Carcassonne Will Capture Your Imagination

The most prominent attraction in Carcassonne is its medieval walled citadel – Cité de Carcassonne. It’s the largest in Europe and has a long history. What better place to capture your imagination?

The story of Carcassonne: the highlights

Carcassonne was a fortified site in the pre-Roman period, from about 3,500 BCE. In the 6th century, it was an important trading centre, known as Carsac. About 100 BCE, the Romans fortified the hilltop further and the site became known as Carcasum.

The fortified city was built on the Roman ruins of an old fortress. It was attacked and occupied by Visigoths, Saracens and Franks but eventually the stronghold was again fortified and the Count’s Castle was built. It was at the centre of the action during one of the Crusades in the 13th century.

It came close to being demolished, after it fell into disrepair, but was saved and restored, with the help of Carcassonne’s famous architect, Eugène Viollet le Duc.

It is now the famous Medieval City of Carcassonne.

After many of the settled areas below the old city were destroyed, in the mid 13th century, Louis lX (St Louis) gave permission for a new town – Bastide Saint Louis.

This area is now known as Ville-Basse (the lower city), the main economic centre of Carcassonne.

The story of Carcassonne is a fascinating tale that stretches over thousands of years. You can find out more of its history here.

5 facts to capture your imagination

1. Carcassonne was the first fortress to use ‘hoardings’, when under siege.These were temporary protective ‘huts’ fitted to the upper walls of the fortress. Defenders would use them as shelter while they fired at the enemy or dropped rocks, hot oil or fire on attackers at the base of the wall.
   
   
2. The fortified city has two outer walls (a total of 3 km) with 52 towers and fortified gateways. The towers are in different styles, as they were added over many centuries – from the time of the Roman settlement to medieval times.
   
   
3. One of these towers was used during the Inquisition in the 13th century. It is still known as ‘The Inquisition Tower’.
   
   
4. There are stories and legends about the name of the city. The most famous is a story of a lady, a pig, some wheat and a bell. Don’t believe word of it if you prefer hard facts, but read it for fun.
   
   
5. In 1997, the citadel was added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites (France has 84).

5 places you must see

1. The Count’s Castle
   Inside the Medieval City, you can explore the Château Comtal, the castle you see behind the walls. It has a drawbridge and ditch leading to the central keep. You can walk along the ramparts and visit the displays, including a model of the city and a museum dedicated to precious stones.
   
   
2. Basilica of Saint Nazaire
   This beautiful Basilica is also inside the Medieval City. It was built progressively between the 11th and 14th centuries, which is obvious from the Romanesque style of the nave and the northern entrance and the more ornate Gothic style of the rest of the building. Its stained glass window in the choir dates from 1280 – one of the oldest in the south of France.
   
   
3. Cathedral of Saint Michel
   This simple but impressive building is in Ville-Basse. It’s built in the Languedoc Gothic style and dates from the 13th century. It has been the city’s Cathedral since 1803. After a fire in 1849, it was restored by Eugène Viollet le Duc. Fortunately, the choir screen still has its stained glass from the 14th century. A 20 metre high vault soars above the nave, which has a number of chapels on each side. The features you’ll notice first are a large rosette window (8 metres in diameter) and the large, solid bell tower.
   
   
4. The Pont Vieux (Old Bridge)
   At one time, it was the only bridge linking the upper (Medieval City) and lower (Ville-Basse ) parts of Carcassonne. It is a well recognised symbol of the city and great place from which to take photos.
   
   
5. Saint Vincent’s Church
   The Church, which is huge and imposing, was built in the mid 13th century. If you climb the 232 steps to the top of the bell-tower (which has 47 bells), you will have the absolute best views of the city.
   

5 things to do in Carcassonne

1. Go to the market
   Place Carnot hosts a lively market on Saturdays, offering a variety of goods, including fresh produce, cheese and crafts. Another Saturday market operates on the Boulevard Commandant Roumens. In the covered market hall (Halles Prosper Montagné ) there are produce stalls open in the mornings (Tuesday to Saturday). The markets are also popular meeting points.
   
   
2. Explore Ville-Basse
   The Lower Town of Carcassonne has plenty of streets and buildings, squares, restaurants and shops to explore. It’s the busy hub of the city. You’ll love it.
   
   
3. Visit a Museum (or three)
   The Fine Arts Museum holds splendid collections of painting and ceramics, housed in a palatial building inVille-Basse.
   The Truffle Museum is probably unmissable. There’s something for everyone: truffle history; how to prepare truffles; recipes; truffle treasure hunts; and how truffle dogs and pigs do their work. Brilliant!
   The Museum of Treasures is housed in the beautiful Notre-Dame de l’Abbaye, which is the oldest place of worship in Carcassonne.
   The Inquisition Museum is not really a serious museum (a bit stagey), but it shows the gruesome instruments of torture used by the Church at the time.
   
   
4. See The Canal du Midi
   This immense waterway is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It goes through Carcassonne and you can walk the paths alongside it or take a boat ride. The canal was designed by Pierre Paul Riquet in the 17th century to allow water traffic between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.
   
   
5. Enjoy the festivities
   From June to August, the summer fun includes theatre, circus, opera, classical music, dance and concerts.
   In December, the Christmas celebrations (currently from 2 December 2023 to 6 January 2024) include: Christmas Market, Ice Rink, Virtual Reality, Sound and Light Show, Rides, Christmas Village, Saint-Nicolas Day, Young Public Shows, Altitude Roftop, Laser Gamer, Curling, Exhibitions, Medieval Workshops, Saint-Nicolas Day and Christmas Films.
   
   

See more Francy That! suggestions for Places To Go.

Further afield

• The Corbières, a wine region, to the South; enthusiastic wine producers are happy to share their knowledge and expertise with visitors
• Montagne Noire, a mountain region to the north
• The abbeys and castles of the Pays Cathare, close to Carcassonne.

Information

LOCATION: Occitanie, in southern France.
DISTANCE FROM PARIS: 780 km (485 miles) south of Paris.
POPULATION: 50,000+
NEAREST AIRPORT: Carcassonne Airport (CCF), also known as Salvaza Airport (domestic and limited international flights); about 3 km (2 miles) southwest of the town centre.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Gare de Carcassonne.
TOURIST INFORMATION
MARKETS: Place Carnot, on Saturdays; food markets specialising in regional products.
MUST SEE: Carcassonne Citadel; Ville Basse; The Count’s Castle; Basilica of Saint-Nazaire; Canal du Midi and Pont Vieux.

When you are in the area …