Castles of the Cathar Country

Castles with spectacular natural scenery.

Take advantage of your stay at the Hôtel du Pont Vieux in Carcassonne to discover the castles of the Cathar Country. True witnesses of a rich and eventful past, they all have in common an unstoppable beauty and an exceptional history.
 

Lastours, four castles for the price of one

In the heart of the Montagne Noire, discover a real treasure of the Cathar Country. It is not one but four castles overlooking a river more than 300 metres high. The four royal fortresses Cabaret, Surdespine, Quertinheux and Tour Régine seem to hang in the void, dominating the village of Lastours.
 

Quéribus, the bow of the Catalan world

It is one of the most impressive royal castles in the region. Leaving Quéribus, one sees only the immense fortress which seems to emerge from the Corbières to challenge the country of Fenouillet which faces it. From the top of its rocky spur, at an altitude of 728 metres, this fortress dominates the plain from Tautavel to Caudiès.
 

Peyrepertus, the royal ship

From afar, the fortress of Peyrepertus can sometimes not be seen from afar, as it fits so well into the rocky ridge. Peyrepertus, pèira pertusa in Occitan, means "pierced rock". A citadel of vertigo par excellence, the fortress stretches over 300 metres in the shape of a gigantic ship and culminates at 800 metres above sea level. Located above the village of Duilhac, it dominates an exceptional natural landscape.
 

Montségur, the Cathar refuge

The castle of Montségur is not the most spectacular but certainly the most moving. At the top of its rocky peak of 1200 meters, the castle has a 360° view. From there, exceptional viewpoints offer themselves to you with breathtaking landscapes on the Pyrenees chain. In the village, the museum of Montségur, classified as a museum of France, presents a collection of archaeological objects dating back to the Middle Ages.