Tour Madeloc, Medieval watchtower in Collioure, France.

Tour Madeloc is a circular watchtower of rough schist blocks on a rocky ridge at about 650 metres in the Albères massif, on the boundary of Collioure and Port-Vendres. It has no windows; two vertical slits light the interior. A ring of projecting stone brackets near the top once carried a wooden walkway, and antennas and white drum-shaped dishes are now mounted above the parapet.

Built at the end of the 13th century under Jaume II of Majorca, the tower guarded the coast against Moorish raids and threats from the kings of France and Aragon. It belonged to a signal network with the towers of Massane, Mir, Cos and Batère. The 1659 Treaty of the Pyrenees ended its strategic role, and by the early 20th century it housed a radio relay station.

The tower sits among vineyards that have shaped the landscape for generations and remain actively cultivated today. The hiking paths leading to it pass through these wine-producing areas, showing how deeply local work is connected to the surrounding terrain.

The climb requires time and physical effort, as the trails are steep and involve significant elevation gain. Good footwear and plenty of water are advisable, especially in warm weather, since there is little shade along the way.

The tower is windowless: its internal stairs and rooms are lit only by narrow arrow-slit openings, two of which are cut into the stone face. Above the parapet, projecting stone brackets once carried a wooden fighting walkway. The ant Solenopsis duboscqui was described from specimens collected near the tower.