Carcassone,France- A Trip Back in Time!

Although Carcassone is actually made up of 3 parts, the famous "Ile de Cité", a reconstructed medieval citadel, is the most famous. Sitting along a hill on the Aude River, its impressive skyline can be seen for miles. Listen closely as you walk along the cobblestone walkway leading inside the city walls. You can practically hear the sound of hoofbeats and trumpets announcing your arrival. In the evening the city is lit with strategically-placed spotlights that illuminate it in the most dramatic manner.

It is important to note, however, that although the 18th century restorer, Viollet-le-Duc, had the best of intentions, some of his restorations were more imaginative than authentic. Taking a tour of the archaeological museum will explain and answer any questions regarding this.

The second section, the ville basse, is a typical medieval town of narrow, 13th-century streets and a series of one-way streets that once served as a wall. It lies at the base of the Ile de Cité. Spreading beyond that is the modern part of town, which some may find to be rather boring in comparison to the grandeur of the citadel.

Quick Tips:

We parked on the western side of the citadel. This is the ville basse and is a quaint, typical grid of 13th century streets at the base of the Ile de Cité. Parking on the street was free and we entered the gates at the Port D''Aude, but later discovered there was a main (and more impressive gate) on the far side of the Cité. Many entrances to shops, streets, etc. are narrow, but some places are wheelchair accessible. We enjoyed our lunch of cassoulet and pate at one of the many cafés available. The restroom upstairs was a nicely restored step back in time as well! I could have spent more time shopping but many places closed for the noon-3pm break. It''s a good idea to read up a little ahead of time about the time period, the role of the Cathars, and the Crusades, as it will add to your appreciation of what you are experiencing.

There is no charge for entering the Ile de Cité, but you will want to visit the archaelogical museum (housed in the castle) and possibly the medieval torture museum. Both charge nominal fees.

Best Way To Get Around:

We took a lovely drive from Banyuls by car. However there are buses and most hotels, etc. offer tours and I would highly recommend spending a day there. Walking is the best mode inside the Walled City.

This lovely cafe is very centrally located almost smack in middle of town. The closely packed umbrella tables provided a great place to linger, people watch, and enjoy a superb lunch. Service was attentive, helpful and food was creative but adhered to local ingredients and specialities. We ordered a carafe of house white wine to accompany our prix fixe lunch. I started with a generous sliver of foie gras, accompanied with a mustard and some delectable French bread (still warm). There were some greens and tiny tomatoes on the plate as well. For the main course I selected the Cassoulet (even tho friends had not recommended it during the summer). I was happily surprised because the perfectly seasoned bean casserole was filled with sausage, pieces of duck and chunks of ham. It was surprisingly light and left room for dessert. I am not a big eater and while this was filling, it was not overpowering even for lunch. My lunch partner selected a salad, which was of such generous proportions that she was able to share some with me. The mesclun greens and lovely vinaigrette dressing were perfect. She ordered the cassoulet as well and was just as pleased. For dessert we shared a Creme Brulee(one of my favorite desserts) and it ranked high on my list for taste, creaminess and crunchiness of the burnt sugar topping.

Since the weather was absolutely perfect we lingered over our wine, chatting with the friendly wait staff and some Americans at the next table. It was a great start to our exploration of Carcassone and I recommend it highly.

Your first view of the walled city is thrilling! This fairy-tale city, perched high above the hills of the River Aude, was settled as far back as the 6th century. Because of its strategic location it passed thru several hands and witnessed many struggles. Eventually Carcassone settled in as a medieval market place and center of economy. It eventually fell into a period of stagnation where it remained until the nineteenth century when it was lovingly and painstakingly restored over a 50 year period by Violett-de-Luc. Today it is a thriving example of life in a typical medieval citadel. While there are plenty of shops,cafes,restaurants and hotels within the city walls,it still manages to retain its original and authentic atmosphere. If you (or your family) are in any way interested in medieval history, this is the place to see. Even if you're not...you will soon find yourself immersed in wanting to know more about the Cathars, Crusades,etc...

To truly appreciate the walled city of Ile de Cite,(perched on a hill in Carcassone) it is recommended that you glean a little of the local history. Because of its strategic location between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and between Spain and France,the hillfort was highly desirable to various marauding bands and as a result has seen its share of burning,beatings and dismantlings. Evidence exists that the site was habitated as far back as 11B.C. by the Gauls then eventually the Romans who built a castle and ramparts. Original walls from this time period are still visible. During the 5th century, the Visigoths strengthened the ramparts but it fell to the Saracens in 725 A.D.,then resisted siege by the Franks in the 750's. After the Crusades, the inner ramparts were consolidatd and an outer wall (which stretches over a mile long and contains 19 towers)was built. Lower than the inner ramparts ,this wall remained below the line of fire of dedending troops. If the enemy forces succeeded in passing this first wall they were blocked on the jousting grounds,a passage which ran between the two walls. There are 4 main gates,protecting the citadel from all directions. Medieval lords systematically made improvements on the military architecture of the town, adding castles, towers, curtain walls designed to give archers a means of keeping watch on gates and moats. These wooden galleries have all been restored. An original castle houses an archaelogical museum. However, there are many additions to the restoration that are not "authentic" but were merely fantasies entertained by Violett-le-Duc,such as the towers and arrow-slits, which the original fortress lacked. Supposedly, so much of the Ile de Cite is fabrication that it only squeaked by in its application and acceptance into UNESCO in 1997.

To make your trip to the walled city of Carcassone more interesting, it helps to know a little of the local lore and legend that accompanies the site.

The city has an long and turbulent history, due to its strategic location between the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea and between France and Spain. Starting in the 11th century B.C. its inhabitants included Gauls, Romans, Visigoths, Saracens and Franks. The legend comes from a battle, between the Saracens and Franks, led by Charlemagne, (who were attempting to overtake the town). When the Saracen leader of the town died, his widow, Dame Carcas, had straw dummies placed along the battlements, dressed in the armor of dead soldiers.

The Franks, thinking they were outnumbered, decided to starve the inhabitants of the town into submission. After many days,all that remained to feed the besieged population was one barrel of food and a pig. Dame Carcas fed all the food to the pig then threw it over the walls. When the pig hit the ground it immediately split open. Charlemagne's troops, seeing all of the food contained in the pig's stomach, were immediately discouraged, believing the town had abundant supplies. At that point the Franks lifted the siege and retreated. The church bells began pealing in celebration and the town's people began cheering "Carcas...sonne(Ring,Carcas)".

While it is a great story it is believed by some to be pure fantasy mainly bacause the Saracens were Muslims and would have never kept a pig inside the city walls. Also, in the early 9th century when this supposedly took place, the inhabitants spoke mainly Latin, not French.

This is a more romantic story than the decidedly truer version which says the name came from Occitan roots. "Carac" means rock and "sonne" means wood (there were many forests around the town).