Carcassonne – A Tale of Two Cities

Carcassonne has been on my list of 'to do' places since I first saw a picture of the massive medieval citadel sitting on a hill like something out of a fairytale. I wasn't surprised to hear that it was reputedly the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. I was surprised, however, to discover how many of my friends and colleagues had never heard of Carcassonne, especially not only is it France’s second-most visited tourist spot after the Eiffel Tower but it's also one of the few places you can still fly direct to from Prestwick.

A two and a quarter hour, cheap flight, from Ayrshire to Southern France, a 5 euro bus trip to the railway station and a five minute walk, reminiscent of a scene from Kate Mosse's Labyrinth, took us to our apartment in Rue Barbes, just off of Place Carnot, where the Thursday market was taking place. We left our bags at the wine shop below the apartment and were soon exploring the market before sitting in the sun and enjoying our petit déjeuner.

Place Carnot

Place Carnot is not within the old Cite but in the 'new town' which sits below and over the river from its more famous sibling. Known as the ‘Bastide Saint Louis’, Carcassonne’s new town actually dates back to the Middle Ages. it features typically French bars, shops, cafés and restaurants as well as a few charming boutiques, several great places to eat and, being less aimed at the tourist market, is a great place to soak up the friendly, local, atmosphere and practice your French whilst enjoying an authentically gallic experience.

Rue de Trivalle

A short walk from Place Carnot takes you over a choice of old or new bridges over the Aude river, via the lovely Rue de Trivalle and uphill to 'La Cité', with its atmospheric cobbled streets, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1997. Encompassing no less than 53 towers, strung together by two enormous concentric walls, surrounded by a moat punctuated by heavy barbicans, portcullis and draw-bridges.

Inside La Cite

Within these fairy-tale fortifications sits a castle, a basilica (church), and a small town with a few hotels and numerous restaurants, as well as unforgettable views of the Bastide to the west, the Aude and Canal du Midi to the north, and the often-snow-capped Pyrénées to the south.

Snow Capped Pyrénées

Like Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile, La Cite might be a bit too tweeie for some but combined with the, more authentic, Bastide and the Canal du Midi, provides more than enough variety for a great long weekend and of course some amazing photography opportunities.

Photos here: iangoudie.com