What to see and do in Carcassonne in 1 day, great citadel in the south of France

If there was a destiny in France I had been very interested in knowing that era for a long time, without a doubt, Carcassonne (Carcassonne in French), the great medieval citadel of the new region of Occitania, south of the neighboring country, not far from the Spanish border.

I had seen photos of the imposing fortress and it caught my attention to discover this legacy of the Middle Ages that has been declared Heritage awarded by the Unesco.

And I have been able to fulfill that wish by taking advantage of the trip to Narbonne to know the restaurant Les Grands Buffets, and the connection facilities with high speed train between Spain and France with the international AVE in collaboration Renfe-SNCF.

La Carcassonne citadel It has a very long history, more than 2.500 years old, dating back to a Celtic settlement from the XNUMXth century BC on the hill where the fortification is located.

Nowadays it is one of the most emblematic places in this region, a true tourist attraction as it has become one of the five most visited cities in France, access to which has been reopened after the health crisis with capacity limitation to no more than 3.000 visitors a day.

After visiting it, you will understand why it is an ideal corner to be movie set for example, "Robin Hood".

Curiosities history of the citadel of Carcassonne

In the 1st century BC. C. the enclave where it is located Carcassonne It was occupied by the Romans, and in the 4th century it became a small castle.

With periods of occupation by the Visigoths and the Saracens, in the 8th century it was incorporated into the Frankish kingdom.

The fortress that surrounds the military citadel, as we know it today, was built at the beginning of the 13th century, a time in which Carcassonne suffered the attack of crusade against the cathars ordered by him Pope Innocent III.

After a siege and its surrender, in August 1209 the citadel and the lands of the then Viscount of Carcassonne, Ramon Roger Trencavel, passes into the hands of the military chief of the crusade and then be transferred to king of france.

At that time the fortress as such was isolated at the top of the promontory, since in 124o the neighborhoods outside the walls that had extended on its slopes were destroyed, after a failed attempt to recover the citadel by the Trencavel.

From then on there arose lower city, now known as Bastide of San Luis, which became a place of residence for the most noble classes in the area.

After Treaty of the Pyrenees, in 1659, the Citadel It lost its function as a border post.

Finally, in the 19th century Carcassonne fortress had an important restoration, and now, as one of the most important tourist places in the south of France, receives more than three million visitors a year.

Bastide of Saint Louis in Carcassonne

Now when you go to visit Cascasona, in the first instance you will reach the lower city, the aforementioned Bastide of San Luis, where the railway station is located, and which is linked to Carcassonne by old Bridge.

With a walk through the Bastida de San Luis you will see palaces as well as visit the Saint Vincent church.

The Canal des Midi, a second reason why the city of Carcassonne is part of the list of World Heritage.

For its part, Carcassonne citadel It is a walled area that cannot be accessed by vehicle and where barely 50 people live, when in the 60s of the last century there were about 500 humble people living there.

The Citadel Currently it is a large tourist center that is very busy with visitors on weekends and holiday periods.

What to see and do when visiting the medieval citadel of Carcassonne

The usual for visit Carcassonne is to access through the main door, the Narbonne., from the 13th century and with a drawbridge, in front of which there is a large parking lot.

From there your visit should have two phases.

Wall of Carcassonne

On the one hand, cover at least part of the double wall that completely surrounds the citadel.

And on the other hand, stroll through the inner streets discovering corners and seeing the most notable monuments.

The lists It is what the flattened land that extends between the two walls is called, which is up to a kilometer in circumference.

This land was established in the 13th century, when the second, outer wall was built, and over time it was occupied by houses of the poorest inhabitants of Carcassonne.

In the aforementioned restoration of the 19th century, these homes were destroyed.

On the walk through the lists You will have the opportunity to see good perspectives of the fortification, as well as panoramic views of the surroundings of the Carcassonne citadel.

County Castle of Carcassonne

On this tour you will pass by the county castle, built in the 12th century as the last defensive corner of the citadel.

In this enclosure you will see a large wall, round towers, the barbican, a moat and an entrance castle.

In its inner wall there are still remains of the original Gallo-Roman wall from the 3rd century.

Aude Gate in Carcassonne

It is also worth getting to the Aude gate, which is used to access walking from the lower city, a corner where I assure you you will feel transported to medieval times, with its entrance to the citadel through a barbican, a ramp attached to the wall.

Basilica of Saint-Nazaire in Carcassonne

On your walk through the very beautiful corners with a medieval atmosphere that you will find in the Carcassonne citadelWithout a doubt the most notable monument is the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire.

Built between the 11th and 14th centuries, it presents a combination of Romanesque and Gothic styles.

Thus, during your visit you will be able to see the portico, the central nave and Romanesque-style capitals, although what will catch your attention the most is the Gothic transept, with imposing and beautiful stained glass windows.

In short, my trip has confirmed to me that Carcassonne must be a essential visit on a route through this area of ​​the south of France.

And walking through this medieval citadel well justifies a getaway facilitated by power arrive from Spain by high-speed train.

Photos of Carcassonne in France

Here you have more photos of the medieval citadel of Carcassonne, to visit the South of France.

Map: how to get to Carcassonne

For get to Carcassonne from Spain, by car you can cross through Andorra, or if you come from the Mediterranean coast, go to Girona and after passing Perpignan, you must go inland.

You can also get there quickly by rental car if you fly directly to Toulouse.