One Day in Foix, France
Foix is a quaint little town in the South of France, just an hour drive away from the mighty Pyrenees mountains. It’s also easy to get there by train from the main city in that region of France, Toulouse, as it takes just over an hour with the regional train.
Foix is known for the medieval castle that sits on top of the hill in the middle of the town. And especially if you love nature, this spot is the perfect place from which you can find many famous hiking paths, as you are surrounded by the mountains.
I visited Foix at the beginning of September and the weather was lovely. I particularly loved the views on the Foix Castle (Chateau du Foix) and the stunning views on the mountains in the distance. It’s a perfect place for a day trip - so find my one-day itinerary below for Foix.
Things To Do & See
Visit the famous Foix Castle (Chateau Foix)
The main attraction of this little French town sits proudly on top of a hill and the Foix castle can be seen from far away. The entrance fee for an adult is €13.50 and with the ticket you can enter the castle and also see the museum that is attached next to it.
There are two main towers on the castle ground and you can climb all the way up and have and have a fantastic view over the town and the surrounding mountains. What’s also fun is that throughout the day, they do various demonstrations and show how some of the machinery was used, for instance the catapult. Unfortunately, the explanations are done in French, but it’s still fun to see how they used to operate these machines!
Hiking in the idyllic Southern French mountains
This is for sure a hiking destination and there are various hikes you can do, for instance:
La Voie Verte Foix - this long hiking and bike path takes you across a stunning viaduct and an underground cave. I hiked for a while on this path and the views from the viaduct are quite stunning.
Terrasses du Pech - this hiking path takes you to one of the mountain peaks and you can witness the amazing views from the top.
Visit the Labouiche caves & underground river
Close to Foix there are the Rivière souterraine de Labouiche, which are underground caves with a subterranean river. You need to join a tour to enter these caves, so you can’t go there by yourself. The caves can only by accessed by boat, which will bring you through the caves.
You can check out their website for tour times and prices.
Walk around the historic town centre
The town of Foix is small but there is a lot of history embedded in the streets and houses of this medieval village.
For instance, you can find a intriguing goose fountain as well as the Friday morning market at Halle aux Grains, the town’s main market spot, which dates back to the 1870s.
Sit at the river stream (and ponder life)
If you walk slightly outside the town centre in Foix, you will find a nice little spot at the river, where you can find peace and quiet and listen to the water rushing down the mountains. And especially during summer, this is also a great spot to unwind and freshen up!
Visit the Pyrenees (and Andorra)
I remember my Airbnb host telling me that the Pyrenees are just a 40-50 minutes train ride from Foix, which surprised me because I definitely thought they would be farther away. But a quick Google search confirmed what she said.
The Pyrenees are the grand mountain range dividing France and Spain and if you have time while you’re in Foix, you can definitely go and take a peek.
Meanwhile, Andorra is just an hour drive away and apparently, a lot of people go there to do some tax-free shopping.
Other things to do in or near Foix
If you’re more into adventurous things to do, then you should definitely try rafting in Foix! There’s many spots where you can rent a raft, for instance this one on GetYourGuide which is located a bit outside of Foix.
Where To Eat & Drink Coffee
There are plenty of nice restaurants in the little town - here is a selection:
Maison Huguette, Cafe - For delicious pastries and tea, but also great specialty coffee!
La Brûlerie du Château, Specialty coffee - This is mainly a specialty coffee beans store but you can also sit and enjoy the amazing coffee
Canon Canon, French restaurant - My favourite restaurant that I tried in Foix. They serve amazing, French-inspired tapas and also have a decent wine selection.
Restaurant Brasserie de la Fourche, Bar and restaurant - With a gorgeous view on the river, you can sit here on the terrace enjoying a drink and also great food.
NOMADE, Bar and restaurant - Slightly more higher-end restaurant, with delicious, French-inspired cuisine.
Where To Stay
There are a number of cute bed and breakfasts in Foix that make for a lovely little stay for one night or two.
Check out these options:
Chalet Gource - book this beautiful wooden, 1-bedroom Chalet that overlooks the Foix castle
Hôtel Pyrène - a lovely 3 star boutique hotel just outside the town centre.
La Note Verte - if you’re traveling with family, check out this cute 3-bedroom apartment.
Another option is looking at Airbnb, which may be slightly cheaper than the hotel websites.
When To Go
Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit Foix, as it’s outside of high season and the temperatures are pleasant and mild, as summer can be rather hot and it will also be more touristy.
May and September in particular hit the sweet spot — daytime temperatures typically sit in between 15-25 (°C), warm enough to explore the château and hike nearby. Just keep in mind that early spring (March) can still be cool and rainy, so if you want guaranteed sunshine without the summer crowds, aim for late April through June or September into early October.
How To Get There
By train
As mentioned above, there is a train station in Foix and you can hop on the train from Toulouse and it just takes a little longer than an hour.
Trains run every hour or so, but it also depends on the time of the year and the day of the week. You can also get the train tickets directly on Trainline.com, for instance.
By car
Foix is a popular place for people on the way to the Pyrenees or Andorra by car.
In fact, renting a car might also be a better option if you want to check out the surrounding areas in Foix, such as the caves mentioned previously.
You can check car rentals on DiscoverCars.com.
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