Sentein: Church, Cultural Landscape and Tour du Biros

The fortified Notre-Dame Church and the start and finish of the Tour du Biros at the d’Anglade car park give Sentein two distinct points of interest: cultural heritage and multi-day hiking. Pastoral landscapes and seasonal transhumance are also part of the picture in the Biros Valley. If you are looking for a hotel, this distinction can help you decide the purpose of your trip. The Grotte de la Cigalère is subject to special protection measures.

Sentein can only be reached by road via the D4 départementale. Take this road connection into account when planning your journey.

Notre-Dame Church and its former fortifications

The fortified Notre-Dame Church has a 42 m-high bell tower and is listed as a Monument historique. Two surviving square towers belong to the church’s former fortifications. Inside, Notre-Dame features remarkable frescoes. The church thus offers a range of historical and artistic features: the towers are remnants of its former fortifications, while the frescoes are part of its interior decoration. Its Monument historique status adds a formal designation to these architectural and artistic features.

Tour du Biros and mining history

The Tour du Biros is a signposted, 53 km circular hike over four days. It starts and ends at the d’Anglade car park in Sentein and is marked in yellow and red as a GR de Pays route. As a circular hike, it returns to the same starting point; the four days, in turn, indicate the time frame. Distance, duration and trail markings answer different planning questions: how long the loop is, how many days it takes and how it is marked. The route also reaches the Bentaillou mines.

The Bentaillou mines are located at an altitude of 1,900 m and are an industrial heritage mining site. Zinc and silver-bearing lead were mined there in the 19th and 20th centuries. The metals and the historical period provide a specific industrial context for the mining; the route connects this history with the multi-day hike.

Pastoral landscape and transhumance

The Laspé landscape lies beyond Sentein and includes remarkably well-preserved pastoral landscapes. These include barns, dry-stone walls, hazel hedges and herds. Built features and livestock farming together shape the landscape here. Laspé is therefore a focal point for the landscape, where the emphasis is not on a single structure but on how these elements come together.

In the Biros Valley, visitors can follow the herds during their transhumance at the beginning of June. This seasonal tradition also includes a festive meal at which livestock farmers tell the story of the valley. In this way, the movement of livestock is connected with the valley’s oral history. Details of future programs may vary; therefore, check the dates before your trip if you would like to follow the seasonal livestock drive.

Discover more destinations: Foix, Le Pla, Ax-Les-Thermes, Bethmale, Trémoulet, Buzan, Ornolac-Ussat-Les-Bains, Audressein

For the regional travel overview: Ariège.