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On the limit between the counties of Aude and Pyrenees-Orientales, Puilaurens was for a long time the southern-most fortified castle in the kingdom of France. At 700 metres altitude, the castle overlooks the village of Lapradelle, surrounded by a fir forest.
The first mention of the castle of Puilaurens dates from 985 A.D. At that time the castle depended on the abbey of Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa. During the 11th century, it was under the sovereignty of the count of Besalù, then of the viscount of Narbonne.
The first known castle-keeper at Puilaurens, Pierre Catala, was a witness to the surrender of Guillaume de Peyrepertuse to Simon de Montfort. Twelve years later, Guillaume de Peyrepertuse was commander of the site. Puilaurens was then held by Roger Catala, who, like his predecessor, sheltered many Cathars. In 1241, the Cathar deacon of Fenouillèdes, Pierre Paraire, stayed at the castle and towards 1245-1246, several perfectii (Cathar clergy), men and woman, took haven there.
It is not known exactly when the castle fell under royal control but it would seem to have been annexed by 1250 : in 1255, Louis IX, (Saint-Louis) gave orders to the seneschal of Carcassonne to fortify the castle. Defending the border facing Aragon, it was occupied in 1259 by the largest garrison on the entire border, under the command of Odon de Montreuil.
Until the Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659) the castle withstood many raids by the Spanish. Poorly defended and maintained from the 17th century on, it was definitively abandoned at the French Revolution.
According to legend, the Dame Blanche (White Lady), Philippe the Bold's great niece, appears on clear nights and walks around the dismantled castle walls in her floating veils
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