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What to see and do in Languedoc
Carcassonne, La Cite
Home > Explore The Region > Travel Information > City Guides > Carcassonne
Carcassonne – A tale of two Languedoc towns
When most people think of ‘Carcassonne’, they think of the massive medieval citadel sitting on the hill overlooking the ‘new town’ of Carcassonne. It’s no wonder the castle dominates the town in people’s minds - it is France’s second-most visited tourist spot after the Tour Eiffel, and most who visit it pour off their busses and then back on to them, never venturing into the slightly newer town across the river.
I say ‘town’ because Carcassonne, although officially a city, doesn’t feel city-like in scale and energy. It certainly feels smaller than its siblings Béziers and Narbonne, and to be honest, offers far less than those two cities in terms of sights, shopping, restaurants and bars. In fact, Carcassonne can feel like a little bit of a come-down - it’s rather sleepy and small, with a nice square in the middle and a few nice shops and restaurants. But don’t expect it to captivate you for more than a few hours.
The trick to appreciating the ‘La Ville Basse’ as Carcassonne is sometimes called is to see it as a jumping-off point to more interesting sights just outside the city walls. The castle just over the river, La Cité, is the most obvious example. The Canal du Midi is another - Carcassonne is a great launch pad for a day’s pootle along the canal. All around the city you’ll find endless vineyards offering great tasting opportunities. To the north is the pretty village of Caunes-Minervois, and beyond that the Cathar castles of ‘Las Tours’. Further afield from Carcassonne is the rugged Corbières region to the south, peppered with pretty villages and some of France’s most atmospheric Medieval castles and abbeys.
In the shadow of its smaller but more famous sibling, the ‘La Cité’ citadel, Carcassonne’s (lower) town dates back to the Middle Ages. Known as the ‘Bastide Saint Louis’, it features typically French bars, shops, cafés and restaurants, as well as all the standard services and amenities you’d expect, and as such it’s the perfect antidote to the tourist attraction that towers above it. Sample the town’s charms by simply strolling through its streets. Drink in the atmosphere and enjoy the authentically gallic experience; this part of Carcassonne is home to a handful of charming boutiques, several great places to eat and a couple of unusually stylish overnight options.
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La Bastide Saint-Louis
In the shadow of its smaller but more famous sibling, the ‘La Cité’ citadel, Carcassonne’s (lower) town dates back to the Middle Ages. Known as the ‘Bastide Saint Louis’, it features typically French bars, shops, cafés and restaurants, as well as all the standard services and amenities you’d expect, and as such it’s the perfect antidote to the tourist attraction that towers above it. Sample the town’s charms by simply strolling through its streets. Drink in the atmosphere and enjoy the authentically gallic experience; this part of Carcassonne is home to a handful of charming boutiques, several great places to eat and a couple of unusually stylish overnight options.
The upper town is surrounded by a double wall – the area in-between is known as the lices or “lists” where medieval knights once did their thing. Whilst the outer wall is the work of Louis IX, parts of the inner wall date back to Roman times. The citadel includes the Château Comtal - the central castle of the upper town dating from the twelfth century with an amazing 31 towers. There are guided tours of the château which also take in sections of the walls and the amphitheater. St-Nazaire basilica. Again set in the Carcassonne citadel, Pope Urban V (born near Mende in the north of Languedoc) visited here in 1096 and ordered the construction of the basilica. However, the original Romanesque style is now predominantly Gothic after alterations over the years – the best features are its enormous rose windows and the weird gargoyles.
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La Cité Médiévale
The upper town is surrounded by a double wall – the area in-between is known as the lices or “lists” where medieval knights once did their thing. Whilst the outer wall is the work of Louis IX, parts of the inner wall date back to Roman times. The citadel includes the Château Comtal - the central castle of the upper town dating from the twelfth century with an amazing 31 towers. There are guided tours of the château which also take in sections of the walls and the amphitheater. St-Nazaire basilica. Again set in the Carcassonne citadel, Pope Urban V (born near Mende in the north of Languedoc) visited here in 1096 and ordered the construction of the basilica. However, the original Romanesque style is now predominantly Gothic after alterations over the years – the best features are its enormous rose windows and the weird gargoyles.
Carcassonne
Neighborhoods
Carcassonne, a hilltop town in southern France’s Languedoc area, is famous for its medieval citadel, La Cité, with numerous watchtowers and double-walled fortifications. The first walls were built in Gallo-Roman times, with major additions made in the 13th and 14th centuries. Château Comtal, a 12th-century castle within the Cité, offers archaeological exhibits and a tour of the inner ramparts.
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Carcassonne
Carcassonne, a hilltop town in southern France’s Languedoc area, is famous for its medieval citadel, La Cité, with numerous watchtowers and double-walled fortifications. The first walls were built in Gallo-Roman times, with major additions made in the 13th and 14th centuries. Château Comtal, a 12th-century castle within the Cité, offers archaeological exhibits and a tour of the inner ramparts.
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