Carcassonne France
Carcassonne France is a destination within a destination. It is situated within the department of Aude, in the Languedoc region of South Western France, and whilst many people won’t have heard of it, the importance is quite significant.
Steeped in culture and history, Carcassonne has been an important trading centre since the sixth century BC. Today it is France’s second most visited tourist attraction behind the Eiffel Tower, with an estimated 3 million tourists visiting the historic Unesco World Heritage site of the fortified Cité de Carcassonne each year.
While there is a lot to do in Carcassonne, one of the things that international visitors look forward to the most when visiting France is to sample the World famous cuisine. The Aude region has ten Michelin starred restaurants, with the majority of these in Carcassonne, and a stroll through the City will bring you to the doors of restaurants from every corner of the Globe; from Martinique, Syria, and Morocco to the Far East and back to the Mediterranean, you are literally spoilt for choice. There are also many traditional Brasserie style restaurants serving traditional French cuisine
The arts have always been an important source of expression and inspiration within French culture and Carcassonne is no exception. The largest museum in Carcassonne is the Musée des Beaux-Arts a short walk across the bridge from Cité de Carcassonne. There are also many quirky little museums dotted across the region, though it is possibly music that is most celebrated in Carcassonne. The Carcassonne Festival or Le Festival de Carcassonne is a music festival that happens every year throughout the month of July and sees over 100 acts, some local and some international take to stages and theatres across the City. With over three quarters of these shows being free to enter it is literally a feast of sights and sounds that is too good to miss.
When you are ready for some relaxation, the Rivers Aude and Fresquel, and the Canal du Midi all run through Carcassonne, providing the opportunity for river cruises and peaceful strolls along the banks.
Carcassonne, France is the perfect base to explore the ancient Cathar Country and also the wineries of the Languedoc, the largest wine producing region in the World. Whilst visiting Cité de Carcassonne should be on everyone’s bucket list there is a lot more to see and do in the region.
Cité de Carcassonne is not the only fortified monument to the regions history; from the foothills through to the mountains of the Pyrenees you can visit a seemingly endless number ancient castles and fortifications which are testament to the advanced abilities of those that built them. You really will scratch your head and wonder how on Earth such giant stone structures were erected over a thousand years ago in what is in some instances very unforgiving terrain.
Many of the ‘Cathar Castles’ were built high in the mountain ranges, such as Lastours, Montsegur, Termes, and Puilaurens. Hiking to the top of these ancient monuments is quite the work-out, but the wonder of the construction and the epic views that await at the top make the effort well worth the sweat.
Approximately 45 minutes South of Carcassonne is the tiny village of Rennes le Chateau, which has been made infamous due to theories surrounding the 19th century priest Bérenger Sauniere, who reportedly spent the equivalent of almost 5m euros to renovate the Village Church (between 1887 and 1897), which is dedicated to Mary Magdalene. It is claimed by many that Sauniere funded the renovation using a vast ancient treasure that he had discovered. It is also claimed by some that Jesus Christ did not die on a cross but instead escaped his persecution and fled to this remote corner of Southern France where he and Mary Magdalene started a family. There have been many books written on the subject, some can be held up to scrutiny, others not so much, but one thing that is without question is that the story of Bérenger Sauniere continues to fascinate and draw in tourists from all over the World. With a population of around 100 people this tiny village draws in tens of thousands of visitors each year, all eager to visit Abbé Sauniere, and the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene.
Only a 20 minute drive from Carcassonne you will find the 2,000 year old market town of Limoux, but before you come to Limoux stop in first at the ancient village of St. Hilaire, where Benedictine Monks whose number once included a certain Dom Perignon, were the first winemakers in history to produce sparkling wine. While the ancient Abbey that the Monks once called home is still there, the practise of making sparkling wine has spread to Limoux and it’s near vicinity. The sparkling wine made here is called Bulle de Blanquette, it comes in two varieties, Brut and Methode Ancestral, the latter, a slightly sweet wine is actually still made the same way as it was hundreds of years ago by the Monks at St. Hilaire.
Carcassonne is only 45 minutes by car to the ancient port City of Narbonne and a further 15 minutes to the beaches of the Mediterranean. Narbonne is known for it’s food market, Les Halles de Narbonne, one of the best in the Languedoc. In addition to any manner of fresh seafood here, you will also find fresh fruit and vegetables, meats both fresh and cured, oils, vinegars and wines- plenty of everything to inspire your culinary imagination. What looks like random tables and chairs set up throughout, are actually bars and stall holders serving cooked meals; locals in the know bag the best seats, so get there early for a spot! Les Halles de Narbonne is a great way to spend the morning and enjoy a fab lunch.
The crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean are bordered by miles and miles of sandy beaches, and there is a beach destination for everyone. Whether you want to eat at some fabulous restaurants on the beach front or bring your own food to eat as you soak up the sun there are no shortage of options.
