Château de Quéribus, Cucugnan, France

Château de Quéribus is a ruined castle in the commune of Cucugnan. It is one of the 'Five Sons of Carcassonne', along with Aguilar, Peyrepertuse, Termes and Puilaurens: five castles strategically placed to defend the French border against the Spanish, until the border was moved in 1659.

Quéribus was first time mentioned in 1021 when it was one of the main Barcelonan strongholds north of the Pyrenees.

It is sometimes regarded as the last Cathar stronghold. After the fall of Montségur in 1244 surviving Cathars gathered together in another mountain-top stronghold on the border of Aragon. In 1255, a French army was dispatched to deal with these remaining Cathars, but they slipped away without a fight, probably to Aragon or Piedmont - both regions where Cathar beliefs were still common, and where the Occitan language was spoken.

Quéribus is high and isolated. It stands on top of the highest peak for miles around. In 1951 restoration work on the turret began, and between 1998-2002 a complete restoration of the castle was undertaken: the castle is now accessible to visitors.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Alex Thompson (10 months ago)
Amazing place with phenomenal views and fascinating history.

Lyubov R (2 years ago)
Fascinating views, filled with history every inch. I definitely recommend it, it's a great weekend walk. There are picnic tables nearby

John Reilly (2 years ago)
The only thing I want to add is that we wore sturdy sneakers and if the stones inside the walls are dry, it isn't a problem. Don't be put off if you don't have hiking boots. On the other hand, the walk up to the chateau from the ticket office is steep, contrary to what else you might read. Easy enough for the young but us oldies had a few stops on the way.

Chris Mobile (2 years ago)
If you like walking in the mountains, this is a nice medieval castle to visit. The building condition is average for a medieval castle... The view from the castle is impressive.

Niall Flynn (3 years ago)
Ruins of Castle on hilltop. Great views of surrounding countryside.

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Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.

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