Châteaux de Lastours
Four castles on a rocky ridge
Four castle ruins in a row north of Carcassonne. See them first from the Belvédère viewpoint on the other side of the valley.
The history of the Cathars
The four castles of Cabaret were a Cathar stronghold. Pierre-Roger de Cabaret held out against the crusaders for two years before surrendering in 1211.
UNESCO World Heritage
Royal Capetian Fortresses of Languedoc
- World Heritage since
- 2026
Eight fortresses that the French kings built or rebuilt in the 13th and 14th centuries after the Albigensian Crusade, to hold the border with the Kingdom of Aragon: the castle in Carcassonne and seven sentinels on rocky ridges – Aguilar, Lastours, Montségur, Peyrepertuse, Puilaurens, Quéribus and Termes. They are often called Cathar castles, but the walls you see today are mostly the king's, built after the fall of the Cathars. World Heritage since July 2026.
Visit: All the castles charge an entrance fee and sit on steep summits – allow a 15–45 minute walk uphill in sun and wind. Peyrepertuse and Quéribus may close when the tramontane is blowing hard.
43.3330° N, 2.3790° E
Nearby
Carcassonne14 km · A medieval city with double ramparts – a must
Minerve30 km · The hill village where the first great Cathar pyre burned
Fanjeaux and Prouille32 km · Cathar centre and cradle of the Dominicans
Canal du Midi39 km · World Heritage from Toulouse to the Mediterranean_vus_depuis_l'Est.jpg?width=500)
Château de Termes40 km · The castle that held out against Simon de Montfort for four months
Villerouge-Termenès41 km · Where the last Cathar Perfect was burned in 1321- Rennes-le-Château46 km · The Da Vinci Code
- Rennes-les-Bains46 km · Hot springs along the River Sals