Source de l'Ariège (estany de Font Negra)

Porta

The Ariège rises in the high mountains, in the cirque de Font-Nègre (Font Negra), in the commune of Porta, in the Pyrénées-Orientales. Wikipedia FR designates the estany de Font Negra, or des Abelletes, as the source of the river, at 2,400 m above sea level in the heading and 2,430 m in the body of the article: the discrepancy is not explained. Wikipedia EN places it ‘at the base of the Puy-Nègre’, near El Pas de la Casa, on the ridge separating France from Andorra, at around 2,400 m. Shortly after its source, the river marks the Franco-Andorran border as far as a tripoint at 1,590 m. At 162.9 km long, it joins the Garonne at Portet-sur-Garonne, at 142 m above sea level; its regime is nival. The old Latin name Aurigera, ‘gold-bearing’, is said according to the article to come from the gold panning practised by the Gauls on its banks. The limestone cliffs of the valley shelter many caves, occupied from prehistory and later used as refuges during the Wars of Religion. The sources consulted report no legend specific to the source nor any controversy over its location; the origin of the name Aurigera remains an encyclopaedia explanation, to be taken with caution.

Getting there: Coordinates from the Wikipedia FR infobox (areq.net copy), not verified in the field. High mountain, cirque de Font-Nègre: access by path, passable mainly in summer (to be checked).

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound