Sightseeing along the way
The Bishops' Palace : the walk starts from the Bishops' Palace which has dominated Saint Lizier since the 17th century. This imposing complex is home to the Musée Départemental (archaeology, art and popular traditions collections), the Cathedral of Notre Dame de la Sède and a holiday residence, while the vaulted cellars are occupied by a gastronomic restaurant, Le Carré de l'Ange.
The Couserans : your route heads southeast from Saint Lizier, offering superb panoramic views over the Couserans, a small province that stretches for some thirty kilometres around the capital, Saint Girons. It is one of the provinces of Ariège, each of which has its own distinct geographic, historical and economic identity.
Mont Valier : this proud mountain looms majestically over the other mountains of the Couserans, of which it is the emblem. It is visible from far and wide, and can sometimes be seen from Toulouse. Mont Valier rises to an altitude of 2,838 m. It is very close to the Spanish border, inside thePyrénées Ariégeoises Regional Nature Park (liens vers http://www.parc-pyrenees-ariegeoises.fr/), watching over the 9,000 hectares of the nature reserve (lien vers http://www.ariege.com/mt-vallier/info.html) that bears its name. The name is derived from Valerius, the first bishop of the Couserans, who is said to have climbed it in around 452.
The River Salat : the Salat is a large, fast-flowing river that runs below Saint Lizier and is perfect for kayaking, rafting, white water swimming (hydrospeed) and fishing. It has no fewer than 9 sources, high in the Mont Valier Massif at an altitude of over 2,800 m. It sets off the Saint Lizier site beautifully, flowing prettily through Saint Girons before joining the River Garonne near Boussens (Haute Garonne).
The Chapelle du Marsan : the walk takes you to this chapel, from where there is a wonderful panorama of the Pyrenees. On top of the Chapelle du Marsan stands the statue of the Virgin of the Miracles, renowned in the 15th century as far away as Spain for curing the black plague. Today, the chapel is still a place of pilgrimage.
Every Whit Monday the silver bust of St Lizier decorated with precious stones is taken from the Treasury in Saint Lizier Cathedral and walked with great pomp up to this sanctuary facing the mountains.
The Croix de Pouterolles : on the way back to Saint Lizier, look out for this ancient cross, which was a favourite place of meditation for the town's bishops.
The walls of Saint Lizier : the route runs around the outside of the village walls, a reminder that Saint Lizier was once an important fortified town controlling access to the Couserans.
The streets of Saint Lizier : the walk continues through the village before climbing back up to the bishops' palace. En route, admire the half-timbered houses, enigmatic façade carvings, remains of the 3rd century Gallo-Roman walls and the Clock Tower, and allow some time to visit Saint Lizier Cathedral.
Saint Lizier Cathedral : standing on the main square of the lower town, in the 11th century this was the first cathedral of the bishops of the Couserans until this function was taken over by Notre Dame de la Sède, part of the bishops' palace. Saint Lizier Cathedral contains some remarkable Romanesque frescoes of Byzantine influence, as well as the Bishops' Treasury. The cloister, also Romanesque, is surmounted by a gallery with a timber-framed roof.
Practical info
Around Saint Lizier
Start and end point
The car park behind the Bishops' Palace in Saint Lizier.
Duration
1 hr 45.
Length
4.5 km.
Total height difference
90 m (410 m to 500 m).
Waymarking
Yellow (PR®).
Level
Very easy.
Best time to go
Practicable all year round.
Additional information
This walking route is also a waymarked mountain biking circuit.
Getting there
Saint Lizier is 3 km from Saint Girons on the D117.
Information
Saint Lizier Tourist Office – Place de l’Eglise – Saint-Lizier – Tel. +33 (0)5 61 96 77 77 – www.st-lizier.fr
This easy and relatively short walk takes you around Saint Lizier, a little gem in the 'Ariège, 14,000 years of history' collection (a Great Tourist Site in Midi-Pyrénées).
This walk around Saint Lizier in the Couserans, one of the little mountainous provinces making up the Ariège département, reveals the wonderful balance between heritage and nature here.
On St James's Way
This circular walk starts and ends at the Bishops' Palace in Saint Lizier and involves some gentle climbing, enabling you to appreciate Saint Lizier's strategic position. An essential staging post on St James's Way to Santiago de Compostela (the Pyrenean Foothills route), this village was built on the site of a Roman oppidum that watched over the fast-flowing River Salat. Today, the river is a boon for fishing and white water sports including kayaking, white water swimming and rafting.
Mountain views and Romanesque frescoes
Along the walk you'll be accompanied by the tutelary outline of Mont Valier, symbol of the Couserans, a reminder of the impressive feat of the first bishop of Saint Lizier, who climbed this 2,838-metre-high mountain in around the year 450…
On the way back to Saint Lizier you'll want to slow your pace to breathe in the fragrant odours in the little back streets and terraced gardens, before entering the cathedral to see the fabulous Romanesque frescoes.
The Bishops' Palace is home to Saint Lizier's other cathedral, Notre Dame de la Sède, and it's here that you realise just how important this place once was, the seat of 79 bishops in succession, from the 4th century to the beginning of the 19th century when the 1801 Concordat abolished the bishopric.
It was then that Saint Lizier lost its place as capital of the Couserans in favour of its close neighbour, the town of Saint Girons. But as a result it has not lost all the charm of a medieval village facing due south towards the Pyrenees.
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Route guides
The route description (in French), written by the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre, can be downloaded from www.randonnees-midi-pyrenees.com
The following 'topoguide' walking guide is also useful for reference : Midi-Pyrénées à pied - Editions FFRandonnée / Ref RE02.
This topoguide is available from good bookshops or via the website of the Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre: www.ffrandonnee.fr
http://crtmp1.cnstlltn.com/master/96bbd552-b98c-49c2-9f20-472afce6c64c/st-lizier.kml
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