8 lesser-known castles to visit in south-west France
France's ministry of culture has announced the country's candidates for the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2026. They will be the D-Day landing beaches in Normandy as well as the eight 'Cathar castles' of south-west France.
While you may have already heard of the medieval Cité de Carcassonne, which became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, the eight surrounding castles in the Aude and Ariège départements are worth a visit too, and are considerably less crowded than Carcassonne.
The French ministry of culture noted in its press release on Monday that the eight castles were "built on rocky peaks in grandiose landscapes" and they "illustrate a pivotal period in history and offer a unique example of military architecture, conferring on them an exceptional universal value".
Often called the 'Cathar castles', these structures are commonly associated with the persecuted religious group which lived in the Languedoc region (near modern day Toulouse and Carcassonne) between the 12th and 14th centuries.
During an exceptionally brutal period of history, the Cathar religious group - deemed heretics by the Catholic Church - were persecuted and largely exterminated, and the region eventually became part of the kingdom of France.
Over the years, the castles have become the centre of many legends surrounding the Cathars (also known as the Albigensians) and have featured in numerous books and films, including The Da Vinci Code.
Many of the castles are perched on hilltops or clifftops (a sensible defensive precaution), so they may require a short hike or walk to get there. People with reduced mobility should check in advance with the site, as not all are fully accessible. Some are only open during the summer months.
Lastours castles
Located about 15km from Carcassonne and 300m above the valleys of the Orbeil and Grésilhou rivers, the Lastours Châteaux now consists of four remaining castles which were originally built in the 11th century as the property of the lords of Cabaret.
They were significant locations for Cathar religious activity in the 13th century, hosting important members of the faith.
Ultimately, the Lastours Châteaux were destroyed in the 13th century to eliminate a refuge for the Cathars, but they were rebuilt as royal fortresses afterwards.
The four remaining castles have been listed as French historic monuments since the 1905. More information about history and visiting on the Pays Cathare tourism site. Tickets cost €9, more info here. Opening hours depend on the time of year.
Termes castle
Famous for the long siege of 1210 during the Albigensian Crusade, the Termes castle overlooks the Termenet gorges, which you can visit too. The castle is generally closed during the winter months. More information on visits here.
Aguilar castle
Once the seat of a powerful Occitan knight, the castle was an important fortress in the French crown's line of defence against the kingdom of Aragon. Later, in the 16th century, the castle was taken by the Spanish army. Over time, it lost its strategic importance and fell to disrepair.
It became a French historical site in 1949.
There is a carpark at the foot of the castle. Bus parking is about 1km from the ticket office. More info on the local tourism site.
Peyrepertuse castle
Perched on a limestone cliff in the Corbières mountains, the Peyrepertuse castle offers a stunning view across the valley. Though beware - it is also known as the citadelle du vertige (citadel of vertigo). On a good day, you may even be able to see the Mediterranean.
The nearby village of Duilhac has an equally fascinating history, having been passed between different feudal Lords until it became part of the Kingdom of France. The agrarian commune traditionally cultivated wine and olives.
Info for visiting on the castle's website.
Quéribus castle
At an altitude of 728m, sitting above the village of Cucugnan, the land that the Quéribus castle now stands on was once a fortified site owned by Chabert de Barbaira, a partisan of the King of Aragon who welcomed the Cathars.
Eventually, he surrendered Quéribus to the King of France. Recent archeological excavations in the area have found ceramics that date back to the Iron Age. Visit information on the Aude tourism website.
Puilaurens castle
The Puilaurens castle is one of the best preserved royal fortresses, at 697m in altitude. There are also several nearby activities, including a visit to the Galamus Gorges for rafting, canoeing or relaxing.
The nearby village of Lapradelle-Puilaurens is also along the scenic 'red' train, or the Train du Pays Cathare et du Fenouillèdes, which runs from Rivesaltes to Axat in the summer months. More info here.
Montségur castle
Perhaps the most famous of the 'Cathar castles', Montségur (at 1,200m in elevation) was one of the last of the Cathar strongholds to be seized and razed by French Royal forces.
