TARASCON-SUR-ARIÈGE lies 16km south of Foix, where the N20 crosses the Ariège (a bypass diverts the worst of the traffic). Once a centre for the local iron-mining industry – there's still an aluminium plant in operation – it's a hot and unexciting little town enclosed by high wooded ridges. However, it is useful as a base for the Vicdessos valley and the prehistoric cave of Niaux.The cafés on the east bank of the river, dominated by the clock tower, are pleasant, sunny places to sit. Apart from that, it's worth taking a stroll up the narrow rue de Barri to the wide square by the church, a pleasant expanse with just one arcaded side and a single wooden house still standing, to the Porte d'Espagne, the only surviving piece of the town walls. The gare SNCF is a few minutes' walk from the N20 bridge. The tourist office is west of the bridge on avenue des Pyrénées in the smart Centre Multimédia François Mitterrand (July & Aug daily 9am–7pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat 9am–6pm; tel 05.61.05.94.94). The most attractive of the hotels is the Hostellerie de la Poste, on the main through road (tel 05.61.05.60.41, [email protected]; €30–40); otherwise the small Bellevue (tel 05.61.05.60.45, fax 05.61.05.10.41, €30–40) on place Jean Jaurés is a good second bet. There's a campsite, Pré Lombard (tel 05.61.05.61.94), on the left bank of the river, ten minutes' walk upstream from the bridge.
Pages in section ‘Tarascon’: Niaux and the prehistoric caves.
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