The Chateau de Puilaurens is considered to be one of the well-known “cathar castles” in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon, France. It is also considered to be one of the most impressive specimens of medieval castle building in the area. The fortified structure may be found in Lapradelle-Puilaurens, which is located to the south of Carcassonne in the Aude department of the Languedoc-Roussillon area. It is perched at an elevation of 697 meters above the Boulzane valley.
Even when compared to the other Cathar castles, the setting of the Chateau de Puilaurens, which is perched on a rocky slope high above the surrounding farmland, stands out as particularly outstanding.
A Brief Overview of the History of Chateau de Puilaurens
It’s possible that a castle stood here as early as the 10th century; at first, it was under the authority of the Abbey of Saint-Michel de Cuxa, and later, it came under the authority of Aragon, which was a part of the Spanish kingdoms.
Around the year 1241, a Cathar deacon by the name of Fenouillèdes stayed in the castle. From 1245 to 1246, a number of Cathar men, women, and children also stayed in the castle. This is when the Cathars first became associated with the castle. During Simon de Montfort’s crusade against the Cathars, the fortress at Puilaurens was never truly taken by him because, at the time, it was ruled by Aragon and was therefore not included in the territory that Simon de Montfort conquered.
After the conclusion of the Cathar repression and about the middle of the 13th century, the castle fell into the hands of the French crown and was extensively strengthened so that it could play an important part in the defense of the territory against attacks on the region from the Aragons from Spain. The Aragonese were never able to successfully seize control of the Chateau de Puilaurens, which is the most southern stronghold in all of France.
After the Cathars had left the Chateau de Puilaurens, a significant portion of the castle that we see today was created as part of this 13th century reinforcement. This means that it was built after the Chateau de Puilaurens.
The castle kept its military function until 1659, when the Treaty of the Pyrenees established a border between France and Spain that was further south than this location. After that, the fortress was no longer used for defensive purposes. After this point on, the castle saw only a sporadic presence of military personnel, and during the revolution, it was ultimately left in ruins and no longer inhabited.
Visit Chateau de Puilaurens
A steep, rocky route and stairway on the south side of the rock provide access to Chateau de Puilaurens. This path and staircase zigzags up the rock before arriving at the castle walls at the top of the rock.
A significant portion of the original castle construction may still be seen, including the massive ring of crenellated defensive walls, as the castle remains are perched high on a rocky spur and are in quite good shape.
A significant portion of the outer wall of the castle has been preserved. You can also see the towers and posterns that were a part of the fortifications, in addition to the main courtyard, the water tank, and the castle keep. Additionally, you can see the minor details that help bring ancient castles back to life, such as medieval bathrooms and arrow slits. Additionally, the castle features a number of rooms and vantage points that offer breathtaking panoramas of the hills in the area.
The cost of admission is approximately 5 euros for adults and 3 euros for youngsters up to the age of 15. From the 1st of April until the 30th of September, Chateau de Puilaurens is open every day, but from the 1st of February until the 31st of March, it is only open on the weekends.
Nearby places of interest
Carcassonne, which is located in this region, is considered to be one of the most impressive medieval towns in all of France and may be seen if you travel to this part of France. Cathar castles are also located in this region. The Chateau de Queribus and the Chateau de Peyrepertuse are located to the east of the Chateau de Puilaurens, while the Chateau de Montsegur and the Chateau de Puivert are located to the west of the Chateau de Puilaurens.