Arques – Château, Cathar History and Nature

Arques brings together cultural and historical topics with activities in the countryside. If you’re looking for a hotel in Arques, you can plan your stay around whether you want to focus on the Château and Cathar history, or on trails, the lake and horse rides.

Château d’Arques and Cathar History

Château d’Arques stands on an isolated hill a few hundred metres west of the village of Arques. Its square surrounding wall has a Gothic gate; within the grounds rises an almost intact, 24-metre-high keep with four turrets. The Château has been classified as a Monument historique since 16 August 1887. Its architecture and historical context offer visitors several distinct points of interest.

Gilles de Voisins began building Château d’Arques in 1280 as a residential castle. This provides a date for its construction history, while the wall, gate and keep are its distinctive architectural features. Those interested in Cathar history will find another way to explore the subject in the village.

The Maison Déodat Roché is the birthplace of historian Déodat Roché, who studied Catharism. The Maison has a permanent exhibition about Catharism, as well as personal items from Roché’s life in the village. A visit to the Maison Déodat Roché can be combined with a visit to Château d’Arques. This brings the history of the village and the study of Catharism together with the castle’s architecture.

The guided tour “Arques, Terre de Mystères” explores Catharism, the Inquisition, heresy and witchcraft, as well as the daily lives of villagers during the persecutions. Another option is the escape game “Le Trésor des Cathares”, which takes place at Château d’Arques. Its story revolves around a legendary Cathar treasure said to be hidden in a crypt in the medieval castle. Check the booking details for the guided tour and escape game before your trip.

Trails, the Lake and Activities

The Sentier des Berques starts in Arques and passes a former tree nursery run by the Office national des forêts, which has been converted into an arboretum. The trail then runs through a fir forest to a viewpoint overlooking Arques. The route takes in both the forest section and views of the village, setting it apart from the cultural and historical attractions around the Château.

Lac d’Arques is an eight-hectare recreational lake suitable for swimming. You can fish for trout there, and picnic tables are also available. The lake therefore offers different ways to enjoy the water: swimming, fishing or taking a break at the tables. Which activity you focus on depends on how you’d like to spend your time at Lac d’Arques.

Le Cheval N’Arquois offers horse rides through the red landscapes of Arques, the Rialsesse forest and along Lac d’Arques. Pony rides are available for children. If you’re planning to take a horse or pony ride, check the reservation details before your trip.

A cycling route also takes in several fortresses: “Le Tour des Châteaux” first leads to the Donjon d’Arques, then continues to the fortresses of Quéribus and Peyrepertuse. By contrast, the Sentier des Berques leads to a viewpoint overlooking Arques, while the cycling route continues on to the two other fortresses. The routes therefore have different stated destinations, so you can choose according to what you’d like to focus on.

When planning your trip to Arques, you can treat the cultural and historical sites and the countryside activities as different focal points. The Château, Maison Déodat Roché, Sentier des Berques, Lac d’Arques and the activities mentioned offer different themes for your stay, without requiring you to make any single attraction the benchmark for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Routier, Olonzac, Belcaire, Narbonne, Conques-Sur-Orbiel, Axat, Coustaussa, Bizanet

For the broader travel overview: Aude.