Chateaux Lastours are four Cathar castles of Lastours.  They dominate the little village of Lastours and were built at an altitude of 300m along a rock wall which is 400m by 50m wide. Cabaret, Surdespine and la Tour Régine stand in line. Quertinheux was built on a separate pinnacle close by.  The views are absolutely spectacular!!! Needless to say, the climb was grueling to say the least.  It was two hours to ascend and descend.  It doesn’t seem very long in time but the terrain is really rough – from sharp rocks to sliding pebbles to uneven stone stairs.  The lady selling tickets said that we were fast.  It didn’t feel fast.  I suggest you wear good walking shoes if you do this.  I saw a lot of people doing the “Medieval walk” as I call it, which means wearing flat sandals for a rugged climb.  All I can say is “Ouch!!!”  When we were a quarter of the way up my youngest daughter who is 13 said, “We had to pay to walk up this thing.  That’s messed up.”  We certainly earned our dinner last night and were very glad to all have made it to the top.