This fort controlled passage through the Col de Perthus, an easy route through the mountains between France and Spain.

Owned by the Kings of Majorca, the site was fortified in 1285 to withstand the threat of the neighbouring Kingdom of Aragon. Initially, it consisted of a 20-metre-high watchtower above the Perthus passage, equipped as an autonomous defence unit. The Kings of Aragon reclaimed the region in the 14th century. The tower was then used as a toll by the local lords.