Family holidays in the south of France: Why little-known Ariege is a true French gem
Today, it is a steep and unnerving climb up towards the great fortress of Montsegur, which the Cathars had defended for eight months in the 13th century before they were overrun and executed for refusing to renounce their faith.
But it affords a view of the area which must have been grimly familiar for those besieged warriors.
Picture perfect: The Ariege region may not be well known, but it offers truly breathtaking scenery The region may once have been riven by religious conflict, but today its a wonderfully bucolic backwater which stretches away from the cosmopolitan sophistication of Toulouse for 70 miles down to the rising peaks of the Pyrenees, which are topped with ice and snow even in the late spring.
Thefaraway mountain range, behind which Andorra nestles, serves as a constant point of orientation to the south, dipping in and out of view as you wind your way around the rising and falling lanes.
This may be a departementof France which few Brits have even heard of, but it has a charm which has been lost in many other regions of a country so often used as a second home from home by cross-Channel visitors.
Dont expect to hear plummy Home Counties voices at the covered markets in the three main towns of Pamiers, Foix or the exquisite old walled town of Mirepoix, where foodies can lose themselves in the bulging stalls of locally produced jams, bread, honey, sausages and cheeses.
Idyllic: There are plenty of quiet spots perfect for a family picnic
Foix, Pamiers and Mirepoix form a triangle in the centre of the region. Pamiers, more functional than its neighbours, is the largest with a population of 13,000, its large floral monument in the shape of a bicycle still standing proud after the Tour de France came shooting through town last year.
In Foix you can wander through the narrow streets below the castle perched high on the rock above, and if you are feeling energetic plod your way up the steep slopes where once Simon de Montfort laid siege to its gates exactly 800 years ago.
Market day: Mirepoix is free of fellow British tourists, allowing you to really soak up the authentic French atmosphereThe most enchanting of the three settlements, though, is Mirepoix, a bastide, or planned, town where the solidly elegant cathedral of St Maurice - its nave the second widest in Europe - gazes down on the medieval square bordered by half-timbered houses fronted by a delightful wooden arcade.
From here it is only about 25 miles south east to the stunning walled city of Carcassonne - but in the Ariege one feels far from the tourist masses that congregate there.
Milo and Beatrice Morrod in the meadows at the Prehistoric Park in Ariege, with stone sculptures of prehistoric mammalsWe stayed in the Chateau de Soules, a delightful pink-painted 19th century property set in 25 acres of grounds and woodland off the road that runs south towards Foix.
Built origin! ally for a local noblemancalled the Baron de Nomazy, it has been restored to considerable elegance and now boasts a swimming pool set in its vast lawns as well asa hard tennis court and acres of woods through which old paths meander.
While the house itself has five en suite double bedrooms, there are also two gites, converted from the largebarn that stands alongside the main house.
It is an increasingly popular location for painting groups and even a flamenco dancing club which travels from London to enjoy the utter tranquility the estate provides.For our two young children, the wholeplace proved to be one giant adventure park, whether they were trampingabout in the woods with sticks, playing hide and seek in the chateaus many rooms, or having an al fresco lunch in the large treehouse that looks across to the pool.There is a large supermarket a couple ofmiles away in the little town of Lezat-sur-Leze, so we whiled away mornings at the pool and then knocked up some lunch on the large outdoorpatio before setting off to explore the countryside.
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Happily, the two are related and there is plenty at both to divert big and small people alike.
The caves - tours must be booked by phone in advance - really are the jewel in the crown of the entire region.
Prehistoric paintings: Around 100 drawings of bison, deer, goats and other animals have survived here for as long as 13,000 years
The roof often extends far into the blackness above, so that torches cast spooky beams of light high into the corners.
Ancestral-themed doodling: Milo draws his own cave paintings at the Prehistoric Park in AriegeThe cave was once home to nomadic hunters, and the paintings which remain on the walls have made this one of the most important ancient sites in Europe.
Around 100 drawings of bison, deer, goats and other animals have survived here for as long as 13,000 years.Using mineral pigments, the peoples who used the cave sketched out the creatures in charcoal before painting over them.
Its an extraordinary place, and all the more affecting because, as the guide so readily admitted, we simply cannot be sure what the symbols and the images of the animals truly signify, or even how these prehistoric people communicated with each other.
If some of the art is rather faded (well, it is 13 centuries old), the interior of the caves have been reconstructed over the hill at the prehistoric park, which allows visitors to learn more about how they were made.The parkland here is a treat as well. Set in the heart of a valley whose steep sides soar up to rocky peaks, its a joy to ramble along paths through forests and by the streams, where you will find impromptu prehistoric spear-throwing classes, and the chance for children to daub their own cave paintings on a wall.
If you want a glamorous day out, Id recommend the amazingly hi-tech space park in the easter! n suburb s of Toulouse called Cit de l'Espace which is conveniently located near the city's oh-so chic shopping district.
But theres no doubt that if you want to find the heart of this region, hit the road and head for the hills.
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