Page 324 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

that has been converted
3 Château de into a theatre, and shows
Peyrepertuse a film documenting the
story of the castle through
The largest of the Cathar the eyes of one of the TUUL AND BRUNO MORANDI / GETTY IMAGES ©
castles is Peyrepertuse castle’s curates.
(%04 82 53 24 07; www. The top of the keep
chateau-peyrepertuse.com; is reached via a narrow
Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse; staircase and offers a
adult/child Jul & Aug €9/3.50, truly mind-blowing
rest of year €6.50/3.50; view stretching to the
h9am-8pm Jul & Aug, shorter Mediterranean and the
hours rest of year), with a Pyrenees on a clear day.
dizzying drop of 800m
on either side. Several of The Drive » Drive back
the original towers and down to the turn-off, and turn
many sections of ram- left. Continue along this road
(the D19) for 8km to the small
parts are still standing. town of Maury. Take the D117
In mid-August, the castle for 25km to Puilaurens. The
holds falconry displays next castle is signed from here,
and a two-day medieval another 3km south.
festival, complete with
knights in armour.
5 Château de
The Drive » Backtrack along
the D14 for 9km to the turn-off Puilaurens
onto the D123 near Cucugnan. If it’s the classic hilltop
The road twists and turns castle you’re after, Pui-
steeply into the dusty hills. laurens (%04 68 20 65 26;
Keep your eyes peeled for the www.pays-axat.org; Lapradelle;
PYRENEES & SOUTHWEST FRANCE 29 THE CATHAR TRAIL
Quéribus turn-off as you drive
another 3km uphill. adult/child €5/3; h9am-
8pm Jul & Aug, shorter hours
Sep–mid-Nov & Feb-Jun) is it.
TRIP HIGHLIGHT With its turrets and lofty
4 Château de location, it’s perhaps the
Quéribus most dramatic of the
Perilously perched 728m Cathar fortresses, with
all the classic medieval
up on a rocky hill, Quéri- defences: double defen-
bus (%04 68 45 03 69; www. sive walls, four corner
cucugnan.fr; Cucugnan; adult/ towers and crenellated
child €6.50/3.50; h9am-8pm battlements. It’s also
Jul & Aug, shorter hours rest of said to be haunted by the
year) was the site of the Ca- White Lady, a niece of
thars’ last stand in 1255. Philippe le Bel.
Its interior structure is
fairly well preserved: the The Drive » Backtrack to the
Salle du Pilier inside the D117 and follow it west for 36km
central keep still features to Puivert, skirting through hills,
its original Gothic pillars, fields and forests. Just before
vaulting and archways. you reach the village, there’s a
sharp right turn to the château,
There’s also a small house

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