Around Mijanès

Col de Pailhères at an elevation 2,001 m is an arduous but popular 20km cycle ride from Ax-les Thermes or a shorter but more strenuous one, with some remarkable hairpin bends, from Mijanès on the other side. At the summit, the support vans wait for the groups of exhausted riders with a table of refreshments….

Ariège Landscapes

The wild and vast mountain landscapes are always impressive; normally benign and welcoming but at times dark and threatening. This year the weather has been a mix of the two – beautiful mornings with crystal clear skies and dewy meadows, quickly overtaken by innocent, white puffy clouds that then gather into great grey masses that…

Col de Pailhères

The road winds up through the forests from Ax-les-Thermes eventually passing the Station de ski d’Ascou and the paraphernalia of winches and guide posts as well as the various ski runs. At the Col, and just above a small hameau of chalets, the road barrier is down even though the snow has cleared and the…