You plan to visit the Cathar castles and are looking for a circuit to do by car, motorbike or motorhome with an itinerary to visit the most beautiful castles!
So, you may be able to take inspiration from my road trip which allowed me to discover the unmissable castles like Carcassonne or Quéribus but also those built on remarkable sites. In particular, I will tell you the most interesting itinerary, the stages not to be missed and advice for visits.
And if you're not camping, I also give you my good plans for sleeping in nice places or unusual places!
The Cathar castles of the south of France
Cathar castles are late 12th and 13th century fortifications located in the South of France. These castles were built by the Cathars who belonged at the time to a religious sect called catharisme.
In fact, they served as strongholds for his families of believers persecuted by the Catholic Church who accused them, among other things, of heretical practices.
Cathar castles were therefore built in strategic locations to provide defensive protection against invaders. They were built to withstand sieges, usually high up on hills or mountains, to give the Cathar people a better view of the surroundings. Their structures were also designed to be difficult to access, with the entrance located at the top.
The Cathar castles are located in Occitania in the departments of Aude (around Carcassonne), of the'Ariege, Haute-Garonne and Eastern Pyrenees. But as they are more numerous in the Aude, the notion of Pays Cathare designates the department of Aude and more particularly the Corbières.
How many Cathar castles are there?
At the height of their power, the Cathars built around forty castles. Although most of these castles were destroyed, there are still many ruins and 15 Cathar castles that can still be visited today.
Why visit the Cathar castles?
Cathar castles are an important part of the history of the region of Southern France (Midi more specifically) and are popular tourist attractions accessible to all.
Indeed, these castles and citadels remind tourists of the fierce battles that took place in the region during the Albigensian Crusade and the ensuing destruction of the Cathar people.
Visitors can while discovering my magnificent region of Occitanie, explore the castles and learn their history, the history of the Cathars but also the history and culture of the Languedoc region.
How to visit the Cathar castles?
Many citadels, fortifications, ruins and castles are scattered throughout Languedoc-Roussillon but also in Ariège, therefore quite far from each other.
It is therefore useless to want to visit all the Cathar castles, especially since for some there are only a few ruins left and are less interesting to discover.
To visit the Cathar castles, many travel agencies will offer you a bus tour. It's nice for those who don't have a vehicle, because otherwise you can do a circuit by yourselves by car, motorbike or motorhome.
The only difficulty will be to choose a small circuit that allows you to visit the best known, most beautiful and most impressive Cathar castles. This is what I did with my itinerary which starts from Carcassonne, passes through the most beautiful Cathar castles of Aude without forgetting the famous Château de Montségur which is in the department of Ariège.
Which Cathar castles to visit?
Difficult to choose among all the castles because they are too numerous and too scattered to visit them all.
So, to make my tourist circuit by car, I had to select only the most remarkable Cathar castles and those are essential:
- City of Carcassonne with its Château Comtal
- Montségur castle
- Puilaurens Castle
- Tautavel and the Château d'Aguilar
- Quéribus castle
- Peyrepertuse Castle
- The Castle of Arques
- Terms of castle
- Castle of Villerouge-Termenès
- The 4 castles of Lastours
Circuit of the Cathar castles in 7 days
My circuit which allows you to visit the most beautiful Cathar castles is done in 1 week. However, if you only have 3 or 4 days, you can do this circuit but without visiting all the castles.
Indeed, you can do this circuit of the Cathar castles in a few days simply by discovering the sites from the outside without necessarily visiting the ruins or the citadels.
My itinerary represents 370 km and allows you to discover the most beautiful Cathar castles. The ideal will be to start this road trip from Carcassonne and follow the circuit in a loop.
Indeed, if you have time after your tour by car, motorbike or motorhome, you can from Carcassonne visit a region rich in tourist sites (Abbaye de Fontfroide, Saint-Papoul, Gouffre de Cabrespine, Les Orgues of Ille-sur-Tet).
Route map of the Cathar castles route
To help you follow my itinerary, here is the Google Maps of the Cathar castles circuit:
Whether you are doing the circuit by car, motorbike or motorhome, you can use this map in GPS mode.
Program of visits in 7 days
Here are all the stages of my circuit of the Cathar castles in 1 week. You can of course adapt it to a circuit in 3 or 4 days or follow it in the opposite direction.
City of Carcassonne – Day 1 of my Cathar castles tour
In the heart of the Cathar Country, the castle and the ramparts of Carcassonne are essential for their beauty and their history. A full day visit will allow you to make the most of this medieval city (see my circuit to visit Carcassonne on foot).
Where to stay in Carcassonne?
For those who are not lucky enough to travel by motorhome, here is my hotel recommendation in Carcassonne: Hotel de la Cité & Spa MGallery
Located in the heart of the medieval city, it is one of the best hotels in the medieval city.
Cathar castles of Montségur and Puilaurens – Day 2
For this 2nd day of my circuit of the Cathar castles, you will take the road to the Montségur castle which is about 80 kilometers from Carcassonne.
Located in the department of Ariège, this castle was built in 1204 and was the last stronghold of the Cathar people during the Albigensian Crusade. You can climb to the pog which is the top of the rock and thus enjoy a very beautiful panorama. And if you are interested in history and archeology, you can also visit the museum located in the village of Monségur.
