Set off to attack the impressive royal fortress of Najac! Perched above the gorges of Aveyron, this building will take you back to the time of Cathar struggles and other historical battles.
Visit the Najac fortress
Follow the guide to climb the keep and its three superimposed rooms of beautiful Gothic style. Halfway up, the Saint-Julien chapel shows remains of 13th century frescoes and many companion marks and a secret passage in the thickness of the wall connects it to the Governor's room who was in charge of the cellar. An imposing model, with figures to scale, will allow you to take stock of the policy of deterrence implemented in the region by Alphonse de Poitiers.
The Fortress of Najac is today the monument most visited private hotel in the Midi-Pyrénées region.
Depending on your time of arrival at the site, you can choose between a self-guided tour or a guided tour. To better understand the place, we advise you to follow the guide (around 1 hour visit)
Please note: last visitor entry 30 minutes before closing.
How long does it take to visit the fortress?
We advise you to allow around 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes to visit the fortress.
Is the fortress easily accessible?
Please note, access to the visit site is only possible on foot via a narrow path with a steep slope. Remember to wear comfortable shoes. In summer, caps, hats and bottles of water will be welcome!
From what point of view(s) can you contemplate the fortress?
It is from the main street of the village that the monument can be seen, in a perspective worthy of a cinema shot. Discover other views of the village and its fortress on our page Viewpoints on Najac.
Najac: strategic issue for the Counts of Toulouse…
La Fortress of Najac, famous in the South-West, was built to defend Rouergue when the Counts of Toulouse chose Najac as capital of Bas Rouergue.
In the 12th century a first fortress, simple and square, was built on the site of an old stately tower. Najac becomes the main position of the defense line built along the Aveyron.
In 1249, on the death of Count Raimond VII, his son-in-law Alfonso of Poitiers, brother of King Saint Louis, succeeds him. The region, with Najac, rose up for a few months. The new count then decided, to establish his power and show his power, to considerably strengthen the existing military structure.
A whole subtle art of defense...
The construction site was launched in 1253, in the middle of a century which raised the military art to a very high level. 2000 workers work there. In less than 10 years will arise, on this narrow and steep spur, the "Impregnatable Fortress".
You will be impressed by the high walls and archers 6,80 meters, the highest in the world! Since keep, admire the view and its panorama me on wild gorges of Aveyron. Nearly 40 meters high, it is the symbol of the power of Alphonse de Poitiers over the County of Toulouse.
Today…
After the Hundred Years War, the royal fortress served little more than as a prison until the Revolution: Templars, then Croquants in 1643, were locked up there. Sold as national property, it was partially exploited as a stone quarry. Bought in 1906 by Alfred Cibiel, the fortress was saved from ruin and today belongs to the same family.
With your entry ticket to the fortress, take advantage of discount offers to visit seven other partner sites in the area. To find out more, see our dedicated page.
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