Situated on a strategic frontier, a construction by Vauban.
 

Between France and Spain, this fort from 17th Century was built by Vauban, who had understood the strategic importance of the passageway which  is Le Perthus.

Le Perthus had seen, in the past, Roman legions pass through on the way to Africa … and even Hannibal with his elephants!

From the top of the fort, there is a dominating view over Roussillon plain as well as over that of Emporda.

Bellegarde hill (423m) dominates the cols of the Perhus (271m) and of Panissars (335m), the lowest in the Pyrenean mountain chain.  Situated at the centre of a vast depression formed by the two cols, Bellegarde played a major strategic rôle over the centuries.

It is probable that a signal tower was the first military building constructed at the summit of this hill.  Indeed, the Catalan word « guarda » is a geographic name evoking the towers from where, according to the code, were sent fire signals by night and smoke signals by day.
It was in this way that the population and the castle of the Kings of Majorca in Perpignan, which centralised the towers of Madeloc, Massana and Saint Christophe were alerted.  It was most probably here that at the beginning of his reign the plans for a fortress were drawn up in this place which was of extreme importance strategically for his fragile kingdom.  However, the first mention of a medieval fort at Bellegarde only dates from 1324.  This concerns the salary paid to servants in the castle of « Bellaguardia ».