Carcassonne and Canal du Midi

Carcassonne

The Walled City of Carcassonne, a fortified medieval town, has been occupied by man since the 6th century B.C. It was first a Gaul settlement, then a Roman town fitted with ramparts as early as the 3rd and 4th centuries A.D.

In the early 13th century, Carcassonne was taken by Simon de Montfort during the Albigensian Crusade, then annexed to the royal estate. Fortification works lasted throughout the 13th century, with the construction of the outer wall and the modernization of the inner rampart, making this place an impregnable fortress.

The Cité lost its strategic importance after the signing of the Pyrénées Treaty in 1659. In the second half of the 19th century, it underwent a major restoration project supervised by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and was included by UNESCO in the World Heritage List.

It has 52 towers and 2 rings of town walls making a total of 3 km of battlements. Today, it is a home to its population of approximately 120 and boasts a large number of shops and craftsmen.

Access to the Medieval City is free. Take a sightseeing tour of the Medieval City's turrets and ramparts by the little train. It departs from the Narbonnaise Gate and is open from May 1, until end of September. You will find additional information on the Cité de Carcassonne website

Day Trips from Carcassonne

Best way to explore the surrounding area is by car. Take a leisurely drive through the vineyards of Cabardès to Revel, in the lea of the Montagne Noire or drive over through the Gaillac vineyards to Albi, magnificent pink-bricked town on the banks of the Tarn. Admire the fortified cathedral of Ste Cécile before touring the Toulouse-Lautrec museum in the old Bishop's Palace.

Carcassonne is also one of the best starting points to cruise the famous French waterway Canal du Midi.

Canal du Midi

The extraordinary and epic history of the Canal du Midi began in 1663 when Pierre Paul Riquet persuaded the King to build a canal and join the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. The labor of some 15,000 workers over 14 years and Riquet's personal fortune went into the building of the Canal.

The Canal du Midi also provides an ideal route to the discovery of the region's gastronomic delights. The waterway runs for 240 km and includes surviving examples of the earliest inventions related to hydraulic engineering and associated construction works. In 1996, the Canal du Midi was included in Unesco World Heritage List.

Once the main highways of Europe, canals and secondary rivers were home to an incredible number of small barges hauling freight between cities. Today, many barges, accommodating between 6 to 30 guests, have been converted into intimate luxury cruise vessels. These cruises are slower-paced, with daytime stops, time to visit and cycle between them, and overnight mooring at small villages.

Cruising the canals is surprisingly easy; the top speed is limited to 6-8 km/hour to prevent damage to the canal banks. No license is needed. The Canal du Midi and the Robine are open to navigation from March to November. The only restrictions are the lock operating hours; 8 am - 12:30 pm and 13:30 pm - 19:30 pm

How to get there

By road : From Narbonne or Toulouse, N 113 and A 61
By train : SNCF Carcassonne
By boat : Canal du Midi
By Plane: Aéroport de Carcassonne Salvaza

Carcassonne and Canal du Midi

Provence Tour

Normandy, Brittany and Loire Castles

Monaco

Cote d’Azure 3 Corniches

Places to visit on French Riviera