Gaudiès combines a complex architectural history with the river landscape of the Hers Vif. Two distinct focuses can help you decide on your trip: historic buildings and scenic views on the one hand, and the river beach and a 23 km canoe route to Calmont on the other. Details about the area can help you decide whether you would like to focus primarily on cultural history or a river activity.
Historic traces between the castle and the church
Construction of the Château de Gaudiès began in 1280 around a church dating from the first half of the 12th century. The present-day parish church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption is documented from after 1630. These are distinct points of reference in the history of the church: the earlier church is associated with the beginning of the castle’s construction, while the present-day parish church is documented only later.
The Château de Gaudiès has moats and a surviving drawbridge. Château Malportel was built in 1565 by François de Baron, a Viguier of Pamiers. A cannon loophole survives on the side facing the Hers. These are two castles with different historical features: moats and a drawbridge at the Château de Gaudiès, and a precisely dated building with a surviving defensive feature at Malportel.
The present-day parish church has a brick bell-gable with three sound openings. In this type of tower, the openings for the sound of the bells are set into a raised wall. The three openings and the brickwork make the architectural form clear and provide a different architectural point of reference from the castles.
Three Romanesque double capitals with human and fantastical animal figures are also recorded in Gaudiès. They may date from the 11th or 12th century, so their exact date remains uncertain. Their figural motifs add an art-historical dimension to the architectural history, distinct from the dates associated with the castles and churches.
Plain, terraces and eastern slopes
The landscape of Gaudiès is divided into three areas. At the centre is the alluvial plain of the Hers, which is slightly prone to flooding. To the west are alluvial terraces at an elevation of 250 m; to the east, slopes rise to 350 m. They consist of molasse, puddingstone and limestone.
“Alluvial” refers to deposits formed by flowing water. The term applies here both to the central plain and to the western terraces; the eastern slopes, by contrast, are characterised by the rock types listed above. The three areas therefore differ in their location and underlying geology, rather than Gaudiès appearing as one uniform river landscape.
Beach and canoe route on the Hers Vif
The beach at Gaudiès is by the village square, in a bend of the river Hers. The landing stage is upstream of the beach. This means the beach and landing stage are two separate points of reference by the water.
A 23 km canoe route runs along the Hers Vif from Gaudiès to Calmont; the canoe trip is suitable for beginners. Unlike the beach and landing stage, it is not a single location but a trip with a named destination. This distinction can help you choose between a riverside spot in the village and a canoe trip to Calmont.
Choose your focus when looking for hotels
If you are looking for hotels in Gaudiès, you can start by deciding what you want to focus on during your trip: are you most interested in the history of the castles and church, or in the landscape along the Hers Vif and the canoe route? This can help you choose a destination based on the themes you would like to focus on during your trip.
Discover more destinations: Les Bordes-Sur-Lez, Lavelanet, Soula, Arrien-En-Bethmale, Sentein, Castelnau-Durban, Trémoulet, Goulier
Return to the wider travel overview: Ariège.
