Eastern Pyrenees for family with children
 

We are planning to travel with our two kids (5 and 7) in August from Barcelona to the Dordogne region in France. It is a six hour drive if we go direct, but we want to take our time and spend two days in the Pyrenees region on the way North. We are looking for nice places to explore on the way that will not take us too much off track. Your suggestions would be appreciated.

You can take the route that goes via Pucerda to France and La Tour de Carol - high in th Pyrenees - Andorra is not far - but go downthru Foix and onto Carcassonne - see that fine walled restored medieval citadel city and over via Rocamadour - a fantastic religious ilgrimage site built into a cliff - said to be the 2nd or 3rd most visited site outside of Paris and Mont Saint-michel.

I would go to the Foix area if you want to do some mountains. Here is something I recently posted to Fodors.

There are not any hotels that I would recommend in Foix. I think I would stay in Tarascon sur Ariege at the new Historic Hotel/Restaurant le Manoir d'Agnes. We had a very nice meal there. www.manoiragnes.com .

Stuff to do & see around Foix
The first thing next morning, visit the Parc de la Prehistoric **. Open 10-8 Closed Monday???. The Parc Prehistoric is fantastic - we spent several hours there. don't miss. When you get to the ticket booth at the Parc, reserve an English tour (one English tour per day) for the Grotte de Niaux**. There is a discount for both the Parc Prehistoric and the Grotte.

Here are two interesting places to visit.
Underground river of Labouiche* 9:30-4:30 1 ¼ hr boat tour. This was a lot more interesting than I thought it would be.

Les Forges de Pyrene* 10-7 This has many medieval tools - quite interesting.

The fort in Foix is not worth a visit.


Also, drive the famous Route Verte west of Foix.

Visit Mirepoix (just 40 mins or so northeast of Foix) on the way to the Dordogne - one of our favorite Bastide towns.

Stu Dudley

Here is the scenic route to take to Foix - but do it in reverse.

Take the D117 east to Quillan, Then continue on the scenic D117 to St Paul Fenouillet. At St Paul take the D7 north and the D14 east to the Cathars Castle of Peyrepertuse***. Read about the Cathars and their plight. We walked to & around the castle ruins, and found the footing to be difficult. I fell twice and I usually don't ever fall. Perhaps it is best just to view it from the road - especially after you pass it on the D14 heading for Chateau de Queribus (another Cathars castle ruin). Continue on the D117 east to the A9 Autoroute - and then into Spain.

Stu Dudley

Thanks for these great suggestions. We were thinking of staying around Quillan on the second night on the way to Carcassonne. Where would be a good place to stay on the first night do you think?

Stay in Quillan on the first night and then Foix the second. Personally, I would stay in Foix both nights.

BTW, Carcassonne is not in the Pyrenees.

Stu Dudley

I see that you are new to Fodors. Welcome.

Do you have my 20+ page itinerary for the Dordogne??? I've sent it to over 1,500 people on Fodors. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach one to the reply e-mail. We've vacationed for 10 weeks in the Dordogne & 10 weeks in nearby Languedoc/Roussillon. Plus 7 weeks in the Pyrenees.

Stu Dudley

From Barcelona, it's a 3 3/4 hr drive to Quillan - plus added time for the Cathars stuff. And it's another 30 mins to Foix. That's why I recommended 2 nights in Foix - unless you prefer one-nighters and changing hotels.

Lots of stuff for the kids to do around Foix. We were there for a week in 2013. Here is the Park Prehistoric.
http://www.grands-sites-ariege.fr/en...resentation-11

Stu Dudley