Cité de Carcassonne
La Cité
Europe’s largest medieval castle fortress: a hilltop old town ringed by double walls and 52 towers, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The old town of Carcassonne sits on a hill on the east bank of the Aude River. Fortifications date back to Roman times, and by the Middle Ages a double wall about 3 km long with 52 towers had taken shape. In the 19th century, the architect Viollet-le-Duc carried out a large-scale restoration, and in 1997 the site was inscribed as a World Heritage Site. Stone-paved streets inside are lined with restaurants and souvenir shops. You can enter and look around for free, but the ramparts walk and the Château Comtal require tickets. Summer daytime brings huge crowds, so go early in the morning or in the evening. It is about a 20–30 minute walk from the lower town, and shuttle buses are also available.
Opening hours
Open all day (town shops approx. 10:00–19:00)
Nearby sights
- Château Comtal
- Porte Narbonnaise
- Les Lices
- Basilica of Saints Nazarius and Celsus
- Pont Vieux
- Bastide Saint-Louis
- Cathédrale Saint-Michel de Carcassonne
- Église Saint-Vincent