WALKS IN THE CATHAR REGION
CATHAR CASTLES OF SOUTH WEST FRANCE
by
Alan Mattingly
2 POLICE SQUARE, MILNTHORPE, CUMBRIA, LA7 7PY
About the Author
Alan Mattingly was Director of the Ramblers Association from 1974 to 1998. At various times during that period he also held other posts in the outdoor and conservation movements in Britain, including that of Chairman of the Council for National Parks.
A member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild, he received their Golden Eagle Award in 1998. He is also a recipient of the John Hunt Award (from the Countrywide Holidays Association) and the Wildlife and Countryside Link Award. His previous publications include Tackle Rambling (1981) and Walking in the National Parks (1982). He is the author of The Cathar Way (2006) also published by Cicerone.
He is now based in a small town in the eastern Pyrenees that lies just below the 2800m Pic du Canigou. When not exploring that most impressive and captivating of mountains on foot, he writes and teaches English.
(Photo by Branton Bamford)
© Alan Mattingly 2005
Reprinted 2011, 2014 (with updates)
ISBN-13 978 1 85284 423 3
ISBN-10 1 85284 423 X
Printed in China on behalf of Latitude Press Ltd.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
All photos are by the author unless otherwise stated.
Acknowledgements
Special gratitude is due to all those, volunteers and professionals alike, who have recently planned, waymarked, maintained and written about the paths described in this book. Some have no doubt been motivated principally by a love of the outdoors; others by a desire to bring more tourists to their villages. But the result of their labours is a wonderful network of walking routes which is continually being added to and improved.
For their various measures of help, advice and patient tolerance I would also like to thank in particular: Branton Bamford, Hazel Clarke, Alan Haworth, Lucy Histed, Terry Marsh, Wendy Mattingly, David Monnet, Jim Palfrey, Eliane Pech, Sébastien Pla, Joseph Ribas and Jonathan Williams. I am grateful as well to Stuart Alderman, former Chief Executive of Ramblers Holidays. A few years ago Stuart asked me to prepare a Ramblers Holidays walking tour in this part of France. That tour formed the starting point for the walks in this book.
My gratitude will be further extended to all readers who follow these walks and, on finding any problems or changes to the routes, tell me about them. Please send this information to the publisher by e-mail or otherwise.
Advice to Readers
While every effort is made by our authors to ensure the accuracy of guidebooks as they go to print, changes can occur during the lifetime of an edition. If we know of any, there will be an Updates tab on this book’s page on the Cicerone website (www.cicerone.co.uk), so please check before planning your trip. We also advise that you check information about such things as transport, accommodation and shops locally. Even rights of way can be altered over time. We are always grateful for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground, sent by email to [email protected] or by post to Cicerone, 2 Police Square, Milnthorpe LA7 7PY, United Kingdom.
Front cover: Quéribus – possibly the most vertiginous Cathar castle (Section 12)
CONTENTS
Languedoc, the ‘Cathar castles’ and the Pays Cathare
The walks described in this book
3 Lastours
4 Foix
5 Roquefixade
6 Lordat
7 Montaillou
8 Puivert
9 Montségur
10 Usson
11 Puilaurens