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Chateau Cathare de Peyrepertuse

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Occitanie

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Chateau Cathare de Peyrepertuse

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About Chateau Cathare de Peyrepertuse

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Peyrepertuse Castle is a Cathar fort located in Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse in the Aude department. It is called the "Celestial Carcassonne" because it is as large as Carcassonne itself. From its rocky spur, it offers a breathtaking view of a neighboring Cathar castle: Quéribus. It is the very embodiment of one of the most beautiful Cathar fortresses. This fort is a remarkable example of medieval military architecture in the Languedoc region. The view of the castle from Duilhac (to the south) is impressive due to the 30- to 40-meter cliff on which it stands. The main entrance is on the north side, but in Cathar times, a secret passage, accessed via a removable ladder, allowed entry to the castle after a narrow path behind a large rocky spur. Today the postern gate of the secret passage is closed, but the path is still there (the passage behind the spur is exceptional) and it is possible to finish the climb with a climbing route.

Tip for an even more exceptional visit.

For a smart visit to the Peyrepertuse fortress, the trick is to approach the site like a stone ship in two stages. Don't just stay in the lower part (the Old Castle); the real challenge and the greatest reward await you at the very top, after climbing the Saint-Louis Staircase. Carved directly into the cliff face, this vertiginous staircase leads you to the Sant-Jordi keep: it is here, from the chapel suspended between heaven and earth, that you will understand why it is called the "Citadel of Vertigo." The real secret to feeling the soul of the place is to approach the medieval cisterns and the arrow slits in the north wall: the whistling of the wind is constant and gives an epic dimension to the visit. For the perfect photo, don't just stick to the interior views; once back down at the parking lot, walk for a few minutes along the opposite ridge path towards the Col de la Croix-Dessus. From here you will have an incredible overview showing how the fortress literally blends into the limestone ridge, to the point that it is difficult to distinguish where the mountain ends and the castle begins.