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Château de Montségur
Castles & CatharsNature & viewsWorld Heritage (UNESCO)HikingFrance

Château de Montségur

The Cathars' stronghold

From the 2014 guide – ThomasThis is where the Cathars were crushed in 1244 and several hundred were burnt at the stake by the Inquisition. The castle stands at about 1 200 metres and it's a short walk to get up, but the views are beautiful on a fine day. There's a little village at the foot of the mountain, or ”pog” as it's called, with a good restaurant.

The siege ended in March 1244, when just over 200 Cathars were burnt at the stake. The path up takes 30–45 minutes and is steep – wear good shoes. The Col de Montségur (1 059 m) is part of the 2026 TdF stage Carcassonne – Foix.

Day hike

Starting point
The car park below the castle
Distance
approx. 1.5 km return
Elevation gain
150 hm
Time
1 h
Level
Easy
Season
all year

A steep path up to the castle on top of the mountain. At the start of the path, at the Prat dels Cremats, stands the memorial to the Cathars burned in 1244. For a longer hike: the Sentier Cathare stage Montségur – Roquefixade, 18 km.

The history of the Cathars

Montségur was rebuilt in 1204 as a refuge for the Cathar clergy and in 1232 became the seat of their church. After the murder of the inquisitors at Avignonet in 1242 the mountain was besieged for ten months. On 16 March 1244 around 220 Cathars were burned at the foot of the mountain. The ruin you see today was built after the siege.

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.

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42.8756° N, 1.8322° E

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