We were having so much fun relaxing in Salou that we considering cancelling our time in Carcassone, France and extending our time at La Siesta Salou Camping Resort. However, we realised that a) the accommodation in Carcassone was no longer refundable and b) there wasn’t any availability at the resort park. But I’m glad we continued on to Carcassone! I had only seen a few photos prior to decided to add it to our itinerary, so I was surprised to realise how extensive the ancient citadel is. We had a fantastic time exploring the walled medieval city.
The fortress has over 2,500 years of history and was occupied by Romans, Visigoth and Crusaders before it fell into ruins and was nearly demolished in the mid 19th century. Thankfully it was restored and serves as one of the best examples of a medieval fortified city in France.
Inside the fortified walls are the Basilica of Saint Nazaire and the Chateau comtal de Carcassonne and many restaurants, crafts shops including leather work, soaps, perfume, jewellery and souvenirs. There is even a haunted house attraction where actors in costumes chase you for the thrill of it - we did not do it, although the girls were intrigued, if not a little confused. by the whole concept.
Carcassone was also has a Museum of the Inquisition, which details some of the gruesome torture that was inflicted during the inquisitions that took place in Carcassone against the Cathars in the 12th Century. We did not go into this either - entirely not appropriate for kids.
We did walk around the ramparts of the Chateau and took in the surrounding views. And were awe struck by the stain glass windows and vaulted ceilings of the Basilica. I thought that the Chateau could of had more historical information and displays, it had a lot in the way of architectural information.
It’s free to enter the fortified city, there’s a few hotels and even a few residents that live within the walls. But we did pay 11 Euro per adult to enter the Chateau area. It was well worth it to see the view over the medieval city and the newer part of Carcassonne from the ramparts. ( Kids are FREE )
The concentric circles you can
We stayed in the newer part of Carcassonne ( pronounced Car-Ca-Son if you were wondering ) in a lovely two bedroom apartment. It was quite charming in itself and we were able to walk across to the medieval fortress quite easily. One full day was definitely enough to explore both the new and old areas of Carcassone, but the whole area surrounding it looked like it would be worth exploring - lots of vineyards, quaint towns and ancient sites.
