Château de Lordat

Lordat, France

Château de Lordat castle dates back to the 9th and 10th centuries (mentioned first time in 970 AD). Around 1244 it was occupied by the Cathars during the crusade against the Albigensians. Lordat family abandoned the castle at the time of religious wars of France. Dismantled by the order of Henry IV in 1582, the castle fell gradually in ruins. The entrance is protected by a square tower which still has its original appearance.

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Address

Le Village 3, Lordat, France
See all sites in Lordat

Details

Founded: 10th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in France
Historical period: Frankish kingdoms (France)

Rating

4.2/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Tom Cassaert (9 months ago)
Stars only for the castle. Shame on the city hall for such poor care of amenities EDIT following owner response: the toilets are part of the castle visit, sir. So you should take care of those or contact city to do so. The only reason the toilets exist is for visiting the castle
Alastair STEPHEN (Alastair) (2 years ago)
Stunning views from the ruins of a 1000 year old cathar castle . There is no disabled access and a very steep and rough path to the castle remains . There are public toilets in the square just below the castle Interesting to imagine what life must have been like when it was occupied . Heating in the winter would have been labour intensive , and the very act of building and maintaining it must have been tremendously difficult. If one imagines a siege situation where all food , water and ammunition had to be sourced and stored inside for lengthy periods, imagining the conditions of the time becomes quite dark and forbidding . From the castle one can see what appears at first sight to be a chairlift. It is in fact a system of mechanised buckets transferring talc from the mine in the mountains down to the factory in the town below .
Rose L (2 years ago)
Beautiful chateaux with amazing energy and views. The site with the viewing platform nearby was beautiful too but more challenging to think about as it had likely been a graveyard. Well worth a visit, loved it!
Ben Middleton (2 years ago)
Interesting ruined Cathar fort. Look at the schedule if you can coming in July or August as they have a show with birds of prey. At times the birds (Hawks, Vultures, Owls and Eagles) get pretty close with the audience.
CONSCIENCE (3 years ago)
An easy expedition for families! A Cathar castle that is still coherent! Remember to park outside the village because the streets are narrow! Put the gps to go up in pedestrian mode! Otherwise you will turn to access the free and modern entrance which closes at 5 p.m. Then you walk 10 minutes and the porch of the castle appears.
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Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.