Peyrepertuse, Medieval fortress in Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse, France
Peyrepertuse Castle stands at 800 meters altitude on a limestone ridge, with its structure extending across two distinct levels connected by a stone staircase.
The fortress changed hands from Aragon to France in 1240, leading King Louis IX to strengthen its defenses with the construction of Sant Jordi dungeon.
The castle forms part of the Five Sons of Carcassonne, a network of fortresses that protected the French border with Spain until the Treaty of the Pyrenees.
Visitors reach the castle through a winding path from the parking area, with seasonal opening hours and optional guided tours available upon request.
The upper section of the castle resembles a ship's prow, containing the Church of Sainte-Marie and featuring over 60 steps carved directly into the rock.
Location: Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse
Address: 11350 Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse, France
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 10:00-16:30
Phone: +33430370077
Website: https://peyrepertuse.com
GPS coordinates: 42.87080,2.55537
Latest update: June 23, 2025 09:38
Occitanie encompasses an architectural and natural heritage that reflects many centuries of history. Medieval villages are nestled in valleys and on heights, while castles and monasteries tell of the era of the Cathars and religious orders. The region also features remarkable geological formations: deep gorges, waterfalls, potholes, and caves decorated with prehistoric paintings. Among the sites to visit, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie overlooks the Lot Valley with its stone houses and narrow streets. The Peyrepertuse fortress stands at 800 meters above sea level on a rocky spur in the Corbières. The Navacelles cirque reveals a canyon carved by the Vis River, while the Gorges de la Jonte provide trails through a habitat for vultures. The Lagrasse Abbey maintains its medieval architecture on the banks of the Orbieu, and the Niaux Cave houses Magdalenian paintings dating back 14,000 years. Natural curiosities like the Gouffre de l'Oeil Doux and the intermittent Fountain of Fontestorbes complete this territory where history and geology meet.
The region around Carcassonne features an area marked by medieval and Cathar history, with castles, abbeys, and old villages. The Cité of Carcassonne displays its city walls restored in the 19th century by Viollet-le-Duc, while the Canal du Midi has traversed the region for 240 kilometers since the 17th century. The castles of Quéribus and Peyrepertuse overlook the landscape from their rocky spurs at over 700 meters above sea level, serving as the last strongholds of the Cathar resistance in the 13th century. Villages like Minerve and Lagrasse showcase medieval architecture, with narrow streets, ancient bridges, and Benedictine abbeys. The region also includes the four Lastours castles aligned along a ridge, the Saint-Maurice Cathedral in Mirepoix with its 22-meter-wide Gothic nave, and natural sites like Lake Cavayère. These monuments and landscapes form a representative ensemble of the south of France’s historical and natural heritage, accessible from Carcassonne.
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