The Cathars were a simple people. The framework for his belief is found in the Sermon on the Mount.
- They opposed gross materialism, especially as practiced by the church of the time.
- They doubted the divinity of Jesus.
- God ruled in heaven and the devil controlled earth.
These beliefs, of course, got them into great trouble with the established church, which found itself holding a powerful position in the highly material world. Then, like many simple societies that expressed alternative beliefs, they became fodder for the bonfires of the dominant culture. The inquisition was tested with the Cathars. The Cathars lost, but not before, they had inhabited some mighty castles to hold the hordes behind their necks.
Religious persecution is often one of the cruelest in the world. And the remnants of the alternative sect’s isolation can be seen both in Cathar castles and in the Meteora monasteries in Greece.
Explore the best of Cathar country along the Aude south of Carcassonne in the Languedoc region of France.
The easiest Cathar castles to find
- Chateau d’Arques – Parking is near the Chateau, just a small elevation change gets you to the gate. This is one of the few Cathar structures that exist on flat lands. A shaded tour in a flat plane takes you from the castle to the town of Arques, where you will find a small museum that is free with your entry to the castle. You can buy local honey at the entrance. Arques is mentioned for the first time in a document written in 1011. The construction of the castle donjon (the main tower) began in 1280. It has four floors, accessed via spiral staircases, with good views of the surrounding countryside.
- Chateau de Puivert – This castle is on a hill, but you can drive most of the way. It has a tower with four floors that you can visit. But the interesting part about Puivert is in the stone carvings in the chapel that reveal the people playing medieval musical instruments. These eight instruments have been replicated and in the Quercorb-Puivert museum you can see and listen to them through a multimedia screen (there is a sample of the music on the page mentioned above). In the town of Puivert, there is also a store on the river where you can buy hand-carved puppets.
The best Cathar castles to visit
Here are the best castles, but reaching them can be challenging.
- Chateau de Peyrepertuse a Duilhac – If you only see one Cathar castle, make it Peyrpertuse. You can drive most of the way up to its limestone outcrop, but the trail, on a weathered limestone base, takes you around the back of the castle and undergoes several elevation changes. They won’t let you use the road in a storm. It is treacherous when wet.
- You can easily see Peyrepertuse in one day along with the nearby Chateau de Queribus in Cucugnan and the Chateau de Puilaurens in Lapradelle. The path between them is quite pleasant. A lunch stop in Cucugnan is recommended. There are three restaurants.
