LES QUATRE CHÂTEAUX DE LASTOURS
The four castles of Lastours, located in an area that bears witness to a wealthy economy built around metallurgy.
A breathtaking view, a steep landscape, castles perched 300 m high on a ridge above the valley... Lost in time and space, we marvel at the châteaux of Lastours, the first site in the département to be listed in 1905. And rightly so: situated between the Orbiel river and the Grézilhou torrent, the site has endured despite multiple assaults during the Crusade against the Albigensians, and later during the Wars of Religion. The site comprises 4 towers: the castles of Cabaret, Surdespine, Quertinheux and the Tour Régine. You can also discover the castral village of Cabaret, witness to a wealthy economy built around metallurgy. For centuries, castles controlled the passage of ore from the Montagne Noire. Lastours is also home to some forty caves and cavities. A true geological wonder.
Access to the castles is somewhat arduous, but a stop at the shaded belvedere allows you to admire two exceptional views of the site without having to do the whole walk. Housed in a restored former textile mill, the reception area serves as an exhibition room for archaeological artefacts recovered from excavations carried out on the site. A store offers an interesting selection of books on the heritage of the Aude region, as well as books and games for children. To find out more, download the "Guide du pays cathare" and "Castrum" applications.
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Ces forteresses ont une grande importance historique, notamment durant la Croisade des Albigeois au XIIIe siècle. Le château de Cabaret fut un bastion majeur de la résistance cathare. Pierre Roger de Cabaret, seigneur des lieux, accueillait alors des communautés cathares et défendait la région contre les armées croisées.
Le site est aujourd’hui un lieu emblématique du patrimoine médiéval français. Bien que partiellement en ruines, les vestiges des châteaux offrent un aperçu fascinant de l’architecture militaire du Moyen Âge. Le site est accessible par un sentier aménagé qui permet aux visiteurs de profiter d’une vue panoramique remarquable sur le paysage alentour.
Les Quatre Châteaux de Lastours constituent ainsi un témoignage vivant de l’histoire et des conflits médiévaux, tout en étant un lieu de promenade apprécié pour sa beauté naturelle et son atmosphère chargée d’histoire.
Pour des raisons de sécurité, il vaut mieux éviter les enfants en bas âge.
Bonne visite.