Base Calames Reviews

  Just come back from 2 weeks at Basecalames. The gite is great. We squeezed 12 of us into the house without a problem and even arranged to put 2 more... read more up camping in the garden. It's a lovely place, 10 minutes walk from the nearest climbing and with plenty more opportunities for walking and mountain biking in the area.

The cost was very competitive (even compared to camping in the region) and the owners Jon and Debbie were always friendly and helpful.

If you're taking a large group or just a few friends this is definitely worth considering.

Mark Day
Brighton Explorers Club

  Wonderful stay!  - We stayed at Jon and Deb's gite in August 2017. It had everything we needed and was very comfortable. Good location to see the local sites. Our hosts helped us... read more out a lot with suggestions of what to see and do. We enjoyed the church bells which added to the cultural experience. If you're a cycling enthusiast we were easily able to view the finish of stage 13 of the 2017 Tour de France in Foix-this was one of our highlights! Coming from the Canadian prairies we were awestruck with the amazing mountain views.

  If you want to ride in the mountains then this is the ideal location. The gite is located on the Col de Port, which is a famous Tour de France... read more climb and its close to many other great mountain climbs. The scenery is amazing and whether it's a training camp or a gentle tour I would recommend this location. Just check strava for some of the Pro's who train in this area!

The gite is ideal for groups and clubs with a garage for storing bikes below the gite.
The owners are very friendly and extremely knowledgable of the local area.

  We have just returned from a week at Base Calames. The main objective of our holiday was rock climbing, but the area is also good for walking. Jon and Deborah... read more were excellent hosts, who are knowledgeable about the area and were able to help with local information. For climbers, the gite is about 20 to 30 mins walk to the nearest crags at Calames. This is still a shorter walk-in than several other crags in the area that we visited. It was good to be able to walk rather than driving to crags every day. The gite is well equipped and the kitchen/ dining room spacious.

The gite is near the village church so be prepared for the bells! They are not loud but clearly audible. We slept through them quite easily and it was pleasant during the day to be reminded of the time.

Twice during the week our group took up the option of having Jon and Debs cook an evening meal for us. The food was excellent and they were easily able to accommodate our special dietary requirements: one vegetarian and one person on a gluten-free diet.

It can get hot in the middle of the day at this time of year. Pleasant for a holiday, but a bit hot for climbing. We will be back - probably late autumn next time for some cooler weather.

  We stayed at Jon and Deb's gite in August 2017. It had everything we needed and was very comfortable. Good location to see the local sites. Our hosts helped us... read more out a lot with suggestions of what to see and do. We enjoyed the church bells which added to the cultural experience. If you're a cycling enthusiast we were easily able to view the finish of stage 13 of the 2017 Tour de France in Foix-this was one of our highlights! Coming from the Canadian prairies we were awestruck with the amazing mountain views.

  Lovely remote spot - great for rock climbers, cavers and walkers. Need to be a confident driver as roads very narrow (and no public transport?) and church bell rings all... read more night but otherwise 100% plus. A great stay with the owners providing every bit of information about the area you could possibly need as well as loaning books, maps etc.

  10 friends stayed at BaseCalames and found it a comfortable, affordable and brilliantly located, especially if you're a climber, as the excellent Calames crag is only a 5 minute walk... read more away. The gite is also well appointed, with a good kitchen, 2 fridges (gotta put that beer somewhere!) and a super-hot powershower, much appreciated by aching climbers. Jon & Debs were brilliant hosts too and I would go back without hesitation.

  Came to get away from it all as well as some sightseeing. Great location for both and excellent value for money. Rooms were clean and comfortable, all the facilities I... read more required were available, and the hosts were very helpful. Would recommend to anyone.

  Stayed at Base Calames for 9 nights in May 2012 whilst on a climbing holiday. We chose this place due to it's proximity to the Ariege crags. Having the Calames... read more crag on the doorstep and countless other climbing areas reachable within a short drive, this place is superbly located for all climbers, right through the grades. The gite provided us with accommodation (1 bedroom each) on the 1st floor, bathroom, wc and a communal lounge / kitchen area (shared with the ground floor accommodation). Rooms basic but clean and spacious enough. New towels provided every other day. Breakfast provided each day (juices, fresh coffee, tea, cereals, fruit, yoghurts, fresh breads/croissants and home made jams, yum yum..). English owners, very friendly & helpful. Cost very reasonable. Highly recommended. Take some ear plugs, the church bell chimes on the hour, every hour. And then at 3 minutes past the hour, every hour, for those who missed it first time round (Seriously)!