Le Château Moncade

The Château Moncade overlooks Orthez and the Gave de Pau valley, offering a panoramic view of the old town and the Pyrenees. It was for 2 centuries the residence of the Viscounts of Béarn. Built by Gaston VII de Moncade in the 13th century, it has one of the first masonry ditches in Europe. Remodeled in the fourteenth century by Gaston III of Foix-Béarn known as Fébus, it became the setting for a sumptuous court sung throughout the West. It is in its walls that Fébus will dictate his famous book of the Hunt. Today the keep is the last vestige of this castle and culminates at 33m high. On the ground floor, an exhibition room bears witness to this prestigious past with the famous hunting book, Fébus's florins and weights from the town. After climbing the 141 steps to the top of the keep, you will enjoy an exceptional view of Orthez and the Pyrenees.