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 attendance, from the number of Google reviews. “Beautiful” is your word; what we measure is what visitors choose.
No. 1
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. 2
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. 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 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.
Adult €36Hours, prices and access
No. 5
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. 6
Château de Rodès (Rodès Castle)
Rodès
Perched on a rocky ridge above the Têt valley, the ruins of Rodès castle overlook the old village and its former Saint-Valentin chapel. First recorded in 1068 as castellum Rodenis, the stronghold went through eight centuries of Catalan feudal history before losing its strategic role.
.jpg/960px-Parc_Ducup_2025_(4).jpg)
No. 7
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.
No. 8
Château de l'Esparrou (Esparrou Castle)
Canet-en-Roussillon
The Château de l'Esparrou stands above the Canet-Saint-Nazaire lagoon, at the edge of the village of Canet-en-Roussillon on the road to Saint-Cyprien.
No. 9
Château d'Ortaffa (Ortaffa Castle)
Ortaffa
The château of Ortaffa stands in the village of the same name, in the Pyrénées-Orientales, a short distance from Collioure and the Spanish border. Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, it is said to have once served as a residence for the bishops of Elne before becoming a private house.
No. 10
Château de Millas (Millas Castle)
Millas
Château de Millas, in Millas (Pyrénées-Orientales), France. Location, access and practical information.
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 Château ou forteresse de Salses, 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.