[1] The castle was built on the site of a Roman castrum which housed the garrison and administration of the region named "Lapurdum".

From the end of the 11th century, the Viscounts of Labourd begin building a castle around the three Roman towers and walls around the town, as their residence.

On 1 January 1295, the citizens of Bayonne drove the French garrison into the castle and opened the town gates to St John.

A new castle was constructed in Bayonne during the 15th century in Petit-Bayonne, by King Charles VII of France, as a place to watch the city he had just taken over from the English.

[2] In 1808, Napoléon Bonaparte signed a decree ordering the castle's demolition, which was not undertaken.