The unspoiled and sparsely populated Pyrenees mountains remain one of the last great wilderness areas of France. And the Ariege (one of the Pyrenees zones due south of Toulouse) is such a paradise for fishers that you'll almost miss the variety of butterflies, orchids, and raptors that live here. Trout streams rush down forested mountainsides, and fishable waters are plentiful. Some lakes and rivers are stocked, but in the rivers at higher elevations there are wild brown trout. Pick up a week's fishing permit and go to it—your only competition will be the locals, since the area's still a secret to travelers. Catch and release is not practiced here in this food-oriented culture, where eating caught fish is far preferable, but watch for the well-posted "No Kill" areas.
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