Mountaineô

A play area on the mountain!

Play area on the mountain to discover all its riches and secrets! Come learn while having fun in a fun and immersive site intended for all ages!

A wonderful playground and relaxation area, the Ariège Pyrenees have many surprises in store... Mountaneô is a museographic space that invites you to take a new look at the mountains and let your senses guide you through different games for living a fun, immersive and interactive experience!

The mountaneô museum space

The visit is done in several stages (to be organized freely): discover the museum space, part at the Hydrogame and visit the hydroelectric plant (visit of the plant on registration at the Mountanêo reception desk, included with your entrance ticket – offered by EDF).
First stage of your visit with the discovery of water, hydraulic energy and the industry present in the Orlu valley. To better understand the challenges and advantages of this energy, a Immersive and interactive hydrogame will get you in shape!
Continue the visit with a play area suitable for adults and children alike: a first play area for stimulate your thinking and your senses, a second area dedicated to children from 3 to 12 years old to offer them an approach simple and fun of the water cycle and biodiversity in the mountains.
Next, enter the reserve house: an immersive and lively space where a journey of discovery awaits you. Explore the different natural environments of the Orlu reserve, its fauna and flora, put your senses to the test: the experience of the mountain before discovering it, for real!
Also let yourself be surprised in the forest of sounds by its forty poetic sound mechanics and discover many other surprises!

We also invite you to discover the Orlu hydroelectric power station: the only power station that can be visited in Ariège (visit of the power station by registration at the Mountanêo reception desk, included with your entrance ticket – offered by EDF).

HYDROGAME: Sensations guaranteed!

20 minutes to manage the emergencies that arrive! In this race against time, every second counts and your success depends on your ability to work as a team and think quickly. Ready for the adventure?

The hydroelectric plant

The visit to the hydroelectric power station is included in the Mountaneô visit ticket and offered by EDF. Compulsory registration at the Mountaineô reception to take part in the visit, subject to availability.
This plant is located a 10-minute walk from Mountaneô, on the banks of the Oriège river. The departure is from the reception of Mountaineô, accompanied by a guide.

The energy of this river has been used since the Middle Ages: a small hydraulic forge is already reported there in 1292. Its modern avatar is the hydroelectric power station of Orlu, the third power station of Ariège by size, in service since 1959. The hydroelectric plant uses the water accumulated in the Naguilhes lake, the capacity of which can reach up to 42 million m3. The plant has a head of 985 meters. Two other small dam lakes located on adjacent torrents also supply the plant. Like many hydroelectric plants in the Pyrenees, this one is used to produce during peak electricity consumption.
Equipped with a technical and entertaining tour, the EDF space in Orlu immerses the visitor in the heart of the operation of the hydroelectric plant, with a direct view of the engine room.

discover the marmot walk!

Accompanied by a guide, discover the fauna and flora of the Orlu Valley! Walk the paths and open your eyes wide, the mountain reveals its secrets to you!
We offer you a 4-hour outing (7km – 300m elevation gain): The marmot walk!

Day or 2-day hikes are only possible for groups and by reservation (schools, CE, associations, etc.).

Tickets

• On-site ticket office open from 10 a.m. to 19 p.m. (10 a.m. to 18 p.m. except July/August).
• In July-August last entry to the site at 17 p.m.
• Payments accepted: cash / checks (on presentation of an identity document) / bank cards / holiday vouchers
• Reservation is required for the hikes
• The museum space can be visited without reservation
• Online ticket office accessible 24 hours a day

From Toulouse: Take direction Foix / Andorra by the RN 20 or the A66 to Ax-les-Thermes. Cross Ax-les-Thermes, direction Andorra. On leaving Ax-les-Thermes, just before the Pont d'Espagne, turn left on the RD22 towards "Orgeix / Orlu / Vallée d'Orlu". Follow the RD22 to Orlu, cross the village to the "Forges d'Orlu".

There are shuttles between Ax-les-Thermes and the Forges d'Orlu: check the timetables here.

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