The 10 most beautiful castles in Pyrénées-Orientales
10 châteaux
Chosen among 88 recorded castles
What to see in Pyrénées-Orientales when you only have a weekend: the 10 most visited castles according to their visitors’ reviews, among those open to the public whose visiting conditions we checked on the official website. For each: what you see, the entry price, the link to the full entry.
Ranked by renown: how often their name is searched on Google each month, and how many reviews visitors have left. “Beautiful” is your word; what we measure is what visitors choose.
No. 1
Palace of the Kings of Majorca
Perpignan
Built at the end of the 13th century on the heights above Perpignan, this fortified palace was designed for the court of the kingdom of Majorca, on the orders of King James II.
No. 2
Château ou forteresse de Salses
Salses-le-Château
Standing at Salses-le-Château in the Pyrénées-Orientales, this brick and stone stronghold occupies a narrow strip of land between the Corbières hills and the Leucate lagoon, once a strategic passage between Roussillon and Languedoc.
Adult €9Hours, prices and access
No. 3
Château de Castelnou (Castelnou Castle)
Castelnou
Standing above the village of Castelnou, this medieval fortress was for centuries the residence of the viscounts who gave the place its name.
Adult €6.50Hours, prices and access
No. 4
Château Royal de Collioure
Collioure
The royal château of Collioure stands on a headland above the Mediterranean, the product of seven centuries of overlapping construction. A summer residence for the kings of Majorca in the 13th and 14th centuries before becoming a military stronghold, it still shows the marks of that shift in purpose within its layout.
No. 5
Château de Valmy (Valmy Castle)
Argelès-sur-Mer
Perched above Argelès-sur-Mer, the château de Valmy displays its Art nouveau turrets and bow-windows facing the Mediterranean. Built at the turn of the twentieth century for a daughter of the Bardou family, the industrialists behind the JOB cigarette paper brand, it now overlooks a 24-hectare wine estate.
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No. 6
Castell Rosselló
Perpignan
Castell Rosselló, in Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales), France. Location, access and practical information.
No. 7
Château d'Aubiry (Aubiry Castle)
Céret
On the edge of Céret, the Château d'Aubiry stands within a five-hectare park laid out with English-style gardens. Built between 1893 and 1904 for Justin Bardou-Job, son of a cigarette-paper manufacturer, it combines eclectic influences with an abundant Art Nouveau interior.
No. 8
Château de Riell (Riell Castle)
Molitg-les-Bains
Château de Riell, in Molitg-les-Bains (Pyrénées-Orientales), France. Location, access and practical information.
No. 9
Château d'Ultrera (Ultrera Castle)
Argelès-sur-Mer
The ruined château d'Ultrera stands on a rocky spur of the Albères massif, in the commune of Argelès-sur-Mer, at an altitude of 571 metres. Occupied since Visigothic times and first recorded in 673, it long kept watch over the natural passage between Roussillon and Catalonia.
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No. 10
Château du Parc Ducup (Parc Ducup Castle)
Perpignan
The Château du Parc Ducup stands in Perpignan, built at the end of the 19th century by industrialist Pierre Bardou-Job for his daughter Camille, on the occasion of her marriage to Charles Ducup de Saint Paul.
Every castle in Pyrénées-Orientales (88)Which ones open this weekend?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most beautiful castle in Pyrénées-Orientales?
- The most visited in Pyrénées-Orientales is Palace of the Kings of Majorca, first in this selection according to its visitors’ reviews. All 10 castles listed are open to visitors with checked hours.
- How much does a visit cost?
- The adult entry price is shown under each castle when the official website publishes it; 0 of these castles are free.
- How is this selection made?
- Among the 88 castles recorded in Pyrénées-Orientales, we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.