The Cathars were a group of herectics that were based in south-western France during the 12th century. They believed in a form of Gnosticism and duality (that the world was not created by the true God, but a lesser destructive god called the Demiurge). They came at odds with the Catholic Church over their beliefs that life on earth was the true hell and after death came enlightenment (they have been called ‘Western Buddhists’). The Cathars believed that the God worshipped by Roman Catholics was an imposter, and his church was a corrupt abomination infused by the failings of the material realm.

The Albigensian Crusade (1209 - 1229) was a military campaign by the Catholic Church to eliminate the Cathars. The last stand was made in a series of mountain top castles in the Languedoc region of southern France. We visited most of these during the summer and I’ve only got around to sorting out the photos. Here’s a few.

The view from Quéribus, the last Cathar stronghold to fall.

Château de Peyrepertuse

Château de Puivert

Château de Puilaurens

Château d’Aguilar

Château de Puilaurens

The memorial at Montségur commerating the siege in which approximately 220 Cathars were burned to death by Royal Catholic French troops.