Cycling in the Ariège Pyrenees
The Tour de France is often decided in the spectacular mountain stages of the Pyrenees. However for those who enjoy an easier ride, Ariège also has much to offer as most of the interesting places to visit lie along the river valleys, where the slopes are gentle. Mountain-biking, or VTT (vélo tout-terrain), is also very popular here and many tracks have been created and adapted for all levels.
MOUNTAIN BIKE HIRE
LocaCyles in Massat will bring you and the bikes up to either the col de Port, the Etang de Lers (mountain lake) or Cominac and you can ride back down along trails and forest roads. English, German and Spanish spoken.
Marmot Tours offer supported biking holidays in Ariège and across the Pyrenees for English speakers.
CYCLIST-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATIONS
Hotel-restaurant La Flamme Rouge in St Girons - The hotel has a secure garage for bikes and the owners Patricia and Ricardo are happy to accommodate groups of cyclists (with specially adapted meals upon request).
Auberge de l'Arac in Castet d'Aleu (Couserans) - the English owners are keen cyclists and can provide services such as bike storage, kit washing and route advice.
Annual events and races
May
The Ronde de l'Isard
This five day race is open to riders between 19 and 22 years old at a level of Elite 2 national standard. The race consists of a prologue , one individual time trial, one afternoon stage and 3 full-day stages.
Tour de France 2008 - 16 & 17 July. Finish at Foix; enter Ariège via the col de Portet d'Aspet, passing through St Girons and then over the col de la Crouzette. Start the next day from Lavelanet.
June
Cyclosportive l'Ariégeoise
Every summer in June the Ariège Organisation Cycliste organizes a non-competitive race starting in Tarascon that features routes for different levels of ability. For more information, visit the web site (in French and Spanish): www.cyclosport-ariegeoise.com
July
Mémorial Fabio Casartelli
In 1995 St. Girons was the starting point for one of the stages of the Tour de France. Less than two hours later, at the col du Portet d'Aspet, the Italian rider Fabio Casartelli was fatally injured in a fall.
Since 1997 the cycling association of the Couserans has organised each summer several days of cycling events in his memory. The entrance fees go to a fund established by the Casartelli family in aid of professional cyclists injured in falls.
Three routes--Easy, Medium and Difficult, are plotted for each day of the event and includes a halt at the Fabio Casartelli memorial.