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Bassin de Bois-del-Rey
Trip No.203 Entry No.188 Date Added: 20th Apr 2020
Site Type: Rock Art
Country: France (Midi:Aveyron (12))
Visited: Yes on 30th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Bassin de Bois-del-Rey submitted by regina on 25th Jul 2014. Site in Midi:Aveyron (12) France
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Log Text: Just a few dozen metres from the Bois-del-Rey dolmen, and thought to be connected in some way to it, can be found a 40 cm diameter 10 cm deep circular basin cut into a slab of rock, for unknown purpose.
Dolmen du Bois Galtier
Trip No.203 Entry No.189 Date Added: 20th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Midi:Aveyron (12))
Visited: Yes on 30th May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
Dolmen du Bois Galtier submitted by greywether on 4th Jul 2005. This is a photo of a site known as Bois Galtier
Bois Galtier has a ruined "cazelle" (shepherd's shelter?) built at the back of it.
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Log Text: A hundred or so metres further along the signposted walk from the Bois-del-Rey dolmen can be found the Dolmen de Bois-de-Galtier. This nice dolmen is still sitting within the remains of its mound, and has a 2.5 metre diameter round drystone walled chamber at its west end rather than the usual closing stone. It is probably a more recent shepherds hut been constructed here. The main dolmen, which acts as its entrance, is about 3.5 metres long by 1.5 metres wide, and faces east at 082°.
Cloup de Layrou
Trip No.203 Entry No.191 Date Added: 20th Apr 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Aveyron (12))
Visited: Yes on 30th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Log Text: Just 50 metres further away from the Cloup de Layrou dolmen, is found a depression in the ground with a couple of cave like shelters. It has a signpost and was no doubt used by ancient man.
Dolmen de Maire-Gaillard
Trip No.203 Entry No.192 Date Added: 20th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Midi:Aveyron (12))
Visited: Yes on 30th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Dolmen de Maire-Gaillard submitted by irundarra on 1st Jun 2011.
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Log Text: Driving along a little lane to the north of Bois-del-Rey dolmens, I saw a little sign to dolmen, and so just had to follow it. A few hundred metres down a track into the forest from the small lane (with difficult parking) can be found the remains of this little dolmen, not much more than 2 metres long by 1.2 metres wide. There is still a bit of its surrounding mound remaining.
Palet de Sanson
Trip No.200 Entry No.30 Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 1st May 2000. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 5 Access 4
Palet de Sanson submitted by thecaptain on 6th Dec 2003. the Dolmen de Sem, also know as Palet de Sanson.
A remarkably sited dolmen in the Pyrenees, near to the village of Vicdessos, Ariege, France
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Log Text: Drive south from Toulouse with the intention of climbing the Pic des Trois Seigneurs, have to stop, too much snow at 2055m. Superb up here. Back via Aulus, Arse, Seix. Strange language spoken out here. On the way down, stop to look at the Dolmen de Sem, also know as Palet de Sanson. A remarkably sited dolmen in the Pyrenees, near to the village of Vicdessos, Ariege, France. Pictures taken 1st May 2000. I discovered this dolmen while driving up the valley on a day trip to climb the Pic des Trois Seigneurs (I failed to get to the top due to the depth of the snow on the final ridge), which may be the mountain in the left background of this picture.
Grotte de Mas D'Azil
Trip No.205 Entry No.70 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 10th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 5
Grotte de Mas D'Azil submitted by thecaptain on 13th Dec 2003. The northern, downstream, exit of the Grotte de Mas D'Azil, Ariege, southwest France.
The river has taken a shortcut through the hill and has created a massive and magnificent cave. Artefacts found within this cave include the world famous Faon aux Oiseaux spear thrower, which along with other items has given the Azilian name to an entire prehistoric culture.
There are also several dolmens in the area.
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Log Text: Parked at the upstream end of the Mas d'Azil cave, and it hits home again just how MASSIVE this cave is. I walk through the cave again, partly to check where the low bits are for the van. I have forgotten that you can see all sorts of bits and pieces of passages inside.
