Perched 728m up on a rocky hill, Quéribus was the site of the Cathars’ last stand in 1255. Its structure is well preserved: the salle du pilier (pillars' room) inside the central keep still features Gothic pillars, vaulting and archways. Mind-blowing views stretch to the Mediterranean and Pyrenees from the top. In the theatre, a short film documents the castle’s history, seen through the eyes of one of its curates. It’s 42km northwest of Perpignan via the D117.
© santirf/Getty Images/iStock
Château de Quéribus
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.68 MILES
Built on a steep spur of rock, Carcassonne’s rampart-ringed fortress dates back more than two millennia. The fortified town is encircled by two sets of…
25.07 MILES
Roussillon had its artistic heyday around the turn of the 20th century, when Fauvist and cubist artists flocked here, attracted by the searing colours and…
17.02 MILES
Perpignan’s most dominant monument, the Palace of the Kings of Mallorca sprawls over a huge area to the south of the old town. Built in 1276, the castle…
10.72 MILES
These rock formations must be one of the most striking geological wonders in Occitanie, though they have remained well under the tourist radar. They…
24.48 MILES
Founded by Cistercian monks in 1093, Fontfroide Abbey became one of southern France’s most powerful ecclesiastical centres during the Middle Ages…
16.55 MILES
In a lofty location 63km northwest of Perpignan via the D117, turreted Puilaurens is perhaps the most dramatic of the Cathar fortresses. It has the full…
4.13 MILES
Peyrepertuse is the largest of the Cathar castles, teetering on a sheer spur of rock with a drop of 800m on either side. Several of the original towers…
Musée de Préhistoire de Tautavel
6.69 MILES
The cave-riddled cliffs above Tautavel, 34km northwest of Perpignan along the D117, have yielded a host of prehistoric finds, most notably a human skull…
Nearby attractions
4.13 MILES
Peyrepertuse is the largest of the Cathar castles, teetering on a sheer spur of rock with a drop of 800m on either side. Several of the original towers…
2. Musée de Préhistoire de Tautavel
6.69 MILES
The cave-riddled cliffs above Tautavel, 34km northwest of Perpignan along the D117, have yielded a host of prehistoric finds, most notably a human skull…
7.38 MILES
Squatting on a low hill near the village of Tuchan, Aguilar features six corner turrets and a hexagonal outer wall. It’s the smallest of the Cathar…
10.72 MILES
These rock formations must be one of the most striking geological wonders in Occitanie, though they have remained well under the tourist radar. They…
15.7 MILES
Travelling around the Têt Valley, it's well worth visiting the hilltop village of Eus, 12km northeast of Villefranche-de-Conflent. The approach to the…
16.55 MILES
In a lofty location 63km northwest of Perpignan via the D117, turreted Puilaurens is perhaps the most dramatic of the Cathar fortresses. It has the full…
7. Le Castillet & Musée Casa Païral
16.75 MILES
Like many medieval towns, Perpignan was once encircled by defensive walls. Today all that remains is the red-brick town gate of Le Castillet, at the…
8. Musée d'Art Hyacinthe Rigaud
16.8 MILES
Occupying two elegant hôtels particuliers (private mansions) right in the historical centre, this museum was entirely renovated in 2017 and now ranks as…