UKC

Looking for family freindly summits around the arriege region of pyrenees, plenty af nice family walks in the valleys but would like to make a day of it with the family.
obviosly nothing to challengeing as far as exposure etc. anything in the Vallee du Marcadau that any one has done?

In reply to jethro kiernan:

You say Ariege then Marcadau, not exactly next-door neighbours !

A lovely area to explore would be around the Reserve Natural de Néouvielle. You get to above 2000m in the car, with easy summits to 2700m all around, with the addition of lakes and a couple of huts.

If you can be more specific I might be able to offer a few suggestions.

In reply to Pyreneenemec:

cheers, we are staying in Foix, limited access to internet at the Mo so research a little limited

In reply to jethro kiernan:

The only summit I've done is Pica d'Estats hiking from the France side. For a family I would recommend a night in the refuge though as it was a long long day.

In reply to jethro kiernan:

Orlu is a nice peak, at about 2200 metres. On the east/south sides, long climbs up to 1100 metres, but the path on the north is a very pleasant amble up through woods and alpine meadows. There's a reasonably pointy summit, so it feels like a peak, but without any actual climbing or exposure. Great views along the valley.

The one tip, if you're staying in Foix, would be to make an early start, to get across Ax-les-Thermes before the tourist hordes snarl it up. The return journey in the afternoon is usually much less hassle and you could stop to rest achey feet in the hot spring pool in the town square. Kids love it.

Alternatively, if the kids are over 1.25 metres, you can take the ski lifts out of Ax (the first section, out of town, is in a cable car and isn't height restricted; it's just when you get to the ski resort above the town). These put you high up on the hills without any real effort, and you can walk down. Just watch out for the MTB downhillers.

Martin

In reply to jethro kiernan:

D' oh.

The other obvious choice is the Prat d'Albi, which is the east-west ridge running from just southwest of the main town in Foix. From the main square, go out leftward off the top roundabout, past the gendarmerie dormitories, up the hill to traffic lights and turn left. Up past the school to a roundabout, go left and that's the road. It's a long lane upwards (very popular with cyclists) and you can drive up onto the plateau. There are only a couple of small summits, but it's an excellent view of the eastern and mid-Pyrenees. Usually wild horses and deery-type things as well. You can do it as an easy half-day trip and the car does all the hard bits, so opportunities for whinging are extremely limited.

Martin

In reply to jethro kiernan:

Pic Rouges de Bassies. A nice straightforward route with great views. Might need to stay in the refuge though.

In reply to jethro kiernan:

A few that I've done which may be suitable:

Take the road out of Ax to the Col de Pailheres, walk the ridge to Pic de Tarbesou (you can extend this further with a loop around the lakes).

Take the main road to the head of the valley, avoid the Puymorens tunnel and drive up to the Col de Puymorens. From here, head up the valley to the NE (Coma d'en Garcia) to the col: you then have a choice of several easy summits, including Puig de Coma d'Or

Take the road to Vicdessos, then up towards the Porte de Lers. From a couple of bends below the col, take the path to Pic de Trois Seigneurs via Etang d'Arbu. You can make a circuit back along the ridge via Pic de Barres.

I've found this book very useful: http://www.amazon.fr/Ari%C3%A8ge-Jean-Pierre-Sir%C3%A9jol/dp/2841821781 - even if you can't read French the diagrams are pretty clear.