Visit Carcassonne

You've now reached Carnot Square, the bustling heart of the city. It's the perfect spot to grab a drink or sample the local specialties at one of the many restaurants. Take a look around at the beautiful townhouses lining the square: these beautiful buildings are fine examples of Carcassonne's signature bourgeois architecture. Read more

This church is a real gem for a number of reasons. First, for just a few euros you can climb the bell tower and get stunning panoramic views of Carcassonne. It is also a fine example of Southern French Gothic architecture. We don't know its full history, but what we do know is that it was built in the 14th century Read more

Check out the wall to your left! It's part of the Saint-Martial bastion, built in the 16th century. The town once had 5, but only three have stood the test of time. The others were demolished together with the city walls back in the 18th century, in an effort to open up the city. Read more

This church was built at the very heart of the Bastide during the 13th century, in 1297 to be exact. Like most of the town's churches, it sports a Southern French Gothic style, with a single nave bordered by ten chapels. While not as grand as the Saint-Vincent church or the Saint-Michel cathedral Read more

Welcome to the André Chénier Square, named after the French poet and journalist guillotined in Paris in 1794, during the French Revolution. One of France's best-known waterways is stretching out before you: introducing the Canal du Midi. Do you know the history behind it? Back in the 17th century Read more

The beautiful building before you is the Museum of Fine Arts, created in 1836 by several art and architecture enthusiasts from Carcassonne. They set up an Arts and Sciences Commission to collect and preserve historical artworks, and then built a museum to exhibit them to the public. Read more

If you look to your left, you'll see the Hôtel de Rolland, now home to the town hall of Carcassonne. It was originally built as a private mansion for the son of a wealthy local merchant and manufacturer, Jean-François Cavailhès. He bought and tore down 4 houses and 3 stables just to make way for his new residence. Read more

Situated just steps away from the Museum of Fine Arts, the Gambetta Square is the perfect little spot to escape the city's hustle and bustle. It was originally laid out in 1861 and it's been through several name changes. It was first called Place du Charbon (Coal Square), followed by Saint-Cécile Square, and finally Gambetta Square in 1883 Read more

Right across from the Pont-Vieux, the old Bridge, is the Pont-Neuf, the New Bridge. Much more recent than its neighbour, the latter was built in 1840 as a second passageway between the medieval city and the bastide. Beyond its practicality for the city, the Pont-Neuf offers spectacular views of the Pont-Vieux and the medieval city in the Read more

You are now in Trivalle Street, located in the oldest neighborhood of Carcassonne. It winds along the path of an ancient Roman road that once connected Narbonne to Toulouse, making it quite possibly the city's most historic street in Carcassonne. In fact, it was once a busy thoroughfare. Imagine a time before the 19th century Read more

Hidden behind this wall is Notre-Dame de l'Abbaye, Our Lady of the Abbey, an ancient monastery dating back to the Middle Ages. To this day, it boasts a charming cloister, the town's oldest church, restored by Saint Louis in the 12th century, and a museum, the Musée Trésor, housing religious objects Read more

What you're looking at is a statue of great importance to Carcassonne. It welcomes visitors to the medieval citadel and depicts Lady Carcas, a woman said to have left her mark on the city's history long ago. Let's journey back to the 8th century, when Charlemagne was already laying siege to the city for five years to conquer it from the Read more

You're now standing before the main entrance to the medieval city. Introducing the Narbonne Gate, facing the city of Narbonne, hence the name. It's part of the impressive fortifications that protected the city. It was built at the end of the 13th century, under Philip the Bold, King of France at the time. Read more

Standing before you is the gate to the Count's castle. It's a barbican, built here to protect the castle. Once you've passed through it, you'll have a clear view of the immense fortress lying behind. You have the castle gate, framed by two towers opposite a long stone bridge. Carcassonne is thought to have always had a castle Read more

With over 2 million visitors a year, the medieval city of Carcassonne is one of the most visited tourist sites in France. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, and it's one of the best-preserved medieval complexes in the world. Some of its remains even date back to the Visigoth era, notably 2 of its towers Read more

Time for a brief historical detour. If you've already listened to the audioguide recounting the town's history, then you'll know that Carcassonne was a feudal town for several centuries. This was an important chapter in its history, marked by the rule of the powerful Counts of Carcassonne. Read more

The basilica of Saints Nazarius and Celsus, to give its full name, was the first building to be restored by Viollet-le-Duc as part of his great restoration project here. It is believed that an earlier cathedral was built here, or outside the fortifications, as far back as the 6th century, only to be destroyed during the Saracen occupation. Read more

From here, you can exit the medieval city through the Aude Gate, right next to the Count's castle. Bet this setting looks familiar... This gate was featured in the famous film "The Visitors”, as well as in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves". It's so named because it faces the Aude river, which flows through Carcassonne and has lent its name Read more

The church of Saint-Gimer is not nearly as old as the fortifications of the medieval city. Indeed, it was only built in 1859 by Viollet-le-Duc. This very spot was once home to a barbican, a defensive structure keeping watch over the Aude Gate and the river crossing. But during the medieval city's restoration Read more

On your right, just before the Pont-Vieux, you'll find the former Royal Cloth Factory. Restored back in 2013, this building recounts an important chapter in Carcassonne's history. Wool trade had been the lifeblood of this city since time immemorial, all the way back to the 12th century! By the 14th century Read more

We'll now cross the Pont-Vieux, the Old Bridge, over the Aude river. It's been the link between the two halves of the city for centuries. For a very long time, it was the only way to get to the medieval citadel from the lower town. There's evidence of a bridge here since Roman times, though the first official record we have is from 1184. Read more

Just on your left, you'll find the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Santé, aka the Chapel of Our Lady of Health. There once was a large hospital right next to it, hence the name. It's also refered to as Notre-Dame-du-Bout-du-Pont, that is, the Chapel at the End of the Bridge. Families would come here to pray for the sick. Read more

As you might have gathered by now, Carcassonne isn't just one city, but two! There's the medieval city, perched atop the hill and bordered by its suburbs, and there's the lower town, the so-called Saint-Louis bastide, on the other side of the Aude river. The latter was founded in 1247 by Saint-Louis, aka King Louis IX. Read more

Welcome to the Square of Général de Gaulle. Here, you'll come upon what was once one of the city's most important buildings: the Jacobins' Gate. It’s just to your right, marking the entrance to the lower town of Carcassonne. Back in medieval times, the lower town, also known as Saint-Louis bastide, was surrounded by fortifications Read more