Château de Palaja

Carcassonne


You don’t get rampart views at this welcoming abode 6km southeast of Carcassonne, but you do get serious luxury. Its six rooms and six suites incorporate slate tiles, neutral colours and distressed furniture; there's a striking minimalist swimming pool and Swedish sauna. Its summer restaurant is set in the former stables. Rates drop considerably from November to March.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Carcassonne attractions

1. Basilique St-Nazaire

2.44 MILES

Carcassonne's basilica is worth a peek for its soaring Gothic transept and vivid rose windows. Often, traditional plain chant can be heard inside.

2. Porte Narbonnaise

2.47 MILES

The main gateway to the Cité Médiévale, Porte Narbonnaise leads into the citadel’s interior.

3. Porte d’Aude

2.5 MILES

The castle’s second gate, Porte d'Aude, was partly destroyed in 1816 and no longer has its drawbridge.

4. Cité Médiévale

2.51 MILES

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…

5. Château et Remparts

2.56 MILES

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…

6. Pont-Vieux

2.85 MILES

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…

7. Château de Peyrepertuse

22.63 MILES

Peyrepertuse is the largest of the Cathar castles, teetering on a sheer spur of rock with a drop of 800m on either side. Several of the original towers…

8. Château de Puivert

24.09 MILES

Built during the late 12th century on a 605m-high promontory 58km southwest of Carcassonne via the D118 and D620, Puivert belonged to the aristocratic…