Carcassonne
・Townscape with medieval scenery
・View from the bridge
【City description】
It’s one of the most popular touristic sites in France. The fortress on a hill is a citadel which keep a medieval landscape. It was a base camp of the Crusader. Although it’s far from the station to the citadel, we can find the local life in the town and a beautiful landscape from the bridge.
【Overall rating】
★★★★★
【Time required】
6h
【Budget】
17 euros
【Fatigue】
★★★★★
【Map and access to Occitanie】
①Lourdes: The miraculous town where the Virgin Mary descended
②Toulouse: The central city famous as the pink town
③Albi: A huge cathedral and a medieval town
④Carcassonne: A popular medieval fortified city that is a World Heritage site
⑤Perpignan: A town where Catalan culture remains
⑥Montpellier: A city famous as an academic city since ancient times
Carcassonne is about an hour away from Toulouse by train.
Check here for area information around Carcassonne ! !
【Contents】
★=Must-see spots
◎=Recommended spots
Itinerary Map
Navigation
【Start】①Carcassonne Station
★Go to Maréchal Joffre Avenue in front of the station while walking on the center street. It takes 15 minutes.
②Square of Général de Gaulle★Go straight on Commandant Roumens Boulevard for 10 minutes.
③Old Bridge★Pass the bridge and go to Trivalle St. When you find a sign written “LA CITE” on the right hand, go up Gustave Nadaud St. It takes 15 minutes.
④Narbonnaise Gate★Go to Cros Mayrevieille St and turn right at Château Square.
⑤Public toilets★Continue to walk on Plo St.
⑥Museum of the school★Continue down the street until you reach the church.
⑦Saint Nazaire Basilic★Go to Saint-Louis St in front of the basilic and turn right at the dead end. It takes 5 minutes.
⑧Comtal Castle★Walk in the citadel as you want. When you leave the citadel, return to the old bridge and turn right to go to another bridge. It takes 20 minutes.
⑨New Bridge★Pass the New Bridge and go to Gambetta Square. It takes 10 minutes.
⑩Art Museum★Go to Verdun St beside the museum and turn right at the third crossroad. As you return to the street where you’ve already walked, go straight to go back to the station. It takes 15 minutes.
【Goal】Carcassonne Station
・If you open the enlarge button on the top right corner on your smartphone, this model course will be displayed on Google Maps along with its location information.
・You can also quickly return to this map from the table of contents in the sidebar (if using a smartphone, select “Go to table of contents” from the menu at the bottom of the screen).
【Start】
①Carcassonne Station
Gare de Carcassonne
★Go to Maréchal Joffre Avenue in front of the station while walking on the center street. It takes 15 minutes.
②Square of Général de Gaulle
Place de Général de Gaulle
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
This is a square on the outskirts of the castle town. There is a gate as the exit from the town, so turn left from here and head towards the fortress.
★Go straight on Commandant Roumens Boulevard for 10 minutes.
③Old Bridge◎
Pont Vieux
Time required: 10 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
It’s an old bridge over the River Aude and you can see the Citadel from here.
★Pass the bridge and go to Trivalle St. When you find a sign written “LA CITE” on the right hand, go up Gustave Nadaud St. It takes 15 minutes.
④Narbonnaise Gate◎
Porte Narbonnaise
Time required: 10 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour
October – March: 9h30 am – 5 pm
April – September: 10 am – 6h30 pm
Close: 1/1, 5/1, 12/25
This is the entrance gate to the fortified city. You can go directly inside the castle walls, but you can also walk around the castle from between the double walls (time required: 30 minutes, cost: 9 euros Common ticket with Castle of Comtal).
★Go to Cros Mayrevieille St and turn right at Château Square.
⑤Public toilets
Let’s take a break here. Please note that there may be no lights. In that case, you can use your smartphone’s light.
★Continue to walk on Plo St.
⑥Museum of the school
Musée de l’École
Time required: 30 min
Admission fee: 4 euros
Opening hour: 9h45 am – 12h30 pm / 1h30 pm – 6h15 pm
Close: Sunday, Monday and national holiday
This is a museum that recreates an old French elementary school. The classrooms from back then are still intact, and you can actually sit in the seats.
★Continue down the street until you reach the church.
⑦Saint Nazaire Basilic★
Basilique Saint Nazaire
Time required: 20 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour: 9 am – 6h30 pm
9 am – 10h45 am / 12h30 pm – 6h30 pm on Sunday
(until 8 pm in summer / until 5h30 pm in winter)
Close: No
A church inside a fortified city. The church dates back to the time of the Crusades in the 11th century and was renovated in the 19th century. The stained glass is very beautiful and I highly recommend it.
★Go to Saint-Louis St in front of the basilic and turn right at the dead end. It takes 5 minutes.
⑧Comtal Castle★
Château Comtal
Time required: 60 min
Admission fee: 13 euros
Opening hour
October – March: 9h30 am – 5 pm
April – September: 10 am – 6h30 pm
Close: 1/1, 5/1, 12/25
You can visit the castle of Carcassonne. Inside, you can see exhibits and introductions to the history of the castle. You can also climb up the castle walls and see the city. This wall extends all the way to the Narbonnaise Gate.
Let’s try the local dish Cassoulet! !
The Occitanie region, where Carcassonne is located, is famous for a dish called Cassoulet. It is a dish of duck meat, sausage, and white beans that is heated for a long time in a bowl called a cassole, and can also be eaten at the restaurant inside the Citadel of Carcassonne.
Check out other specialties here! !
★Walk in the citadel as you want. When you leave the citadel, return to the old bridge and turn right to go to another bridge. It takes 20 minutes.
⑨New Bridge★
Pont Neuf
Time required: 10 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
This is a new bridge built to replace the bridge ③. From here you can see the entire fort.
★Pass the New Bridge and go to Gambetta Square. It takes 10 minutes.
⑩Art Museum◎
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Carcassonne
Time required: 60 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour: 10 am – 12h30 pm / 1h30 pm – 6h15 pm
(10 am – 6h15 pm in summer)
Close: Sunday, Monday, national holiday
The museum is located in one corner of the square, and although it is small, there are many paintings and sculptures on display.
★Go to Verdun St beside the museum and turn right at the third crossroad. As you return to the street where you’ve already walked, go straight to go back to the station. It takes 15 minutes.
【Goal】
Carcassonne Station
Other cities recommended in Occitanie
Information about France
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