In the afternoon, you can continue my circuit of the Cathar castles by car, covering 70 kilometers to go to Puilaurens Castle.
Perched 697 meters above sea level, the ruins of this castle are located above the village of Lapradelle-Puilaurens in the Aude department. If you visit it, you will be able to discover its large chicane staircase, its surrounding wall, its battlements, and its open towers still in good condition.
See to book a visit: Puilaurens Castle
Where to stay near the Château de Puilaurens?
The best place to stay near the Château de Puilaurens is a charming little hotel in Caudiès-de-Fenouillèdes just 10 kilometers from the Château: Laval Relay
Tautavel and Aguilar Castle – Day 3
For this 3rd day of my circuit of the Cathar castles by car, you will drive about 35 kilometers to arrive at Tautavel in the Pyrenees-Orientales.
You will have all morning to visit the charming village of Tautavel and the ruins of his castle. To discover it, you can park next to the cooperative cellar because there is a path that climbs in half an hour to the ruins.
In the afternoon, you can get back in the car to follow my circuit of the Cathar castles by going to the Aguilar Castle just 15 kilometers away.
The Château d'Aguilar which is perched on the rock of a hill was a royal fortress built to defend the border between the kingdom of France and that of Aragon.
Where to stay near the Château d'Aguilar?
In Tuchan, very close to the Cathar castle, here is an idea of accommodation in a natural and preserved setting:
Castles of Quéribus and Peyrepetuse – Day 4
My circuit of the Cathar castles by car allows you to visit today 2 emblematic castles of the Cathar country as well as the pretty village of Cucugnan in the Corbières.
From Tuchan, you will drive 30 minutes to arrive in a very small village in a splendid natural site in the heart of the Corbières massif: the village of Cucugnan. This pretty village is popular thanks to Alphonse Daudet who highlighted it in the letters from my mill.
From the village of Cucugnan, you can visit the Quéribus castle. At 730 meters above sea level, perched on a rocky hill, it was one of the most important royal castles of the Cathar era. Indeed, this is where the crusade against the Albigensians ended, the aim of which was to eliminate Catharism throughout the Languedoc region. Chabert de Barbaira, lord of Cucugnan, sheltered in his castle the last Cathars of the region. But in 1255, the castle was besieged and it was the end of Catharism in France. See how to visit this Cathar castle
In the afternoon, you can get back in your car for a 20-minute drive to the Peyrepertuse Castle in Duilhac.
To discover this citadel perched 800 meters away, you will need to plan a 30-minute walk which is rewarded by an incredible panoramic view. To see tour details.
Where to stay in Cucugnan?
If you are looking for an authentic place in Cucugnan with a Provençal decor where you can enjoy good regional cuisine and good wine, then choose: Winegrower's Inn
Castles of Arques and Termes – Day 5
My circuit of the Cathar castles by car takes you for this 5th day to the Arques Castle 50 kilometers from Cucugnan.
This perfectly well-preserved castle is unlike any other. Originally, it was built at the end of the 12th century by the counts of Toulouse but has undergone many changes over the centuries.
The castle has a watchtower from which you will have a breathtaking view, a large park with also a small restored chapel.
The museum of the castle is also interesting to visit because it presents objects and documents related to its history and to the Cathar people. To see More information on visiting this castle
For your afternoon, you will have to drive about 50 minutes to reach another vestige of the Cathar era: The Terms of castle.
This is where one of the most famous sieges of the Albigensian Crusade took place.
Where to stay near Termes?
On the itinerary of my Cathar Castles tour is the pretty village of Ribaute in the Corbières. It is here that I recommend that you stay for the night in a very welcoming guesthouse.
Indeed, the Domaine Les Cascades is a simple B&B accommodation where you will enjoy a nice room but also a wine cellar and a brasserie.
Château de Villerouge-Termenes – Day 6
At 17 kilometers from Ribaute, you will start your last day of my circuit of the Cathar castles by visiting the Villerouge-Termenes Castle.
It was the castle of the archbishops of Narbonne. Restorations were made to the fortress, particularly during the 14th century. See details for the visit
Then, you can continue by car going to Lastours which is 65 kilometers away. There, it is not 1 castle but 4 Cathar castles that you will discover on the same site: Cabaret, Tour Régine, Surdespine and Quertineux.
These were 4 royal fortresses perched on a rocky ridge overlooking the village of Lastours.
This splendid site marked the history of Catharism. Indeed, in the 12th century, there were 3 castles which belonged to the lords of Cabaret (Quertinheux, Surdespine, Cabaret).
At the end of the crusade against the Albigensians, the King of France ordered the destruction of this complex because he wanted to annihilate this seigniory which protected the Cathars. 4 new royal fortresses were then erected on the ridge to assert French dominance over this Occitan land.
More information for visiting the castles of Lastours
Where to stay near Lastours?
As these castles are only 19 kilometers from Carcassonne, you can return to the same hotel where you stayed at the start of the circuit.
If you prefer to stay on site to enjoy the site for a few more days, then here is an unusual accommodation near Lastours: L'Capservy Abbey
It is an old 18th century abbey converted into a guest house with every comfort and even a beautiful swimming pool!
