Things to Do in Carcassonne, France: Fortress Walls and Below

Everyone comes to Carcassonne for the fortress, and with good reason. That ring of double walls with its 52 towers looks exactly like the castle you drew as a child, and it is the biggest walled medieval city left standing in Europe. But the town has more going on than the citadel on the hill. Between the walls, down by the river and out on the Canal du Midi, there is a full holiday to be had. Here is what I would make time for.

Walk the double ramparts of the Cité

Start by entering the walled Cité through the main gate and climbing onto the ramparts. The great trick of Carcassonne is that there are two rings of walls, and the grassy space between them is the best place to walk. You get the full zigzag of towers and the view over the plain. The ramparts walk is the essential experience, so do it early before the crowds multiply. From the highest points you can see the Pyrenees on a clear day, which is always a thrill. Give this a proper two hours.

See the castle and the basilica

Inside the Cité, the Comtal Castle has its own entry and tour, where you climb the towers and walk the walkway with a guide. It is worth doing, because it gets you onto parts of the walls you cannot reach otherwise. The Basilica of Saint Nazaire, tucked away on the far side, is a quiet surprise, its stained glass glowing against the stone on a sunny afternoon. I found the best moments in the Cité came from wandering its little lanes between these bigger sights, when the fortress suddenly felt like a living town.

Stay inside the walls and dine in the Cité

One of the best things I did was spending the night in a hotel within the walls. After the last day trippers leave around sunset, the Cité turns calm and almost private, and dinner under the old stone with the lanterns lit is the highlight of the trip. There are plenty of restaurants along the main street, and while the ones right at the gate are pricey and touristy, a few streets in you find places serving cassoulet, the hearty bean and meat stew this region is known for. Eating it under a fortress tower feels exactly right.

Descend to the lower town and the river

Most people never cross the bridge into the lower, modern town, and that is their loss. The Bastide Saint Louis has its own pretty squares and markets, and it is where the locals actually live. There is also the Canal du Midi, the 17th century waterway that links the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. You can hire a bike or a boat along its shaded towpath, walk under the plane trees, or simply rent a small boat for a gentle hour on the water. It is a completely different mood from the fortress and well worth the ten minutes to reach it.

Take day trips beyond the walls

Carcassonne works wonderfully as a base. The medieval town of Minerve and the Cathar castle ruins at Lastours are within easy reach, and the whole Aude region is dotted with hilltop villages and vineyards where you can stop for a tasting of the local bubbly and still, white wines. In under an hour you reach the Mediterranean coast or the Pyrenean foothills. I would set aside at least one full day to leave the fortress behind and explore, because the region around it holds surprises at every turn.

Practical tips for the visit

Give Carcassonne at least a night and a day, ideally two nights so you can do the Cité properly and still see the lower town and the canal. Arrive at the walls early in the morning, before the buses from the coast turn up in the middle of the day, and again at dusk when the floodlights come on and the fortress glows. Book your evening meal and any castle tour ahead in high season. Wear good shoes, because the ramparts and cobbles are uneven. And remember that the charming version of the Cité lives in the hours when it is not crowded.

Carcassonne is more than its famous silhouette. It is a place where you can sleep beneath medieval stone, eat cassoulet in a tower, glide along a canal and still wake up with the Pyrenees on the horizon. Give it your time and it will reward you with the rare feeling of living inside history for a couple of days.