Villefranche’s mighty fort dominates the skyline above town. Built by Vauban in 1681, it was heavily refortified by Napoléon III between 1850 and 1856. You can wander around its corner turrets and battlements, as well as the defensive keep, the powder magazine and a former prison. A shuttle bus from town (adult/child return €11/5.50) saves you a steep climb up 844 steps in an underground tunnel or a 20-minute walk on a path.
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions
20.86 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…
28.26 MILES
Consecrated in CE 888, Ripoll's monastery was Catalonia’s spiritual and cultural heart from the mid-10th to mid-11th century. The five-naved basilica was…
27.93 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…
Monestir de Sant Joan de les Abadesses
24.99 MILES
Who gallops through the hills around Sant Joan de les Abadesses on stormy nights, on a horse engulfed in flames and accompanied by ravenous black dogs? If…
14.56 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…
21.48 MILES
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'…
15.14 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…
21.64 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…
Nearby attractions
0.19 MILES
It’s still possible to walk along many of Villefranche’s ramparts. Built in stages between the 11th and 19th centuries, they have survived remarkably…
6.04 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…
14.56 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…
15.14 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…
5. Santuari de la Mare de Déu
17.13 MILES
The region's high point (literally and figuratively) is Núria's strangely austere 1911 sanctuary. A gold-and-pastel-painted passageway leads to its upper…
20.44 MILES
Coming from Perpignan, you can't miss this graceful stone bridge that spans the Tech river with a single arch of 45m. It was built in the 14th century.
20.86 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…
21.08 MILES
Though little more than walls remain of LlÃvia's ruined hilltop castle, it's worth the hefty 15-minute climb for the fabulously beautiful wraparound views…