With the arrival of spring, the desire to enjoy outdoor sports activities is starting to be seriously felt. For those who like to practice in beautiful natural landscapes and get a good dose of thrills in the process, canyoning is one of those outdoor sports to be favored. Combining mountaineering with swimming, sliding in water corridors, hiking and even caving, canyoning is a complete activity but also very fun. The Pyrenees are a favourite territory for a good canyoning session. So for all those who have a spirit of adventure and who are looking for a privileged contact with nature, here are the good reasons to practice canyoning, as well as some spots where to go in the Pyrenean range
Why practice canyoning?
It is true that at first sight, canyoning can frighten some people, to the point of seriously hesitating before launching out. But you should know that this sport, which was already popular in the 19th century, is completely safe! It is an activity supervised by professionals who do not take any risks and who perfectly master the territories covered. The guides accompany the participants during the different stages of the route and are always available to reassure and encourage them. For example, when you approach Canyon Spirit, you can be sure that you are dealing with an excellent guide with a dynamic, passionate and experienced team.
One of the main advantages of canyoning is that it is an activity that offers direct contact with nature, allowing you to enjoy breathtakingly beautiful mountain landscapes. It allows you to feel the different elements: the rock, the water, the plants, and it is also an excellent way to test your emotions! During a canyoning session, you not only exercise through hiking, climbing and swimming, but you also enjoy a great time in a group. Canyoning is a moment that you can live with your family and friends, a sporty, fun and relaxing activity that is bound to leave a mark.
And then canyoning also allows you to test your physical and mental capacities, and to try to surpass yourself! It is a unique sport activity, resolutely captivating, and which offers a very special relationship with nature.
Where to do canyoning in the Pyrenees?
If canyoning is a very playful and framed activity, it is also the opportunity to join some of the most beautiful landscapes of mountaineering that are offered to us. In the Pyrenean range and in the Occitanie region, a multitude of places welcome sportsmen to live unforgettable experiences
At only 1h30 from Toulouse, the region of Luchon is totally adapted to the practice of canyoning, and by all! For example, you can enjoy a family outing with children over 8 years old in Arlos. You can walk in the river and the presence of many slides are the promise of complicit and joyful moments between young and old. It is also on this part of the territory that the most experienced can get their adrenalin pumping. To do this, you have to reach the Gouffre d'Enfer with its steep walls, its waterfall with a strong flow and its clear waters where you can swim.
The Ariège is another great spot for canyoning. You can try abseiling at Moulis or go to the more breathtaking places at Estat and Ossèse. In Ariège, in addition to hiking in the sumptuous landscapes of the Couserans, one can test one's physical capacities during abseiling in the heart of waterfalls
And then, one cannot talk about canyoning in the Pyrenees without mentioning Spain and the Sierra de Guara. In this part of the territory, the practice of canyoning is open to all: young, old, beginners, sportsmen, etc. In any case, you can marvel at the limestone walls, the translucent blue of the natural pools and the beauty of the many canyons that make the reputation of this high place of canyoning in Europe: Rio Vero, Peonera, Mascun, Gorgas Negras or Fomiga. In the Sierra de Guara, you can practice your skills while enjoying the clean air and blue skies, where it is not uncommon to see some griffon vultures
