Carcassonne
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Overview
Perched on a rocky hilltop and bristling with zigzag battlements, stout walls and spiky turrets, the fortified city of Carcassonne looks like something out of a children’s storybook when it's seen from afar. A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997, it’s most people’s idea of the perfect medieval castle.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Carcassonne
Built on a steep spur of rock, Carcassonne’s rampart-ringed fortress dates back more than two millennia. The fortified town is encircled by two sets of…
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Carcassonne
Though it’s one of several bridges spanning the Aude River, the Pont-Vieux is by far the oldest and prettiest. It was built during the 14th century to…
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Carcassonne
To actually walk on the ramparts of Cité Médiévale, you have to pay to enter the Château et Remparts, a keep built for the viscounts of Carcassonne during…
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Carcassonne
Carcassonne's basilica is worth a peek for its soaring Gothic transept and vivid rose windows. Often, traditional plain chant can be heard inside.
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Carcassonne
The main gateway to the Cité Médiévale, Porte Narbonnaise leads into the citadel’s interior.
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Carcassonne
The castle’s second gate, Porte d'Aude, was partly destroyed in 1816 and no longer has its drawbridge.
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