L’Orangerie

Carcassonne


Well removed from the tourist bustle, 3.2km east of the Cité Médiévale in Montlegun, this 18th-century maison de maître (master’s house) has five huge rooms, all with heritage furniture, double sinks and wooden floors, plus a gorgeous stained-glass conservatory and a garden pool. Minimum two- or three-night stay depending on the season. It's run by an English-speaking Dutch couple.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Carcassonne attractions

1. Porte Narbonnaise

1.48 MILES

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

2. Cité Médiévale

1.55 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…

3. Basilique St-Nazaire

1.61 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.

4. Château et Remparts

1.62 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…

5. Porte d’Aude

1.65 MILES

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

6. Pont-Vieux

1.9 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

24.25 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. Musée et Jardin du Canal du Midi

24.99 MILES

Understand France’s mightiest man-made waterway, the Unesco World Heritage Canal du Midi, through illuminating exhibitions and short films at this museum…