Visit the Salses Fortress near Perpignan: tickets, prices, schedules

Did you plan a stay near the one called “the beautiful Catalan”? So don't miss visiting the Fortress of Salses near Perpignan, sublime example of the military heritage of the region!

With more than 300 days of sun per year, Perpignan is an ideal destination for your holidays! You will be ideally located on the Mediterranean coast, close to the Spanish border. You will also notice the strong Catalan influence in the city. Perpignan is full of historical monuments, museums and activities of all kinds, but we advise you to take your car and go a bit to the north of the city, in the beautiful little village of Salses, exactly 17 kilometers away, to discover and visit the beautiful Fortress of Salses. You will undoubtedly fall under the charm of this amazing castle, magnificent example of Spanish architecture. In addition, its location halfway between the Salses ponds and the Corbières, will also make you admire delightful views.

Here’s all you need to know to visit the Fortress of Salses in Perpignan!

History of the Fortress of Salses

The fortress of Salses was built at the end of the 15th century by Francisco Ramiro Lopez , great Spanish architect, on request of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabelle, queen of Castile. The purpose of the building was initially to keep the old border between France and Spain, and to block the access of Roussillon to French troops.

Assieged many times, it was in 1642 that the French managed to conquer it definitively. Following the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees established in 1659, which restructured the territories, the fortress became much less strategic by its location.

The particular originality of the fortress of Salses is really its architecture, because it has an ultra ingenious defense system for the time, which had just seen a new weapon: the metal bolts. Its thick walls of more than 10 meters, its countermine galleries, artillery towers, its dungeon and maze of galleries to access them, reflect all the specificity of the strategies put in place to overcome these new war techniques.

What to see and do at the Fortress of Salses?

In order to organize and prepare you for the best to visit the Fortress of Salses near Perpignan, we advise you to visit the official website and watch the video presentation of the fortress of Salses. This will allow you to plan your visit as best as possible and identify all things you want to see.

Visiting the fortress of Salses near Perpignan is the opportunity to discover the places of life of the 1500 men and 300 riders that it could contain at the time, as well as all its amazing defense system.

Behind its walls are two distinct parts: the low part and high part .

The lower part visits freely. You can observe here place of arms , its arcades and its central well, three stables all around, the logis body, the chapel and the North-East artillery tower.

Des Commented visits are also possible every day to visit the high part (reservation) with which you can access the dungeon, terraces and galleries.

From the terraces, in addition to having an overview of the entire space body, you can see a breathtaking panorama of the ponds, the Mediterranean Sea, the Corbières and the Canigou.

Not to be missed if you will visit the fortress of Salses near Perpignan:

• The two bridges
• The barbacanes
• The Place d’armes
• The housing of the garrison
• The store
• The stables
• The Artillery Circular Towers (one by angle)
• The Caponnières
• The galleries
• The Donjon

Many cultural events take place throughout the year at the Fortress of Salses, all grouped on the website. Don’t hesitate to take a look!

How do I go to the Fortress of Salses near Perpignan?

There are several ways to get to the Fortress of Salses near Perpignan, located at the following address: 66600 Salses-le-Château.

By car

- From Béziers : A9 to Perpignan, exit 40, then D627 and D900 to Perpignan - De Perpignan N 9 to Narbonne.

Arrived in Salses, follow the signs that will make you bypass a part of the center to approach the castle by the Northeast.

Note : Possibility of direct access from the A9 area “Château de Salses” (10 minutes walk).

By train

Take the train line Narbonne-Perpignan and stop Salses-le-château train station. The fortress of Salses is a 15-minute walk away.

By bus

Take line 135 ( line Perpignan Salses ). The fortress of Salses is a 10-minute walk away.

Schedules & Rates of the Fortress of Salses

HORARI

La Forteresse de Salses near Perpignan is open:

• 1 April to 30 September : from 10am to 6:30pm
• 1 October to 31 March from 10am to 12:45pm and from 2pm to 5.15pm
• Closed 1 January, 1 May, 1 November, 11 November and 25 December.

Note : The ticket office closes 45 minutes before the site closes, and the last visit commented 1 hour before.

RATES

Billet Forteresse de Salses

• Rate : 8€
• Reduced price (less than 25 years outside the EU – job seekers): 6,50€
• Group rate (from 20 people): 6,50€

Free

The entrance to the fortress of Salses is free:

• For under 18
• For less than 25 years EU resident
• During European Heritage Days (September 3rd weekend)
• The 1st Sunday of the month (from 1 January to 31 March and from 1 November to 31 December)

Combined ticket Salses Fortress + Fontfroide Abbey

• Rate : 15€

Combined ticket Salses Fortresses + Rivesaltes Memorial

• Rate : 10€

You can buy your ticket in advance online on the site of the fortress or on one of the partner sites. Your e-billet will then be printed or downloaded in advance and show at the entrance of the museum.