Welcome to Les Contes...
A guesthouse, chapel and place of pilgrimage nestled in the wild beauty of the Occitan Pyrenees, beneath the sacred gaze of Montségur.
A Sanctuary of Living Waters, Belonging, Peace and Wonder.
Once a Catholic summer home for children in the 1930s, this white haven has been lovingly restored as a place of hospitality, contemplation and renewal. Springs rise from the mountainside, animals wander across the land, and the sound of water accompanies the day. Here, there is time to slow down, breathe deeply and find your own rhythm.
The story of this land reaches back to a thirteenth-century water mill, fed by the many springs that converge here, and perhaps further still, into Celtic times. Craggy rocks flank the headwaters of our main spring, whose abundant waters flow throughout the year. It is easy to imagine this place drawing people to its source long before the mill was built.
Today, these precious spring waters are also used for baptisms, in a spirit of prayer, blessing and new life in Christ.
The name Les Contes means the tales or the stories. Local women once gathered beside the spring to wash their clothes and share the stories of village life. That spirit of encounter lives on: around the table, beside the fire, on a walk through the gardens, or in conversations that open into life’s deeper questions.
The restoration of Les Contes has been featured on Channel 4’s Help! We Bought a Village. Aletheia also appears in Dwars door de Pyreneeën, the television series broadcast in Belgium and the Netherlands. Season one, episode five explores the region’s Cathar initiation caves and the spiritual traditions associated with them.
Whether you come to explore the mountains, spend time in prayer, share good food or enjoy the company of animals, there is room to settle into the simple pleasures of the day. For many, Les Contes becomes a place of remembering, where something long forgotten quietly comes alive again.
Retreats, pilgrimages and gatherings
Throughout the year, we host retreats and welcome groups coming for Mary Magdalene pilgrimages, walks along the Cathar pathways, icon-making, writing retreats as well as horse-riding and donkey treksas well as those seeking a memorable experience of this extraordinary region.
Aletheia hosts her own groups here alongside retreats led by visiting teachers and organisers. We take care to welcome gatherings whose intentions and approach are in harmony with the spirit of Les Contes, honouring the peace of the place and the lives of the people and animals who call it home.
What you'll find here:
Nineteen individually designed guest rooms, with original features, distinctive character and artwork by internationally renowned and local artists.
The Magdalene, Sophia and Sarah Gîtes, another way to make your home at Les Contes.
Notre Dame de Sophia, a peaceful chapel
Rose gardens, riverside lounges, hammocks and wild meadows
Goar Ranch Farm, a much-loved animal sanctuary, offering space for contemplation, discovery and companionship.
The seasonal Red Rose Café, serving nourishing vegetarian and vegan food, alongside a shared guest kitchen where meals and conversation naturally come together.
A welcoming library with an open fire, for reading, reflection and unhurried evenings.
Mountain spring water, flowing from the heights of Pic de Soularac.
A peaceful white zone, prized by those seeking a quieter pace of life, with no mobile phone reception and reliable fibre-optic internet whenever you choose to connect.
Riverside gardens and access to woodland walks, limestone gorges, caves and historic pathways, opening onto the extraordinary landscapes of the Ariège.
A Living Threshold
Les Contes offers a home from which to explore a landscape where geology, history, pilgrimage and legend meet.
Château de Montségur
The mountain fortress whose Cathar history continues to draw pilgrims, historians and seekers from around the world.
Les Gorges de la Frau
A dramatic limestone gorge on the Chemin des Bonshommes, a walking route through landscapes shaped by the history of the Cathars.
Fontaine de Fontestorbes
An extraordinary intermittent spring whose waters rise and fall in natural cycles. Local folklore tells of fairies beating cloth of gold beside its waters beneath the moonlight.
Across the valley, springs emerge from the mountainside, paths lead into woodland, and caves hold their own histories. These are places to explore with curiosity, to return to in different seasons, and to discover at your own pace.
Our Ethos
We welcome people of all backgrounds, beliefs and cultures, along with children, families and well-behaved animal companions. Our wish is for everyone who comes here to feel at home.
Breakfast is served overlooking the gardens, accompanied by birdsong and the changing life of the seasons. Our kitchen offers vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options, prepared with care for the people gathered around the table.
We seek to live gently upon the land through thoughtful stewardship, sustainable choices and respect for the lives that share this valley. Caring for the gardens, the animals and our guests is part of the daily work of Les Contes.
Looking ahead, our vision includes treehouses, cabins, yurts and bell tents thoughtfully placed within the surrounding woodland, offering further ways to stay close to the land.
There is a quiet rhythm to this place: water flowing, meals being prepared, animals finding their favourite corners, light moving across the mountains. You are invited to spend a little time within it.
Whether you arrive for a single night or stay a little longer, our hope is that you leave rested, renewed and a little more at home in the world, and within yourself.