All sorts of legends and rumours swirl around this site, notably related to the Holy Grail and buried treasure, which Nazi leader Heinrich Himmler apparently took time out of World War II to investigate.
Tickets cost €5.50 - more information on visiting on the Occitanie tourism site.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
2 days ago
- Euronews
Buying a French home as an expat: Tips, tricks, and traps to avoid
Whether it's a Parisian attic or a countryside villa, owning a property in France is a dream shared by many Francophiles. As well as the lure of sun-baked terraces and world-famous food, expats are drawn in by the practical perks on offer, including affordable healthcare, strong social security benefits, and a good work-life balance. Yes, the dream is a possibility — but there are some tips and tricks you should know before starting out. After speaking with a range of experts, Euronews Business has compiled an advice list, essential for foreigners buying in France. When it comes to choosing a property, buyers will often pick homes located in areas they've visited on holiday, or perhaps they have friends nearby. While both of these factors can give you an idea of a location, experts stress that thorough research is key. 'Read, investigate, and don't be in a hurry unless you can afford to make mistakes,' Alex Balkin, executive director of Savills French Riviera and French Alps, told Euronews Business. 'Some places are gorgeous. There's a little well in the town centre, lavender sprouting out of it, there's a lovely little cat lounging lazily in the sunshine. Then you come back in November and it's dead as a doornail. Even the bakery is shut.' As well as checking out the area's ambiance and accessibility during the winter, it can also be useful to contact the local town hall, or the mairie. Officials can then keep you up to date with what's happening in the vicinity — including potential development plans. In order to get a better feel for a place, some expats may also prefer to rent before they buy. While homeowners may sell through an estate agent, many properties are also available privately, said David Yeates, editor of France Insider, a specialist French property online journal. Even so, it's important to avoid overpaying in these cases, he explained. 'The great risk is that many private sellers overvalue their property.' Yeates added that there are difficulties valuing French houses, particularly in the countryside, 'because there are not always obvious comparisons and sales in rural areas'. Doing online research can help, but you may also want to pay for one or two estate agents in the area to give you their expert opinion. When a deal is struck between a buyer and a seller, it involves more than these two parties. In France, all real estate transactions must pass through a notaire, a government-appointed lawyer who draws up and handles the contracts. Their fees are regulated by the state and are based on the value of the property. As the notaire is a neutral party, working for both buyer and seller, many people choose to appoint just one. It can also be useful to have a notaire for both parties, although experts say this isn't essential. 'Notaires are impartial, they're not allowed to lie by omission, and their work is backed by the French state,' Alex Balkin told Euronews Business. Some buyers may also want to hire a lawyer, separate to a notaire, to give extra, personalised advice on complex situations. On this, Balkin said: 'It's not always very useful, especially if they don't know the workings in France. They will, in some cases, create a problem where there isn't one.' David Yeates noted that hiring an extra lawyer can sometimes be advantageous, particularly 'if your family circumstances are complex or the transaction is substantial'. A lawyer could, for example, give advice on inheritance rights, as 'there are different solutions that you can adopt from the outset to deal with the entrenched rights of children'. Gazumping is a practice where a seller agrees to transfer a property to a prospective buyer and then revokes the deal at the last moment, instead giving it to a higher bidder. Unlike in some countries, the French market protects the buyer against this practice, as a preliminary contract binds the parties to the sale. After the two sides sign the 'compromis de vente', the seller is committed to the deal, while the buyer has a 'cooling off' period of 10 days to change their mind. 'This period is a really important thing to know about because it allows you, the buyer, to withdraw if you have a change of heart,' Jack Harris, Partner at Knight Frank International Residential Real Estate, told Euronews Business. 'It's worth examining and understanding the suspensive clauses or conditions that can be included within this preliminary contract…because you'll then understand your liabilities as a buyer,' he added. It's also important to have a strong idea of the costs you'll incur when buying property, as well as being realistic about the potential returns. While some locations are anomalies, France's property market tends to be more stable than in other countries, meaning you won't see massive drops or gains in value. 'There are still very good investment areas, particularly areas like Paris, but countryside properties, they stay pretty stable … so you're not going to make huge amounts,' Joanna Leggett, marketing director at Leggett Immobilier International, told Euronews. 