It is mostly flat, except for the final road that takes you up to the medieval citadel. The walk from the train station, through the town, and up to the walled fortress takes about about 30 minutes. My husband loves the idea of a canal boat holiday, and although I’ve not been particularly keen, the thought of exploring these beautiful waterways was tempting. It links the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. This canal is part of a UNESCO World Heritage network of navigable waterways that stretch 360 km. We watched as a canal boat slowly made its way through the lock. As we stepped off the train and into the glorious sunshine, we were met with the sparkling waters of the Canal du Midi. We caught the train which runs fairly regularly between Toulouse and Carcassonne (plan your return train so you are not having to wait around) and only takes about 45 minutes. Porte Narbonnaise entrance to the medieval citadel However, what you see today isn’t exactly historically accurate, as he did embellish somewhat by adding the pointed turrets and crenellations, but they do look lovely. Following this, the walled citadel and its castle fell into disrepair until the early nineteenth century when Viollet-le-Duc was hired to undertake its restoration. In the fifth century, it was taken over by the Visigoths, who founded the city and constructed the very impressive fortress which protected the town until the eventual Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, when the area ceeded to France. The Romans took advantage of this and occupied Carcassonne’s hilltop until their demise. Its location between the historic trade routes that link the Atlantic to the Mediterranean sea and the Massif Central to the Pyrénées, meant that it was strategically important. We visited Carcassonne on a day trip whilst we were staying in Toulouse, which was part of our two week holiday in France where we also visited Arcachon, Bordeaux, Saint-Émilion, and Bergerac.Ĭarcassonne has a very long history that stretches back to the Neolithic period. All recommendations and opinions are my own.Ĭarcassonne is located in the Languedoc area in southern France, and is famous for its UNESCO World Heritage medieval citadel and castle. Read my full disclosure here.ĭisclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, I paid for this trip myself. These commissions help keep this website up and running, and I thank you for your support. If you make a purchase through a link, I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you.
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