The South of France/Languedoc-Roussillon
Carcassonne’s Ancient Citadel, An Exceptional UNESCO World Heritage Site in the South of France is like Stepping Back in Time
The majestic fortified city feels like a fairy tale story with its impressive ramparts and turrets
“An open-air book that tells the story of a thousand years of history.”
Carcassonne, an ancient hilltop town in the South of France is famous for its perfectly restored Medieval Citadel.
I was very excited about visiting La Cite de Carcassonne as I’d seen the photos and wanted to see it for myself.
Carcassonne’s spectacular Romanesque fortified city is the largest and best conserved Medieval fortress in Europe
The Cité was first built in 122 BC by the Romans. They occupied the Languedoc until the 5th century, until the arrival of the Visigoths.
The Cité changed hands various times, with the Saracens in 725, then the Franks. Between the 11th and 13th centuries, The Cité became a stronghold.
“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.” —(Google)
Its watch towers, iron doors, moat, and drawbridge give Carcassonne a beautiful fairy-tale feel. It felt magical crossing the drawbridge into such an amazing ancient city.
With its massive ramparts, it’s hard not to feel like a child within its walls. It was a fun experience to walk around a 12th-century site such as this one.
Below are some more photos of the inside of the city. There’s no shortage of things to do in the city itself. It has small gift shops, cafes, ice-cream kiosks, and fine restaurants, with a wide selection of French cuisine.
Some feel the site is too touristy, but it didn’t bother me as I went in the morning before the crowds.
Carcassonne is definitely a worthwhile day trip destination, about a one-hour drive, and only 45 minutes by train from Toulouse.
I traveled by bus (Flix Bus), from Toulouse, Central Bus Station -“Pierre Semard.” I left at 08:10hrs and arrived in Carcassone at 09:30hrs. I bought a return ticket for only 5.98 Euro and returned at 20:00hrs.
Spectacular Military Architecture
It’s interesting how beautiful the architecture is, even though it was not built for its aesthetics but as a strong defense.
During the 1100s, the Citadel was inhabited by the Cathars. The Cathars (from Greek katharos, meaning pure), also known as Albigensians, were a sect who believed in the duality of good and evil and opposed the materialism of the Catholic church of that time.
The city was besieged in 1209 during the Albigensian Crusade, led by Simon de Montfort. Defeated, the Cathars had no choice but to leave and set up strongholds in the surrounding hills. Some ruins remain today (the Corbieres and Ariege Peyrepertuse are one of the most remote, over 2,000 ft high).
Under the initiative of the Capetian Kings, who installed the defense systems in the 13th century, the Citadel became the main fortress of the Languedoc region. The ramparts were built by King Louis VIII, Louis IX, and Philip the Bold, in the 13th century.
Gradually it lost its military role and the city was abandoned. In the 19th century, it was restored as part of the enormous project led by Eugene Viollet-le-Ducin.
Basilique St-Nazaire
The basilica within the citadel was built between the 9th and 14th centuries. This Romanesque and Gothic cathedral is renowned for its outstanding stained-glass windows. They are beautiful.
2 Cities in One!
Ville De Carcassonne — the Bastide-Saint Louis
Discovering Carcassonne means finding two cities in one! I was puzzled when I arrived in Carcassonne. I arrived to see a beautiful town steeped in history and culture, with magnificent old architecture, but I couldn’t see the Citadel!
I knew what it looked like from the photos I had seen, so wondered where it was. I don’t like to do a lot of research prior to visiting a place as I like the fun of exploring for myself. I look up the details later.
After walking around a bit, I came across a tourist office, got a map of the whole area, and was directed to the city on the hill.
It was to the back of the Bastide. You have to cross the Aude river. It’s about a 10 min walk to the entrance. The walk is so nice as you can see the impressive fortified city above.
Both cities were designed in 1260.
You can enjoy “La Bastide Saint-Louis” before crossing over the river to the majestic fortified city.
Inside the walls of this city are many things to see and do, from historic sites, shops, boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and a theatre. There was a market in the square below when I arrived in the morning.
Gambetta square (below) is particularly nice with beautiful shrubs, flowers, and a water fountain. It’s a good place to take shade from the sun.
The square is surrounded by the town hall and other historic buildings.
The Way of Life
Carcassonne looks like a pleasant place to live with a slow pace of life. There are many cafes and restaurants, a theatre and good shops. It’s an enjoyable town to walk around and the people are warm and friendly.
I liked the atmosphere of the town and felt relaxed and rejuvenated from my time there.
Canal du Midi
And finally, no article would feel complete in the Languedoc region without mentioning the lovely canal. I wrote about Canal du Midi in my article on Toulouse too, as it travels from Toulouse to Carcassone.
It’s 240 km (149 miles) long and flows between trees, vineyards, and towns.
It starts in the west at Port de l’Embouchure, Toulouse and ends in the east at a place called Les Onglous, Marseillan, where the canal opens into the étang de Thau (between Agde and Sète). — Wikipedia
The canal was a remarkable project built by Paul Riquet and was completed in 1681. It brought trade to Languedoc and created a link, via the Garonne river, between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
Taking a stroll along the canal or a boat trip is a lovely way to spend time in Carcassonne. You can relax on the banks or have a coffee in a nearby cafe and watch the barges as they go up and down.
Final thoughts—
Choosing a travel destination all depends on what kind of traveler you are and what piques your interest, but I don’t think I know anyone who would not enjoy a day in Carcassonne.
It’s a special place. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and would highly recommend it to anyone coming to the South of France.
Thank you for reading!
