If it’s your first visit to Ax-les-Thermes France, you’re in for a treat! This small, beautiful town is somewhat of a hidden gem in the Pyrenees mountains. While it is a popular winter destination for skiing and spa enthusiasts, we were so happy to experience it in the summer. It ended up being the perfect stopover on our drive from Spain to a month-long apartment in Annecy France. Here’s how to spend one day in the spa town of Ax-les-Thermes, the best things to do, and helpful tips from our own visit!
How to Get to Ax-les-Thermes France
Most commonly, visitors to Ax-les-Thermes in the summer are taking a road trip like we did. The quaint French town is roughly 45 minutes to the Spanish border, and only 20 minutes from Andorra!
The closest airports are in Carcassonne and Perpignan, while Toulouse is about 2 hours away. If you’re flying into one of these cities, then you will want to rent a car to get to Ax-les-Thermes. We always use this website when traveling through Europe! Discover Cars sorts through all the companies for you to help find the best rate.
Another way to get to Ax-les-Thermes France is by jumping on a the train. The station is located right on the edge of town and a quick walk to the Ax-les-Thermes spa and restaurants.
Our Visit to Ax-les-Thermes
We arrived in the early afternoon to check into our accommodation. Since we knew we would be out in town most of the time, we booked the cheapest accommodation that was within walking distance.
We stayed at Vacancéole – Le Domaine de la Vallée, which feel like old-school ski apartments. It was fine for one night and very inexpensive during the time of year we visited. However, if we had to recommended somewhere to else to stay in Ax-les-Thermes, we would choose Appartement idéalement situé Ax-les-thermes or Résidence Le Grand Tétras- SPA THERMAL INCLUS.
After dropping our bags, we headed into town for the afternoon. Our hotel had a path through the forest that was 10 minutes from the center of Ax-les-Thermes. It wasn’t long before we saw our first hot springs, and caught a glimpse of the Ariège River.
We were super hungry after a long day of driving, so we decided to grab food at Chez Mateo Pizzeria. This is actually one of the most highly-rated restaurants in town, and it didn’t disappoint!
It is more if a takeaway pizza place, but there are a couple of tables outside. You can take them to go and walk over to the main square nearby to enjoy.
As we mentioned, Ax-les-Thermes France is quite small. Once we’d spent about 30 minutes walking around, we had already got a good feel for the town.
It started to get busy in the evening, especially around the main square. We got a small table in the courtyard next to the fountain and ordered a craft of wine to share. Just sitting and taking in the local life of this French town was one of our favorite parts of the day. The delicious French wine was obviously a bonus, too!
Ax-les-Thermes Spa Life
This unique mountain town is known for its thermal water that has significant healing properties. If we were visiting in the fall or winter, we would have made it a priority to go to the Ax-les-Thermes spa.
The most popular thermal baths are inside Les Bains du Couloubret. It was built in a Roman-style design and looked absolutely stunning from the outside. We totally would have gone for a morning soak if we had time the next day!
Still, we did get the chance to pop our feet into the thermal water. Ax-les-Thermes France has a free foot bath right next to the main square. Here is the exact location.
After finishing our wine at the cafe, we casually came across this by chance. There were a few others using the bath, but it wasn’t crowded at all.
Just make sure to be careful when dipping your toes in. The water is way hotter than you’d think!
Ax-les-Thermes Weekly Market
Our one day in Ax-les-Thermes was so much fun. Yet, one of the highlights was actually the next day as we were leaving.
The local market runs on Tuesday and Saturday, 7am to 1pm, and from June 29 to August 31, Thursday, 7am to 1pm. Be sure to double-check these times haven’t changed before your own trip.
We didn’t plan our visit around this market, so we were lucky the timing worked out. The little main square filled with stalls, selling everything from produce to clothes, paintings, and meats and cheeses.
Our first stop was to the bakery for some fresh bread and a massive chocolate eclair. I mean, it was our first morning waking up in France! It was quite impossible to resist all the bakery treats. We then grabbed a coffee from one of the cafes and took our time exploring the market.
Our market haul included three different kinds of cheese cut right off the wheel, fresh fruits and veggies, as well as some hummus and spreads. These were great road snacks to have on the next part of our drive.
Is Ax-les-Thermes Worth Visiting?
Yes! It’s such a great mix of beautiful small town charm with lots of energy and life, even if you only have one day in Ax-les-Thermes during the summer.
With two nights, you could mix in hiking, soaking in the thermals, or skiing, depending on the time of year. Ax-les-Thermes is a truly gorgeous town to explore in the Pyrenees.
If you are considering adding it to your road trip through the area, then definitely do so! Also, try and plan your visit around the weekly market to stock up on local goodies.
Have any questions about this article or want to share your own tips for Ax-les-Thermes France? Let us know in the comments below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
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We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
