Reflection of the moon

Reflection of the moon, leave to discovered a broad valley, dominated by beautiful drills preservées.on still guesses there old terraces which mark out the landscape, and which overhangs with far the chains from the pyrenees

Ercé  Located at 650m of altitude, Ercé is a small village of 400hab, with rural vocation. The life is still rythmée there by the seasons. Its broad river, Garbet, curves along the valley, you will perhaps cross there the blue hopli, the desman of the Pyrenees… Its patrimonial richnesses: Its vault, with its quite curious surmounted Romance door of a naif Saint-Pierre, his martyrdom, which is drawn up in the middle of the valley, posed on a rock given up by the glaciers, its church, with its frontage baroque and its full staircase, its many oratories.

The merens horse  The horse of Mérens “Prince Noir” goes back to the night of times: prehistoric caves of Niaux while passing through Napoleon, where it was expressed by firing the guns during the countryside from Russia in particular, it knew to pass through the ages. This small rustic horse originating in Ariège knew to preserve its pace and its assets until our days. The horse of Mérens is a rustic but especially general-purpose horse, it can pass from the trec, (Second with the championship of Europe into 98) with the pack while passing by the excursion, the attachment (champion of France into 93) the stunt-flying, the work of the farm. Its potential of use is unlimited with an insurance and calms appreciated of all. Its sure foot in mountain, its patience make of it a horse which can conquer all one each one, of the child to the impassioned adult of wild excursions, with the rider having had an accident and wishing to remake horsemanship. One finds Mérens today as well, in England in the hands of Mr. Tony Blair, that in Italy, Germany, Tunisia, India, Réunion… etc Visit of a farm of breeding.

Aulus les bains  Aulus the Baths is a small village of high Couserans to 750 meters of altitude, 35 kilometers of Saint-Bosoms and 150 kilometers of Toulouse. Garbet which crosses it in all its length and the green belt of mountains of which it is surrounded give him an aspect of more laughing. The CAREER OF the FROUNS - One exploited here dolomite rich in magnesium. It was exploited since 1927 and after the last war. Dolomite was cooked in a furnace, was reduced out of powder, then sold in Toulouse to polish to fertilize the poor grounds. A little before the career, one small to see a door in the wall. The workmen stored the explosives there. One finds the same kind of career after the collar of the Trap door while going towards Ustou. Above the career a cave is which also communicates with “the Pond of Lers”. When it rains much, one sees emerging from the water torrents, the career thus transforming oneself into cascade. GONE OF the BATHS Borrow on your line the bridge which spans Garbet and you here in the alley of the Baths which was bordered on the 2 sides by coupled huts one with the other. Here the bathers papotaient, sitted around iron pedestal tables sirotant a bubble of mysterious and secret composition, supplementing the traditional cure and tasting delicious candies and chocolates of the Jeannette confectionery. Thus one came by far: Toulouse country, of the Aude, Herault, of Marseilles, of Bordeaux to fight there obesity, the drop and the gravel. One came there even overseas (especially Algeria) to look after the “colonial liver there”. You will be able to stop in front of the new hydropathic establishment and to visit him. Today this site is occupied by the new hydropathic establishment which holds a cordial reception for you. THERMAL PARK A the entry of the park was held a kiosk where one sold tickets for the refreshment bar. It is necessary to imagine a dense crowd walking in the thermal park around the refreshment bars. Between two glasses of water or a bath, one was let rock by the classical music the orchestra the large casino. Witness: the base of the bandstand (at the bottom on the left). The old thermal buildings were located at the site of the courts of tennis. Built at the same time as the casino in 1874, they burned in 1945. With the war the decline of the station started. There was also a station of water congestion which it is difficult to give on the way being given the deposit of iron in water after a certain time of storage. The cave is divided into 3 parts and there are 4 gathered sources. It is artificial. Its concretions come from the cave of Fontsainte in valley of Ustou. HOLY ORATORY VINCENT very pretty oratory dedicated to Saint Vincent: Spanish bishop, owner of Aulus, also owner of the vintagers. Strange because there are no vines with Aulus. But we point out that formerly Aulusiens communicated by the collars of mountain more easily with the Spaniards than with the inhabitants of the close valleys; and thus certain traditions brought back from there. The road for cars between Ercé and Aulus was open only after 1845. Until there, one came in Aulus only to foot or horse.

Rafting on the garbet  Descent of Garbet in the large very stable boat, being able to accomodate from 4 to 8 people, for all the family!

The mont-valier reserve  The domanial reserve of the Mount-Valier was created in 1937. It is one of oldest of the Pyrenees. It is most important of Ariège with approximately 9000 ha of surface. In the south, it is leaned on 14 km in Spain. This vast protected space kept a wild aspect. In its center the majestic solid mass of Valier culminates to 2838 Mr. Of deep torrential valleys to the steep slopes alternate with glacial circuses. The faunistic diversity of the Reserve is remarkable: the isard, the capercaillie, the alpine grouse, the gray partridge of the Pyrenees, but also the eagle, the bearded gypaète, and the fawn-coloured vulture, are some of the florets of the Reserve. The marmot was introduced into the years 1960. You will meet many sparrows in mountain: pipit spioncelle, wheatear, road-tail, alpine accentor. But you will be able to observe other rarer birds: the niverolle, the ring ouzel, the blackbird of rock and even discrete the tichodrome. Floristic diversity is quite representative of the central Pyrenees. The pastoralism is still quite active. Approximately 6500 sheep pasture in summer on the mountain pastures of the Reserve. It is an essential component of our mountains and makes it possible to maintain in good condition the pastures which are also used for ongulés wild. The pastoralism maintenance also the beauty of the landscapes.

Bear leaders  Among the French population, the trade of Bear leader was a speciality, almost exclusive, inhabitants of two valleys ariégeoises: those of Alet (Ustou) and Garbet (Aulus-Ercé-Oust). The Bear leaders of Ustou presented their drawn up animals, in France and Spain, and from there, for some, in South America. Then, before the middle of the XIXe century, for reasons which are not known to us, this activitié périclita without ceasing completely in Ustou. At this same time, it developed in a very important way in the valley of Garbet. Visit exposure to the municipal hearth of Ercé on the hawker, bear leaders, and lemigration towards thePlain ones at the beginning of the century (photographs, testimonys, vidéos)

Guzet snow  Guzet, cest the station of all slip them. Superb landscapes and abundant snow thanks to the 106 snow-blowers. An ideal framework to taste with all the pleasures of the descent. A station of bitten slips. All the skis are practised on the three skiables fields of the station. Bitten strong feelings attack the black tracks, while in love ones with nature prefer a ski more tranquile in the middle of the fir trees. The followers of snow will be able to improve on broad and easy tracks before discovering more wild spaces, or to burst itself in space news slips. The winter, the amateurs of stroll will practise the ski touring on a rammed circuit, or will be equipped with rackets with snow for an excursion in virgin snow in the middle of the forest on a marked out circuit (nonpaying activity) or the night, accompanied by a monitor at the time of exits “full moon”. For the comtemplatif one, one will propose to you stroll in tra^neau drawn by a Mérens horse or dogs. The summer, once snow melted, Guzet offers new activities to you which will surprise you. Impassioned sport will be given some to heart joy: tennis, panoramic swimming pool, excursions, climbing, walks on marked out circuits. The valley also offers many activities: equestrian sports, VTT, hydrotherapy, given in the shape, parapente, sports of running water and fishing in blue water of the mountain.