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About the city
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude département, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc. It is separated into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Restored and saved by Viollet-le-Duc, this beautifully walled city with its pointed towers and gleaming walls is reminiscent of medieval tales of knights in shining armour.
City areas
The two most important areas in Carcassonne are La Cité and La Bastide. They are connected by the Trivalle district, with the Old Bridge crossing the Aude.
Transportation
Carcassonne is located on a major communication axis between Toulouse and the Mediterranean coast and it can be easily reached by plane, by train or by car.
Attractions
The fortified walls around the city are the main sight of Carcassonne, and also the reason it was declared UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997.
Events
Besides the July-August medieval festival that suits it so well, Carcassonne also has plenty of cultural events, as well as history or gastronomy related ones.
History and civilization
First signs of settlement in the region have been dated to about 3500 BC, but the hill site of Carsac – a Celtic place-name that has been retained at other sites in the south – became an important trading place in the 6th century BC.
Restaurants and nightlife
There are plenty of eating places in Carcassonne, but the cheapest you can eat is in the small resto-bars around the train station. Nightlife isn’t lacking either and nearby villages are always an extra option.
A bit of shopping in Carcassonne