The old village of Montaillou high in the mountains of the Arriège has quite a history. So much so that it was the subject of a well known book by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie who was fascinated by the fact that a local Bishop had conducted an inquisition here between 1294 and 1324.

Montaillou was part of Cathar Country with its own castle and the local Bishop Jacques Fournier, who was to become Pope Benedict XII, clearly believed that there was a large section of the 250 inhabitants who retained Cathar beliefs and had them arrested. Fournier took all the records of his inquisition to the Vatican on his accession where they remain to this day.

The modern village is a little further down the hill than the ruins of the original one although the church of Notre-Dame de Carnesses is still there all beneath the ruins of the old Cathar Castle at the top.