Carcassonne, France - General Information

Carcassonne - The Basics

Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the South of France. Located 90 km from Toulouse and 60km from the coast, Carcassonne provides a cross-road between routes from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and from Central France to Northern Spain. Best known for its medieval old town La Cité, and with about three million visitors annually, Carcassonne is becoming an increasingly popular weekend break destination.

Carcassonne Fortress

Carcassonne - History

Carcassonne is best described through its history. The town had been strategically important since Roman times however, at the beginning of the 13th Century Carcassonne became centre stage in a Europe-wide crisis. The Cathars (an extreme religious sect outlawed by the Papacy) had amassed considerable power in Southern France, Northen Spain and Northern Italy. Threatened by the influence of the Cathars, who rejected the Catholic Church as corrupt, Pope Innocent III declared a crusade to rid Europe of Cathars. The Albigensian Crusade, ruthlessly extinguished Cathar power and drove the remaining believers to fortified strongholds. Raymond-Roger de Trencavel was the lord of Carcassonne and a Cathar sympathiser. In 1209, Simon de Montfort, and 20,000 crusaders, laid siege to the heavily fortified Carcassonne. The defences withstood the attacks but when the water supply was cut off, the Cathars had no option but to surrender. The people of Carcassone were spared their lives but were forced to build a new town outside the walls, on the other side of the Aude River. This new town became the Ville Base, creating the two distinct areas of Carcassonne today.

The fortified old town remained a military garrison until 1849, when plans were drawn up for its demolition. Thanks to the campaigns of the architect Viollet-le-Duc, the fortress was saved and preserved as a historical monument for the French nation. Although heavily criticised at the time for architectural inaccuracies, Viollet-le-Duc’s restoration/recreation of Carcassonne’s 53 towers and double ring of ramparts can only be viewed as an outstanding achievement.

Canal du Midi

Carcassonne - Today

Modern commercial Carcassonne life is centred in the Ville Basse although the Cité is a huge tourist draw. The town is a major centre for the wine industry and produces many AOC quality wines from around the region.

Canal du Midi

Another major draw for tourists is the Canal du Midi, the 240km canal linking the Atlantic with the Mediterranean. The canal skirts the town and is a popular day stop for those on canal boat holidays. For those not on boats, the canal is also an attractive, peaceful location for walks and picnics.