The visit is in two parts, the ticket being valid for the castle and also for the "House of Déodat Roché”.
          The castle, which is remarkably wellconserved, is composed of a quadrangular outer wall, pierced by a pointed arch door decorated with the coat-of-arms of the Voisins family.
          The south-west corner shelters a dwelling tower and the south-east tower shelters the former chapel. In the centre of the walled space, an elegant square keep stands at 24 metres high. It is flanked by four turrets.
            The tower is composed of four levels: the first two have ribbed vaulted ceilings, the third has a wooden floor, and the fourth is the main defensive level.
            The entire construction represents one of the best examples of "Ile-de-France” (Paris area) Gothic architecture. Recently restored, it bears witness to the technical and artistic skills of medieval builders. Vaulted ceilings resting on sculpted brackets, lovely fireplaces and trefoil windows show off the taste and the wealth of the owners.
           The visit continues in the centre of the village in the "Maison Déodat Roché”. Déodat Roché (1877-1978) was one of the first historians of Catharism. Most of his work, which inspired a new interest for the religion, was written in the house in Arques where he was born. The vocation of the house is to give visitors references about the history of Catharism, to allow them to develop their knowledge and better understand how the phenomenon continued and was exploited throughout history, notably in the 19th and 20th centuries.
          Enjoy your visit by walking around the lanes of the medieval bastide : agood opportunity to take note of some of the house façades. In the area there is also a lake, an arboretum, a botanical walking path and several tracks for walking, cycling, or horse-riding.