Entering the gates of the citadel of Carcassonne looks like going back to the Middle Ages – or at least experiencing its charming side. Some would say it looks like a mediaeval fairytale of knights and ladies, others like some town in Game of Thrones set to life. That’s why it is one of the most visited places in France – and still something not to miss.
We owe much of what we see today to the efforts of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, a 19th-century French architect who devoted himself to studying and then restoring several mediaeval landmarks in France that had been destroyed or neglected for years (including Notre-Dame de Paris) – and that Romanticism made very trendy.
The citadel of Carcassonne was founded by the Visigoths, but a Gallo-Roman fortress already stood there. Some of the walls and towers from this time still remain as they were incorporated into the mediaeval constructions.
The citadel stands on a strategic location, but it became even more important when, in 1258, this area became the border between the Kingdom of France and the Crown of Aragon.
The fortifications were strengthened and the city within was embellished with new constructions, especially the beautiful cathedral and castle. It became then one of the most important citadels in Europe, with one of the most impregnable defensive systems of its time.
In 1659, the Treaty of the Pyrenees signed between the Kings of France and Spain transferred the Roussillon to Spain, to Carcassonne ceased to be a border town and its citadel became less and less important. The lower city (La Bastide) thrived as a textile centre, but the beautiful citadel was gradually abandoned and neglected.
Visiting Carcassonne
The city of Carcassonne has two distinct areas separated by river Aude: the citadel (Cité) and the Bastide Saint-Loius (lower town).
The citadel is the reason why you should go to Carcassonne. It will invite you to linger and discover all its corners. The bastide is interesting and adds some context to the visit but don’t worry if you don’t have time to go there.
Arriving in Carcassonne
Carcassonne is 95 km from Toulouse and 60 km from Narbonne (on the Mediterranean coast), making it an ideal place to spend one day during any trip in the South-East of France.
If you are travelling by car, the A61 motorway goes by Carcassonne. It takes around 1 hour to arrive from Toulouse and the toll is 8.50 €.
If you are using public transport, you can arrive easily by train. There are trains every hour from Toulouse. It takes between 42 min and 1 h. Ticket prices vary, but are usually between 10 and 15 €. Follow this link to check timetables and prices.
To arrive in the citadel, once in Carcassonne, follow Cité Mediévale. There are several public car parks close to the Cité. Expect to spend around 10 € for a day trip.
If you arrived by train, bus 4 takes you from the station directly to the citadel in 7 minutes.
To go to La Bastide, follow Bastide Saint-Louis or centre ville. If you have arrived by train, just exit the station and cross the bridge over Canal du Midi to arrive in the Northern entrance of La Bastide
Things to see in Cité de Carcassonne (citadel)
What makes Cité de Carcassonne special is the fact that it is a complete mediaeval citadel, with two enclosures in a perfect state and all what you would expect to find in the Middle Ages.
Therefore, you will just want to discover its squares, small streets and corners. However, there are a couple of singular monuments that you shouldn’t miss when you go to Carcassonne.
We propose you the following route so you don’t miss anything!
- Porte Narbonnaise and Citadel Walls
- Porte d’Aude
- Basilique Saint-Nazaire
- Count’s Castle
- Place du Grand Puits
- Place Marcou
Citadel Gates
There are four entrance gates to the citadel, roughly 90º from each other:
Porte Narbonnaise (Narbonne Gate) was the main entrance gate to the citadel, built around 1280. You will enter through this gate if you parked your car in Parking Cité, which is the nearest to the the fortress.
Porte d’Aude is on the other side, closer to river Aude and La Bastide. This is a simple gate after a steep path to the fortress from the lower town. Downhill, there is a beautiful panoramic view of the citadel.
Porte de Saint-Nazaire is located just next to the Basilica of the same name.
Porte de Rodez is just an gate on the wall between two towers on the Northern side of the citadel.
Basilique Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire Basilica is, according to many visitors, the most precious gem of Carcassonne. It was built as Cathedral of Carcassonne, and retained this status until 1803, when Saint-Michel in the low city (Bastide) was made Cathedral, confirming the primacy of the lower town over the citadel.
Saint-Nazaire was built on top an older Carolingian basilica. Construction of the current building started in the 12th century, in Romanesque style, as the entrance portal exemplifies beautifully.
The church suffered major damage during the siege of Carcassonne in 1209. It was subsequently rebuilt and enlarged in the new Rayonnant Gothic style, that was developing in the North of France and later became dominant in Europe.
The basilica was reconstructed by Viollet-le-Duc in the mid-19th c. But it is mostly the exterior that he had to work with, and he added some features, for example, fantastic gargoyles like the one you can see in the photo below.
The interior, however, has remained largely untouched since mediaeval times.
