics go. They believed that Satan created the earth, not God. The highest level one could achieve was that of the Perfects, who took vows of poverty, celibacy and vegetarianism. Imagine, if everyone becomes perfect, your sect disappears because it can't reproduce. Of Course there aren't many Cathars left, especially after the bloody Albigensian crusade in the 12th and 13th centuries. But the castle remains present quite spectacular vistas.
On the last weekend of June the Fête de la Tarasque is celebrated, which commemorates Saint Martha's victory over the dragon known as the Tarasque that had been terrorising people living along the banks of the River Rhône. If you're in the area you might want to join in the historic fête; Celebrations of the Saint's victory began in 1474.
A word on Cuisine
Look at a few menus and you may come away amazed that anyone in the region lives past the age of twenty without their arteries exploding, at least given the fat content of the regional cuisine. Foie Gras--the fatty, bloated livers of ducks or geese force-fed corn--is a specialty. And it's good. Fabulous in fact. And you won't get it cheaper than in this region. I loved (and yearn for still) the warm salads ( salade tiede, often with foie gras, smoked duck, or preserved goose gizzards) and the roast duck and goose of the region.
In case you're wondering, duck and goose fat is actually good for you, according to Dr. Serge Renaud, researcher with France's National Institute of Health and Medical Research. Dr. Renaud did a study in Toulouse, France, focusing on the low incidence of heart disease in Toulouse, where folks consume a lot of goose liver pate. Turns out the annual death rate from heart disease among men in Toulouse is 78 per 100000, which is half the rate compared to man who live in Stanford, California, even though Stanford men have a lower serum cholesterol level. And he found that Gascony, France, a department just to the west of the Ariège with the same eating habits, has the lowest incidence of heart disease in France. So eat hearty; don't worry.
Tarascon is also home to the production of an herbal liquor called hypocras. You may want to try some as an aperitif. Click to the next page to find nearby places to visit and web resources for the Ariege.