Decided not to bother with the paid visit, although perhaps I should have, cos I spent enough other time here anyway. A bungy jump has been set up outside the south entrance to the cave, and I watch people doing this for a while - seeing people dropping and hanging in front of the cave entrance really shows the scale. Eventually leave and drive through the cave to the village.
Cap-Del Pouech Dolmen
Trip No.200 Entry No.2 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 27th Feb 2000. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3
Cap-Del Pouech dolmen submitted by thecaptain on 13th Dec 2003. Cap-Del Pouech dolmen near Mas D'Azil, Ariege, southwest France.
I am not 100% sure whether this is the famed Cap del Pouech dolmen or another. I parked at the Southern entrance to the cave and followed a marked walking trail up and over the hill above the cave, following signs to the dolmen. There were other dolmens signposted in the area.
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Log Text: Lovely walk to the dolmen from Mas D'Azil across the top of the cave. Signs suggest there are more here.
Grotte de Bédeilhac
Trip No.200 Entry No.12 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 2nd Apr 2000
Grotte de Bédeilhac submitted by thecaptain on 14th Feb 2005. Grotte de Bédeilhac, near Tarascon in Ariège, which contains some fine cave art, and sculpted clay figures.
A cave of which the entrance is so big, aeroplanes have been built within it during the war, and taken off from within.
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Log Text: Drive S through Pyrénées mountains to Andorra. Lots of snow at top of pass. Look at Ax-les-Thermes, Niaux and other caves on way back.
A cave of which the entrance is so big, aeroplanes were to have been built within it during the war, and taken off from within.
Grotte de Niaux
Trip No.200 Entry No.15 Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 16th Apr 2000. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4
Grotte de la Petite Caougno submitted by thecaptain on 14th Feb 2005. The main entrance to the fabulous Niaux cave used for visitors is now further up the hillside than it once was. In ancient times, there would have been several lower, smaller entrances. This picture is of one of the small side entrances to a cave shelter in the vicinity, in which ancient remains have been found.
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Log Text: Full guided visit Grotte de Niaux with Sean. Fabulous. So glad I booked this up last week.
Montségur museum
Trip No.200 Entry No.24 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Museum
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 24th Mar 2000. My rating: Access 4
Montségur museum submitted by thecaptain on 16th Feb 2005. Montségur village. Looking down onto the village from the walls of the hilltop castle. There is an interesting museum in the village with all sorts of ancient stuff found here contained within.
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Log Text: Small museum with lots of items in the village of Montségur below the sacred hill known as Le Pog.
Montségur
Trip No.200 Entry No.23 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 24th Apr 2000. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 5 Access 3
Montségur submitted by thecaptain on 16th Feb 2005. Montségur Pog. The castle where the last stand of the Cathars took place against the Catholic Church can be seen here on top of the sacred hill known as the Pog. More than 200 unarmed Parfaits were defeated and burned here in 1244.
However, the Pog, seen here from the northwest, has been inhabited since neolithic times.
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Log Text: A lovely sunny day to explore. Puivert castle. Fontestorbes. Montsegur Castle. Pass de ? closed. Plain de ? Ax-les-Thermes, Col de Portel, scary roads. Mas D’Azil. Toulouse late.
Ancient defended settlement on top of the sacred hill known as The Pog at Montségur in Ariège. Although the main remains of the castle date back to the time of the Cathars, there is plenty of evidence that this hill has been inhabited since time immemorial. There is a little museum with lots of items in the village below the Pog.
Montségur is more well known as the site of the slaughter of the last of the Cathars by the catholic church in 1244, where after a long siege, 200 unarmed Cathar Parfaits were defeated and burned in a pyre by an army numbering 10,000. The Castle dungeon has a strange solar event each summer solstice, as the first rays of the rising sun shine right through the two arrow slots on one side, and straight out through two others on the far side. Was this built into it deliberately ? One might be a fluke, but two ?