Take your time to admire the original stained glass windows, from the 13th and 14th centuries, which are among the most beautiful in all France. Most of them represent the life of Christ and his apostles.
The Tree of Life window is more original – it was a recurring theme in Gothic art, but this is the only realisation in stained glass! It was reconstructed in the 19th c. and the order of some panels was not respected, but it still shines beautifully.
Another interesting feature are the statues of the apostles perched on the columns of the apse and the choir. These follow the model of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris.
Count's Castle (Château Comtal)
The Château Comtal is the other gem of Carcassonne. Initially built in the 12th c., it was redeveloped in the 13th c. and made a real fortress inside the fortified city. This is mainly what we see today, along with Viollet-le-Duc’s restoration.
The castle is separated from the rest of the citadel by a bridge, and integrated in the outer wall. It has 9 towers, 2 of which date from the Visigoths!
The castle’s interior is very interesting. It has several rooms with mediaeval frescoes and works of art. Tickets to visit the castle cost 17 €, along with the visit of a section of the citadel walls (which alone cost 9.50 €).
Citadel walls
The citadel of Carcassonne is protected by a double enclosure in all its perimeter (only interrupted by the castle). There is a dry ditch between both walls. Don’t imagine any water here, because there never was.
Even if most of the enclosure is mediaeval, many sections of the primitive Gallo-Roman wall still remain, including 17 towers! Many of these have been renovated since then and reconstructed, but keep most of its original features.
During his reconstruction, Viollet-le-Duc removed the structures that had been added to the mediaeval ramparts in following centuries, thus restoring the appearance it had in the 13th c.
However, he also rebuilt the tower tops, which were no longer there. This was actually the most criticised part of his work, because he built pointed roofs using slate, a material that was not available in the region, resulting in a design more typical of the North of France (probably influenced by his work in Amiens).
You can walk around the dry ditch from Porte Narbonnais, but the most interesting way of visiting the walls is walking on them. To do so, you have to go to the castle ticket office.
There are currently two options to visit the citadel walls. Each of them costs 9.50 €.
A: The West mediaeval ramparts. This includes the iconic towers reconstructed by Viollet-le-Duc. It is probably the most spectacular and provides a beautiful view of the ex-Cathedral at the end of the visit.
B: The North Gallo-Roman ramparts. This visit includes the oldest part of the citadel inner enclosure (built 1500 years ago!), and ends in Porte Narbonnaise.
We chose option A. If you have been to Carcassonne, write us a comment telling us which part of the walls you visited and how was your experience.
The lower town (La Bastide Saint-Louis)
La Bastide Saint-Louis, or lower town, is the now the real city centre of Carcassonne. It was founded in 1240, after the citadel, on the other side of river Aude. It was planned as a street grid in a hexagonal shape, protected by ramparts (of which only a few small sections remain).
For centuries, Carcassonne was a bichephalous city, with a rivalry between both sides. La Bastide became its main economic centre, especially after the citadel lost its strategical importance.
La Bastide is not touristic at all, but it is where the people of Carcassonne really live. It is not mindblowing but a walk through its mainly pedestrian streets is nice and it gives you the complete vision of the history of Carcassonne.
- Pont Vieux
- Square Gambetta
- Place Carnot
- Carcassonne Cathedral
- Portail des Jacobins
- “Ambassador’s” House
- Hôtel de Rolland
In Square Gambetta there is an underground parking that can be very useful to start your tour around La Bastide.
First, you can go to the Pont Vieux nearby, where you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the Carcassonne citadel.
Back in La Bastide, from Square Gambetta you can take rue Verdun , one of the main arteries to Place Carnot, the very centre of La Bastide. This is a pedestrian market square and has a fountain dedicated to Neptune.
Then, go South towards the Carcassonne Cathedral, the other main highlight of La Bastide. This church was built in the mid-13th c. in Southern French Gothic style. In 1803, the Episcopal see was transferred from Saint-Nazaire in the Cité to this church, thus upgrading it to cathedral.
The church was renovated to make it fit for its new function, but a fire stopped the works. The continuation of this renovation was then entrusted to Viollet-le-Duc – it was his first large work in Carcassonne.
Walk behind the Cathedral to reach Portail des Jacobins, one of the gates of La Bastide.
Finally, you can walk rue Aimé Raimond, which has some of the most interesting buildings in La Bastide, namely the art nouveau “Ambassador’s“ House, and the Baroque Hôtel de Rolland, which houses the city hall of Carcassonne. Rue Aimé Raimond takes you back to Square Gambetta.
With this short walk, you can get a feeling of La Bastide, which looks like a completely different town after having been in the citadel.
If you are planning a trip in the South of France, you may be interested in visiting Toulouse, the largest city in this area with a lively atmosphere and very interesting heritage. Click here to read our Toulouse city guide!
