Lastours: Four Castle Ruins and Their History

The Châteaux de Lastours complex comprises Cabaret, Tour Régine, Surdespine, and Quertinheux. The ruins of these four castles are protected as historic monuments. Several different periods are important for understanding your visit: Cabaret represents early settlement and a later historical role; the exhibitions explore history and natural history topics.

From Prehistory to Catharism

Cabaret has been inhabited since prehistoric times. A grave from the Early Middle Bronze Age in a cave below Quertinheux Castle attests to this settlement. From the late 12th to the late 13th century, Cabaret was an important center of Catharism. These two details refer to periods that are clearly separated in time: the grave find dates to prehistoric times, while Cabaret’s importance in Catharism belongs to a later period. The site’s long history can therefore be explored through specific references to different periods.

A visit to the Castrum de Cabaret archaeological site also includes a visit to a forge. This adds a specific part of the visit alongside the historical periods mentioned above.

Archaeological and Natural History Exhibitions

The archaeological exhibition “Lastours, 4000 ans d'histoire” presents 250 objects spanning 4,000 years of history. Its timeframe complements the individual historical references to Cabaret: the focus is on several millennia of history, not just a single period. This can help you place the early settlement and Cabaret’s later importance in a broader historical context.

Another exhibition at the site, “Lastours, des mondes à découvrir,” explores geology, botany, and zoology. Compared with the archaeological exhibition, the focus here shifts from history to natural history topics. The two exhibitions therefore offer different subject areas: one traces a long span of history, while the other covers three specifically named fields of knowledge. Which one interests you most depends on whether you want to explore the historical or natural history focus in greater depth.

Tour, Belvedere, and Hiking Trail

If you don’t want to take the tour through the castles, you can view the ruins from a distance from the easily accessible Belvedere. The viewpoint is about 200 meters from the ticket office and can be reached by a path accessible to all visitors. This provides an alternative to the tour: viewing the ruins from a distance. The Belvedere is the viewpoint; the tour through the castles is a different way to visit.

Les Sentinelles de l’Orbiel follows a former work route that now serves as a hiking trail to the Belvedere. The route thus connects two periods: it was formerly a work route and is now a hiking trail leading to the Belvedere. Unlike viewing the ruins from a distance at the viewpoint, Les Sentinelles describes the route leading there. This makes it possible to distinguish between the tour through the castles, viewing them from a distance, and the hiking trail as different ways to visit.

Discover more destinations: Maisons, Cailhavel, Villegailhenc, Comus, Arquettes-En-Val, Narbonne, Saint-Pierre-Des-Champs, Montgaillard

For the broader travel overview: Aude.