'These purchases tend to be a lifestyle choice rather than an investment choice.' Leggett added that a common mistake made by foreign buyers is underestimating the cost of renovation. 'These properties have a value ceiling and you may not get all of the renovation costs back,' she explained. 'Get estimates from local artisans before you go ahead and make an offer.' David Yeates of France Insider echoed these warnings, stressing that buyers should overestimate their costs and underestimate their incomes. 'It's very good to have dreams, but those dreams need to be proportionate to your capacity to realise them,' he said. A reminder: the information in this article does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research to ensure it's right for your specific circumstances. Also remember, we are a journalistic website and aim to provide the best guidance, tips and advice from experts. If you rely on the information on this page then you do so entirely at your own risk.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Euronews
Trump's travel ban on citizens from 12 countries takes effect
US President Donald Trump's sweeping ban on travel to the US by citizens of 12 countries took effect on Monday amid rising tensions over immigration. The 12 countries targeted include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela are partially restricted. On Wednesday, Trump warned in a video that new countries could be added to the list as "threats emerge around the world." The ban comes more than eight years after his first travel ban in 2017 denied entry to citizens from mainly Muslim countries, sparking chaos at numerous airports and prompting months of legal battles. Unlike Trump's first ban, no such disruption was immediately discernable at airports and other entry points. Experts expect the proclamation — which is broader and more carefully crafted — to withstand legal challenges partly due its focus on the visa application process. The ban does not revoke visas issued to countries included on the list however, unless the applicant meets narrow criteria for an exemption to the ban, his or her application will be rejected from Monday. Travelers with previously issued visas should still be able to enter the US even after the ban takes effect. The announcement that the ban would take effect on Monday was overshadowed by other immigration battles, including widespread protests in Los Angeles against Trump's deportation raids. The demonstrations prompted the deployment of the National Guard — despite objections from California's governor. The policy specifically targets citizens of Haiti and Afghanistan, though it makes exceptions for individuals who collaborated closely with the US government during the two-decade war. It also imposes stricter measures on Venezuelan nationals, who have faced increased pressure under the Trump administration in recent months — including abrupt deportations to a detention facility in El Salvador which have ignited a legal battle. The measure has been denounced by groups that provide aid and resettlement help to refugees. 'This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,' Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, said. Trump has justified the ban by claiming that some countries had "deficient' screening for passports and other public documents or have historically refused to take back their own citizens. The nationals in the countries included on the list impose "terrorism-related' and 'public-safety' risks, as well as risks of overstaying their visas. He also tied the ban to a terrorist attack in Colorado, which wounded a dozen people, saying it underscored the dangers posed by visitors who overstay visas in the US. The man charged in the incident is from Eygpt, a country not included in Trump's list. French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday slammed the withdrawal of climate funding by the US, saying it was time to reach an agreement for the entire planet. Macron said this on the eve of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference and amid rising pressure for nations to turn decades of promises into real protection for the sea. Speaking to scientists at one of the sideline forums of the UN conference, the French president said: 'Unfortunately, if we are more or less clear-headed, we are at a time when international science, which still depends a lot on American funding, is withdrawing this funding, where we have a lot of people who are questioning multilateralism and these agencies". The US is not attending the key UN Ocean summit in the French southern city of Nice, after the Trump administration effectively pulled out of all climate-related agreements and withdrew funding upon assumption of office in January. On Sunday, Macron called on nations to commit to a moratorium on deep-sea exploitation. "I want us to reach an agreement for the entire planet. Because it's completely crazy. It's completely crazy to go and exploit, to go and drill in a place we don't know. It's frenzied madness." Host to the third edition of the UN Ocean conference, Macron said around 30 heads of state and government have committed to a moratorium on deep-sea exploitation. "There are already about 30 of us who have agreed. We're not going to give up. It's completely crazy to go and exploit, to go and drill in a place we don't know. It's frenzied madness," he stressed. More than 50 world leaders are expected to attend the UN conference this week, with a major focus of the weeklong summit being a push to ratify the High Seas Treaty, which would enable conservation in international waters. Thousands of delegates, including scientists and environmental advocates, began to arrive in Nice on Sunday for the conference that aims to debate plans to confront growing threats to the ocean and the need to transform pledges into protection. The United Nations has called the threats a global emergency facing the world's oceans as they confront rising temperatures, plastic pollution choking marine life, and relentless overexploitation of fish and other resources.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Euronews