Source de Fontestorbes
Trip No.200 Entry No.22 Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 24th Apr 2000. My rating: Access 5
Source de Fontestorbes submitted by thecaptain on 28th Feb 2006. The intermittent Source de Fontestorbes in full flow.
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Log Text: Lovely sunny day exploring in the Ariege hills. Puivert castle. Fontestorbes intermittent spring fascinating. Montsegur Castle. Pass de ? closed. Plain de ? Ax-les-Thermes, Col de Portel, scary roads. Mas D’Azil. Toulouse late.
Parc Pyrénéen de l'Art Préhistorique
Trip No.205 Entry No.75 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Museum
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 11th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 5
Parc Pyrénéen de l'Art Préhistorique submitted by theCaptain on 16th Jul 2012. The entrance as seen from the car park.
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Log Text: This is a wonderful day out, in a beautifully landscaped park in the wonderful Pyrenees. The visit starts in the Grand Atelier, a sort of museum of prehistoric artwhich explains all the whys and wheres of prehistoric art, not only in this region, but all over the world.
There is a special emphasis on the nearby Grotte de Niaux, and there is an excellent model of the cave to be seen. There are all sorts of audiovisual items to be seen, and the visitor is guided round with a pair of infrared headphones which pick up signals from each display. There are lots of full size recreations of parts of Niaux, including the footprints in one deep section which are not seen in the real cave visit, and copies of many of the animal paintings, including the solitary known weasel. The visit round this museum part (in my case a very interesting hour and a half) with a full size recreation of the Salon Noir from the Grotte de Niaux, with all its Buffalo and other animals. Fantastic.
Outside, in the wonderfully landscaped park, are all sorts of activities for all to take part in. There are demonstrations of archaeological techniques, footprint recognition, a musical maze, a prehistoric camp with many types of shelter recreated, with firemaking and flint knapping. Then there are hunting displays which include types of propulseur from around the world (and have a go at throwing your own spear using one - and yes, I would have gone home with dinner!), and even have a go yourself at cave painting, with demonstrations of the various techniques. This sort of museum is something I am realising that the French do very well.
All of this takes you on a lovely walk through beautiful scenery too, with grasslands, woodland, lakes and a lovely cave section - complete with footprints, fossils, idols and waterfalls. I just loved it here. I thought that I would quickly rush round the place, but spent nearly all day here. It even has a decent restaurant and a good shop, which unfortunately means buying more books! Thoroughly recommended as a top day out for all.
Grotte de La Vache
Trip No.205 Entry No.76 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 11th Sep 2005. My rating: Access 4
Grotte de La Vache submitted by TheCaptain on 24th Nov 2010. Part of the Grotte de La Vache, opposite side of the valley to the Grotte de Niaux, in Ariège.
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Log Text: Just opposite to the Grotte de Niaux, on the other side of the valley, is the Grotte de la Vache, with its celebrated Salle de Monique. The cave is open for visits at €8 a time, but because I had spent so long at the nearby Parc Pyrénéen de l'Art Préhistorique, the visits had finished for the day when I arrived.
The information at the cave states that it is the smallest cave open for visits in the Pyrenees, but has had the most finds and articles taken from it. Amongst these are many engraved bones and antlers, including the famous lions. Within the cave is a description of life during the Magdaleinean, 13,000 years ago, with workshops etc held around the fireplace.
To get here, park in the village of Alliat, and then its about a 500 metre easy walk around the hillside. The cave is signposted from all around.
Musée de Mas-d'Azil
Trip No.205 Entry No.73 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Museum
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 10th Sep 2005. My rating: Access 5
Musée de Mas-d'Azil submitted by theCaptain on 29th Nov 2010. In the village of Mas d'Azil is the natural history museum. Its in a nicely kept building just off the main village square, opposite the roofed market place right outside the church.
