Forteresse de Salses: France

Salses , the inland frontier fortress

Salses fortress was built between 1497 and 1504 by the Spaniards to protect their northern province of Roussillon which was finally conquered by France in 1642. Behind the defensive walls the complex fortress features buildings on three to six levels linked by a maze of corridors and walkways. The fort incorporates three independent sections: the living quarters, battlements and the keep.

History

This half buried in the ground fortress has been built between 1497 and 1504, by the Spanish architect Francisco Ramiro Lopez for the King Ferdinand of Aragon, King of Spain during the discovery of the New World on the place of the earlier castle, which stood there. The Salses Castle has been built to withstand the metal cannon bullets. Besieged it could house for months the garrison of 1500 men and 300 horses.

Its walls are low and up to 9 meters thick. Taken by the French in 1642 and left by its Spanish garrison, the castle has been in the years after rebuilt by the famous French military architect Vauban. It is an example of the transition between medieval fortified château and the modern bastioned fortifications, revolutionary at the time.
The fortress is built from pale red brick and natural stone. It is very well preserved.
Today: A French National Monument, called officially La Forteresse de Salses, the Salses fortress is now a museum and houses a collection of modern, avanguard sculpture.

Opening hours

Times may vary. The Salses fortress is open every day, in summer from 9.30 to 19.00 (from June to September), and from October to May 10.00-12.15 and after lunch 14.00-17.00. Last guided tour 1 hour before closing.
Closed: January 1, May 1, November 1 and 11. Telephone: (+33) 04 68 38 6013

Admission

Tickets are € 7,50. Children under 18 have free admission except school parties.
How to get there: By car - 16km from Perpignan by RN direction Narbonne ca. 10 minutes ride; from Leucate by RN direction Perpignan ca. 25 minutes ride, by freeway A 9 from Perpignan or Narbonne, accessible from exit 40 (riding from Montpellier) and exit 41(riding from Perpignan) , the castle is on the eastern side of the freeway. From the coast using local roads D11 or D83 driving direction Rivesaltes. By bicycle from Perpignan ca.24km or 35 minutes through small local roads.

Facilities: Guided tours, lecture tours in several languages, educational activities, modern art cultural events, and souvenirs shop.