Free walking tours in Carcassonne and what to see

Must-sees

Carcassonne has two faces. Up on a hill by the River Aude stands La Cité, a fortified town ringed by a double wall about three kilometres long with dozens of towers, restored in the 19th century by Viollet-le-Duc and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inside you can visit the Château Comtal, which gives access to the walk along the ramparts, and the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire, with Gothic stained glass and rose windows. In between, cobbled lanes full of shops and restaurants.

Below, across the Aude, is the lower town or Bastide Saint-Louis, laid out on a grid in the 13th century. Its centre is Place Carnot, with its fountain and café terraces, and here you will find Saint-Michel cathedral and the church of Saint-Vincent. The Pont Vieux links the two parts and offers one of the classic views of La Cité. The Canal du Midi, also a World Heritage Site, passes by the station and can be explored on foot, by bike or by boat.

Free tours and guided visits

Carcassonne has no regular free walking tours. What’s on offer are paid guided tours of La Cité, in a group or private, and guided visits to the Château Comtal and the ramparts. You can also book entry to the castle and the ramparts walk only and do it on your own. A charming option is the sunset tour, when the light colours the stone and the streets empty.

How long to spend

Allow half a day for La Cité, the castle and the ramparts, or a full day if you also want to see it at nightfall, when it is lit up. Add a few hours for the lower town, Place Carnot and a walk along the Canal du Midi. With two days you can visit the Lastours castles in the Montagne Noire or tour the surrounding vineyards.

Where to stay

Staying inside La Cité lets you wander it without visitors at night and early in the morning, although you have to leave the car outside. The lower town has more choice, restaurants and the train station, and from there you can walk up in about twenty minutes across the Pont Vieux. If you are driving, there are country cottages among the vineyards nearby.