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Log Text: In the village of Mas d'Azil is the natural history museum. Its in a nicely kept building just off the main village square, opposite the roofed market place right outside the church. As it was late in the day I didn’t go in. I think that if you do the caves tour, the museum visit is included for free.
Brillaud Dolmen
Trip No.205 Entry No.72 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 10th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3
Brillaud dolmen submitted by theCaptain on 20th Dec 2010. First view of the dolmen. arriving from the east along a well maintained and signed footpath along a lovely ridgetop.
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Log Text: At Cap-Del Pouech, I looked carefully at my maps and found that I could drive halfway to this dolmen and hopefully park up by La Page farm, which will save on the walking. From there, it was a 25 minute walk along a well maintained and signed footpath along a lovely ridgetop, but difficult underfoot on the bare and slippery limestone and mud.
It is in fact two dolmens, both within most of their stony mounds which are adjoined. The east dolmen has a chamber 3 metres by 1.5 metres, open towards the east, with two side slabs and a capstone still in place. The back stone has broken and fallen. The western dolmen is a bit of a wreck, and only faint remains of the chamber can be seen. The overall mound is about 20 metres in length, by 10 metres wide, and seems to have some large slabs in its perimeter, defining the outside shape.
On a good day, the views from up here would be superb, the high Pyrenees to the south, and the plain of Toulouse to the north, but today its just clouds. Good job I didnt try and get to the third (Couminges) dolmen on the walk, as its already 5:30 by the time I get back to the van !
Grotte de Mas D'Azil
Trip No.200 Entry No.1 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 27th Feb 2000. My rating: Access 5
Grotte de Mas D'Azil submitted by thecaptain on 13th Dec 2003. The southern, upstream, entrance to the magnificent cave at Mas D'Azil, Ariege, southwest France.
The river takes a shortcut through the hillside here, and has created a massive cave, which is so big that a fairly large road also runs through the cave.
Within this cave were found signs of life going back tens of thousands of years, and indeed the world famous Faon aux Oiseaux spear thrower. The finds here gave the name Azilian to an entire prehistoric culture.
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Log Text: Drive south into the lower mountains from Toulouse. Visit St Sulpice, Mas D’Azil, many mountain roads, Foix, Pont du Diable.
Grotte de Niaux
Trip No.200 Entry No.10 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Apr 2000. My rating: Access 4
Grotte de Niaux submitted by thecaptain on 14th Aug 2008. Bison inside the Grotte de Niaux.
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Log Text: Grotte de Niaux near Tarascon in Ariège. Check out the world famous Niaux caves for a possible visit soon. The main entrance to the fabulous Niaux cave used for visitors is now further up the hillside than it once was. In ancient times, there would have been several lower, smaller entrances.
Grotte de la Petite Caougno
Trip No.200 Entry No.11 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Apr 2000. My rating: Ambience 4 Access 5
Grotte de la Petite Caougno submitted by thecaptain on 14th Feb 2005. The main entrance to the fabulous Niaux cave used for visitors is now further up the hillside than it once was. In ancient times, there would have been several lower, smaller entrances. This picture is of one of the small side entrances to a cave shelter in the vicinity, in which ancient remains have been found.
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Log Text: Drive S through Pyrénées mountains to Andorra. Lots of snow at top of pass. Look at Ax-les-Thermes, Niaux and other caves on way back, investigating the possibility of a full visit to Niaux.
This is a small cave shelter beside the little road up to the modern Niaux entrance, in which ancient remains have been found.
I am sure I saw a bear wandering around in one of the fields below.
Grotte de Lombrives
Trip No.200 Entry No.13 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 2nd Apr 2000
Grotte de Lombrives submitted by durhamnature on 18th Nov 2012. Section of the cave at Lombrives, from "Anthropologie" via archive.org
Site in Midi:Ariège (09) France
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Log Text: Drive S through Pyrénées mountains to Andorra. Lots of snow at top of pass. Look at Ax-les-Thermes, Niaux and other caves on way back, checking out the possibilities of a proper visit.