The Ariège MTB Crossing - Stage 10: From Mas d'Azil to Lescure

To see:

Le Mas d'Azil
Known as a key prehistoric site, Mas d’Azil is also famous for the major role it played during the Wars of Religion. Protestantism took hold there from 1540, and the village became one of the main strongholds in the south. Thus, when the royal army invaded the region in 1625 to subdue the rebellious Protestant inhabitants of Azil, they took refuge in the cave and successfully resisted the troops of Marshal de Thémine for more than a month. In retaliation, Richelieu had the ceiling of the Temple Hall inside the cave dynamited.

Raynaude Church
A short distance from the cave are the Raynaude church, its annexes (presbytery and orphanage), and its Stations of the Cross, forming a rather surprising religious complex. Built from 1863 to 1895 thanks to donations collected by Abbé Rousse, this ensemble reflects the priest’s desire to reclaim the Protestant souls of his parish. The 14 chapels of the Stations of the Cross, recently renovated, contain decorative motifs recovered from the destruction of the Carol Monastery near Foix.

Lescure
Discover the Noguès bell tower surrounded by a wall and a small cemetery, and the remains of an old church.