La Porteille d’Orgeix about 30 kms from the campsite

Looking for an easy family hike in Ariège?

La Porteille d’Orgeix, a pleasant hike that doesn’t require much effort, should appeal to you and satisfy your curiosity. You don’t need to set off at dawn, but if the picnic prepared at the campsite is planned for the pass, you’ll set off at around 10am to be in place by 12-1pm. By this time, you’ll have climbed the entire 250m ascent and will be at the highest point of the route.

A beautiful journey in the Ariege Pyrenees

From Niaux, follow signs for Ax-Les-Thermes, then Orgeix. At the church traffic circle, take the Col de la Chioula road, Avenue Adolphe Authié, and at the 3rd street on your right, take the Chemin Saint-Udaut. At the crossroads after the bridge, turn left opposite rue du Martinet to drive up rue Saint Udaut (the climb is very steep). You’ll arrive at a shady cul-de-sac square. Terminus, parking lot, altitude 740 m.
To the SOUTH – EAST, take the Chemin du Plat de la Fount, which becomes a track and continues through the woods. Over a distance of 1 km, you will climb 130 m at your own pace. This is the only significant effort the family will have to make. After 1.2 km of easy walking, you come to an intersection with the GR 107 (red and white markings). Turn right and continue along the low walls under the vegetation for 550 m.
Then it gets nicer than this, it’s hard to beat it: the Col de la Porteille d’Orgeix at 990 m altitude welcomes you and its picnic area (which you didn’t forget at the campsite) offers shade and rock armchairs.
Through the foliage, the view over the Orlu valley is exceptional, with the village of Orgeix at your feet. The silvery ribbon that criss-crosses the valley has a very special history, from which it takes its name. This is the Oriège (a river and tributary of the Ariège), with its gold rush. Today, the coveted gold is in your eyes and the way you look at these places. And there’s more to come I.

Descent to Orgeix, a village near Ax-Les-Thermes

After your friendly picnic, the GR 107 winds its way up many hairpin bends to the village of Orgeix (take care with children), a pretty little town with elegant mountain architecture that is a sight to behold. You’re at an altitude of 523 m.
At the bottom of the valley lies the Dent d’Orlu at 2222 m, with its EAST, SOUTH-EAST and, above all, SOUTH faces offering high-level climbing routes with a 1000 m vertical drop.

But for now, cross the Oriège by the pretty stone bridge and immediately turn right to follow the GR (yellow and red markings), a wide, flat riverside path. This very soothing section leads you for 1 km to Lac de Campauleil (or Lac d’Orgeix), which you will reach in the shade along its SOUTH shore, alongside the nearby Château d’Orgeix. You will then come to a recently-developed rest area and take the WEST side of the access road. At its end (entrance), you come to the road leading to the village of Petches. Go down this road and pass under the Ax – La Tour de Carol railroad bridge, then turn left and take the path that will lead you to the SOUTH exit of Ax-Les-Thermes on the old RN 20 road to Andorra. All that remains is to descend to the town of Orgeix. The road today is much less risky and noisy than it was on the route up to Pas de la Case!

Pick up your vehicle (reminder: at the top of the hill on rue Saint-Udaut…) and head for Alliat, where our 4-star campsite and snack bar await you for a refreshing drink or local dish after a beautiful day in the Ariège.