Lastours (Occitan: Las Tors) is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.

Lastours is located 12 km (7.5 mi) outside Carcassonne, in the valley of the Orbiel.

The castles were built to control the access to the Montagne Noire and the Cabardes region.

Traces of human occupation date back to prehistory in a cave called the Trou de la ville at the foot of the Lastours castles.

Indeed, the region is rich in iron, copper, lead and gold and is an important center of mining extraction.