Cité Médiévale
Built on a steep spur of rock, Carcassonne’s rampart-ringed fortress dates back more than two millennia. The fortified town is encircled by two sets of…
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Carcassonne
Perched on a rocky hilltop and bristling with zigzag battlements, stout walls and spiky turrets, the fortified city of Carcassonne looks like something out of a children’s storybook when it's seen from afar. A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997, it’s most people’s idea of the perfect medieval castle.
The Cité Médiévale, as the old walled town is now known, attracts over four million visitors every year, peaking in high summer. Time your visit for late in the day (or better still, for spring or autumn) to truly appreciate the old town's medieval charm.
Explore Carcassonne
- Cité Médiévale
Built on a steep spur of rock, Carcassonne’s rampart-ringed fortress dates back more than two millennia. The fortified town is encircled by two sets of…
- PPont-Vieux
Though it’s one of several bridges spanning the Aude River, the Pont-Vieux is by far the oldest and prettiest. It was built during the 14th century to…
- CChâteau et Remparts
To actually walk on the ramparts of Cité Médiévale, you have to pay to enter the Château et Remparts, a keep built for the viscounts of Carcassonne during…
- BBasilique St-Nazaire
Carcassonne's basilica is worth a peek for its soaring Gothic transept and vivid rose windows. Often, traditional plain chant can be heard inside.
- PPorte Narbonnaise
The main gateway to the Cité Médiévale, Porte Narbonnaise leads into the citadel’s interior.
- PPorte d’Aude
The castle’s second gate, Porte d'Aude, was partly destroyed in 1816 and no longer has its drawbridge.
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Carcassonne.
See
Cité Médiévale
Built on a steep spur of rock, Carcassonne’s rampart-ringed fortress dates back more than two millennia. The fortified town is encircled by two sets of…
See
Pont-Vieux
Though it’s one of several bridges spanning the Aude River, the Pont-Vieux is by far the oldest and prettiest. It was built during the 14th century to…
See
Château et Remparts
To actually walk on the ramparts of Cité Médiévale, you have to pay to enter the Château et Remparts, a keep built for the viscounts of Carcassonne during…
See
Basilique St-Nazaire
Carcassonne's basilica is worth a peek for its soaring Gothic transept and vivid rose windows. Often, traditional plain chant can be heard inside.
See
Porte Narbonnaise
The main gateway to the Cité Médiévale, Porte Narbonnaise leads into the citadel’s interior.
See
Porte d’Aude
The castle’s second gate, Porte d'Aude, was partly destroyed in 1816 and no longer has its drawbridge.
Guidebooks
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