Commune of Ariège, Vicdessos is a small village of just over 600 inhabitants which lies between 652 and 1585 meters above sea level and covers nearly 600 hectares in the Regional Natural Park of Ariège Pyrenees. At the foot of the Montcalm massif, Vicdessos is an ideal place to enjoy breathtaking landscapes and the calm of the city in the mountains.
The village lies at the foot of the border with Spain and the Principality of Andorra, offering the opportunity to explore the wonders of neighboring countries. Visitors appreciate the beauty of the surrounding nature as well as the many outdoor activities possible in the village of Vicdessos and all its surroundings.
The village of Sem, in the Vicdessos Valley, is built at the foot of Ganchette Peak, about 1000 m above sea level. The history of the village merges with that of the Rancié mine. An iron mine, operated for nearly two millennia, a blast furnace discovered a few years ago shows that it worked in the third century. This mine of which the count of Foix had given the enjoyment of the ore extracted to the minors, worked until 1930.
Today the village has only about 25 permanent inhabitants but fills the summer on the occasion of the festivities organized by the various associations or the municipality.
