Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hikers park at the lot as they enter the village, walk five minutes upriver to the glass
entry, then walk 20 minutes uphill to the castles (allow at least an hour for a reasonable
tour, wear sturdy walking shoes). The castles, which once surrounded a fortified village,
date from the 11th century. The village welcomed Cathars (becoming a bishop's seat at
one point) but paid for this tolerance with destruction by French troops in 1227. Everyone
should make the short drive to the belvedere for a smashing panorama over the castles.
Cost and Hours:
€6-castlesandbelvedereviewpoint,€2-viewpointonly;dailyJuly-
Aug 9:00-20:00, April-June and Sept 10:00-18:00, Oct 10:00-17:00; Nov-Dec Sat only
10:00-17:00; March Sat-Sun only 10:00-17:00; closed Jan-Feb; tel. 04 68 77 56 02.
Eating:
An idyllic lunch awaits near the lower entry at
Le Moulin de Lastours,
where a small bakery has arranged a few tables serenely overlooking the river (good
quiche, sandwiches, drinks, closed Tue, tel. 04 68 25 23 14).
▲
Minerve
A onetime Cathar hideout, the spectacular village of Minerve is sculpted out of a deep
canyon that provided a natural defense. Strong as it was, it couldn't keep out the Pope's
armies, and the village was razed during the vicious Albigensian Crusades. Follow the
P
signs to the new parking lot above the village (€3), then walk down to a ruined tower and
