Discover the Hidden Gems: Château de Mourcairol and the Romanesque Chapel of Saint-Michel

A historical monument since 2014, the Château de Mourcairol, in Les Aires, is a real nugget of the Biterrois hinterland. It is one of the oldest castles in France. The building is mentioned for the first time in 990 among the assets mentioned in the will made by Guillaume, Viscount of Béziers, to his daughter Garsinde. First occupied by the Knights of Mercoirol until the 13th^e century, the castle played a defensive role in the religious wars of the 16^e. After the French Revolution, it became the property of the community of Mourcairol, then of the municipality of Aires.

For 10 years, tourists have been able to discover this witness to the history of the region. A man is at the origin of visits to this place full of history: Étienne Dumont. He is the president of the Friends of Saint-Michel association, created in 1989. He is also responsible for showing people around this place: “It’s a place full of history. Every time I visit, it’s a pleasure for me”, he confides. Tours take place once a month “usually the last Saturday of the month.” You have to book in advance, even if, according to him, the majority of reservations take place on the day of the visit.

A double challenge

Visits are priced at €5 per person. A small price, which can make a big difference: “We would have liked to visit the site for free. But we decided otherwise”, explains Etienne Dumont. Because, although for him, it is a pleasure to make people discover this place, the site suffers from the passage of time. To remedy this problem, and therefore be able to continue to enjoy the castle, the decision was made to involve visitors: “It’s a pact between the association and the visitor. The money collected goes directly into the renovation of the castle and the chapel”. The last visit of the year will take place in September, before resuming in February 2024.