Castelnou

The Aspres, a sliver of Roussillon between the Têt and the Tech, take their name from their stony soil, and Castelnou (Castellnou dels Aspres in Catalan) sits in these hills beneath its castle. The fortress rides a limestone outcrop; the base of its walls dates from the 10th century, though much was remade in the 19th. Below it, lies the old village and the Romanesque church of Sainte-Marie du Mercadal.

Highlights

• The viscounts' castle on its limestone outcrop above the village
• The Romanesque church of Sainte-Marie du Mercadal
• The old watchtower of Castelnou
• Voted seventh in France's favourite-village contest in 2015

Summary based on Wikipedia and Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA), written with AI assistance.