On the greenway!

We're on a roll

The “voie verte” in the Cathar Pyrenees is a former railroad line between Mirepoix-Chalabre-Lavelanet, created in 1903. The line linked the industrial Hers valley to the national rail network via Bram or Pamiers. The Compagnie des Chemins de Fer du Midi, entrusted by the State with the operation of the line, transported passengers, mail and goods. In 1973, the train whistled for the last time on the line… which has now become a voie verte, i.e. a multi-activity path.

Charlotte tells...

When I set off with my daughter Pauline on the "voie verte", I know we're going to have a great time together. What more could you ask for: to be able to do sport, to be in the middle of nature and to share a moment of complicity with her?

Spring is finally here. With Pauline and my friends, we’ve decided to get out our bikes and hit the greenway. We’re planning a 15km ride on Saturday morning from Mirepoix to one of France’s most beautiful villages, Camon! We’ve had a look at the weather forecast, which looks excellent, and we’ve planned a picnic lunch for the countryside after the ride.

Just before the big day, I decide to see the pros from Cycl’Olmes to check out my 7-year-old daughter’s bike. She’s grown a lot since last year, so I have her little wheels removed, the brakes checked and the chain oiled. All the lights are green thanks to these experts, and we can’t wait for Saturday!

Forward

the stories

That’s it! It’s Saturday! My friends and I are meeting at the Super U parking lot in Mirepoix to set off on the greenway. My daughter’s as excited as a flea, delighted to meet up with her friends and proud to be riding her bike without the little wheels.

Riding on the voie verte with my friends and Pauline is guaranteed to be fun and safe. In fact, my 7-year-old daughter hasn’t completely mastered road holding and can pedal serenely, as only walkers, cyclists and horse riders can access the greenway. At no point do we come across any cars – it’s a real pleasure!

What’s more, the terrain is flat and a delight to ride on. We can ride side by side, at our own pace, stopping whenever we like to drink, take photos of the scenery and even have a snack on one of the benches along the greenway.

As the kilometers go by, the landscape changes: we can be in the shade under the trees of a small wood, or in full sun, as the greenway passes through fields, or we can ride parallel to the departmental road.

Reassuringly, stop signs are posted at every junction.

The tunnel

A thrill of pleasure

The first time you see a tunnel approaching is always surprising – it’s like entering a cave! We make our way through the long, dark tunnel, with a small glow at the end, which grows as we go along. This cool, dark moment can be frightening, but we always sing songs at this point, and the echo of our voices on the walls makes this passage fun.

It’s moving to think that we’re travelling on what was once a train track decades ago. Witness to this past are the stations, which line the route of the greenway and have found a new function.

We've arrived

Well done!

As the kilometers go by, the landscape changes: we can be in the shade under the trees of a small wood, or in full sun as the greenway passes through fields, or we can ride parallel to the departmental road.

Time flies, and now we’ve arrived in Camon! We chose the spot beside the Hers river to sit down at the picnic tables for lunch. After a break, we set off again, this time on foot, to visit the village of 100 rosebushes. Two adults in our group return to Mirepoix to pick up their cars and join us. The narrow streets are magnificent, and the fortifications impress the little ones, who dream of fortified castles and knights!