Château de Castelnou, Medieval fortress in Castelnou, France
Château de Castelnou is a stone fortification with defensive towers that rises above the village. From here, you can see far across the Roussillon landscape to Mount Canigou in the distance.
The fortification was built in the 10th century as a military outpost for Catalan nobility. It represents one of the oldest defensive structures in Roussillon and reflects early regional defense strategies.
The castle draws visitors interested in medieval fortifications and Catalan heritage. The village surrounding it remains inhabited, showing how people have lived at this strategic location for centuries.
The castle stands on a rocky outcrop above the village and is reached on foot via a climb. The only entrance is a 13th-century arched gate on the eastern wall, leading into a forecourt with a vaulted guardroom. The site was bought by the department in 2018 and was to reopen after safety works in summer 2020.
The castle was bought in 1946 by Charles-Emmanuel Brousse, husband of Amy Elizabeth Thorpe, an MI6 spy in World War II. A fire in 1972 killed Brousse and ravaged the building. The Conseil départemental acquired it in October 2018 for a symbolic euro from Crédit agricole Sud Méditerranée.
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