Trump's travel ban on cititzens from 12 countries takes effect
US President Donald Trump's sweeping ban on travel to the US by citizens of 12 countries took effect on Monday amid rising tensions over immigration. The 12 countries targeted include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela are partially restricted. On Wednesday, Trump warned in a video that new countries could be added to the list as "threats emerge around the world." The ban comes more than eight years after his first travel ban in 2017 denied entry to citizens from mainly Muslim countries, sparking chaos at numerous airports and prompting months of legal battles. Unlike Trump's first ban, no such disruption was immediately discernable at airports and other entry points. Experts expect the proclamation — which is broader and more carefully crafted — to withstand legal challenges partly due its focus on the visa application process. The ban does not revoke visas issued to countries included on the list however, unless the applicant meets narrow criteria for an exemption to the ban, his or her application will be rejected from Monday. Travelers with previously issued visas should still be able to enter the US even after the ban takes effect. The announcement that the ban would take effect on Monday was overshadowed by other immigration battles, including widespread protests in Los Angeles against Trump's deportation raids. The demonstrations prompted the deployment of the National Guard — despite objections from California's governor. The policy specifically targets citizens of Haiti and Afghanistan, though it makes exceptions for individuals who collaborated closely with the US government during the two-decade war. It also imposes stricter measures on Venezuelan nationals, who have faced increased pressure under the Trump administration in recent months — including abrupt deportations to a detention facility in El Salvador which have ignited a legal battle. The measure has been denounced by groups that provide aid and resettlement help to refugees. 'This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,' Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, said. Trump has justified the ban by claiming that some countries had "deficient' screening for passports and other public documents or have historically refused to take back their own citizens. The nationals in the countries included on the list impose "terrorism-related' and 'public-safety' risks, as well as risks of overstaying their visas. He also tied the ban to a terrorist attack in Colorado, which wounded a dozen people, saying it underscored the dangers posed by visitors who overstay visas in the US. The man charged in the incident is from Eygpt, a country not included in Trump's list. French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday slammed the withdrawal of climate funding by the US, saying it was time to reach an agreement for the entire planet. Macron said this on the eve of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference and amid rising pressure for nations to turn decades of promises into real protection for the sea. Speaking to scientists at one of the sideline forums of the UN conference, the French president said: 'Unfortunately, if we are more or less clear-headed, we are at a time when international science, which still depends a lot on American funding, is withdrawing this funding, where we have a lot of people who are questioning multilateralism and these agencies". The US is not attending the key UN Ocean summit in the French southern city of Nice, after the Trump administration effectively pulled out of all climate-related agreements and withdrew funding upon assumption of office in January. On Sunday, Macron called on nations to commit to a moratorium on deep-sea exploitation. "I want us to reach an agreement for the entire planet. Because it's completely crazy. It's completely crazy to go and exploit, to go and drill in a place we don't know. It's frenzied madness." Host to the third edition of the UN Ocean conference, Macron said around 30 heads of state and government have committed to a moratorium on deep-sea exploitation. "There are already about 30 of us who have agreed. We're not going to give up. It's completely crazy to go and exploit, to go and drill in a place we don't know. It's frenzied madness," he stressed. More than 50 world leaders are expected to attend the UN conference this week, with a major focus of the weeklong summit being a push to ratify the High Seas Treaty, which would enable conservation in international waters. Thousands of delegates, including scientists and environmental advocates, began to arrive in Nice on Sunday for the conference that aims to debate plans to confront growing threats to the ocean and the need to transform pledges into protection. The United Nations has called the threats a global emergency facing the world's oceans as they confront rising temperatures, plastic pollution choking marine life, and relentless overexploitation of fish and other resources.
