MARRABOU CHAIB

Perfect on a sunny day..... A visit to the Medieval City is not complete, without doing the walk along the ramparts/walls and visiting the museum/castle. It is well worth the cost. We went early 0930, opening time, to beat the crowds, we actually had the walls to ourselves for the first 30 minute, we took our time, and totally enjoyed the experience.

Very good tour through the castle with a great walk on the walls of Carcassonne. We spent here about 2 hours. The price was 19€ per person without an audio guide. But there were plenty of explanations written in English so for us no guide was totally fine.

Legendary & Epic Castle This is by far my favourite castle in France. I visited a lot but this one is special. What I like is the fact it is Medieval and so well preserved. It is very grand too. One of the largest around the world. You can feel the middle ages here and really appreciate what it must have been like to live in those days. Highly recommended to visit.

Great walk around the ramparts and enjoyed the castle too. Not a bad price at €19 either.

Carcassonne and its castle are must-see sites if you're visiting Occitania in southern France. The day we were there, the place was swarming with tourists from all over the place, and with good reason, because there's so much rich history there. I heard French, Spanish, Catalan, German, English — visitors from many places. Touring the castle is synonymous with touring the city, since you can enter the city through the castle gates and walk around the winding lanes full of restaurants with outside seating, shops selling souvenirs and tourist items, etc. Every other restaurant signboard advertises cassoulet, a local specialty. If you're touring the castle and Carcassonne, I highly recommend also stepping into the basilica, whose stained-glass windows are a marvel to behold. Rich blues, reds, yellows, a fairyland of vibrant colors….

Unique in its kind, the Cité de Carcassonne is a fine example of medieval military architecture. It is not only one of the largest fortified cities in Europe, but also the largest medieval complex on the continent, and arguably one of the best preserved. The stones that make up the Cité tell us the history of the place. A rich and complex history spanning several centuries, from the Gallo-Roman period (from the 3rd century BC) to the 19th century. Strolling through the citadel and standing on its ramparts is like contemplating 2,500 years of history. At the heart of the medieval city of Carcassonne, the Château Comtal was built in the western part of the Cité, the highest and therefore best protected. On this side, the city overlooks the Aude River, making it difficult to access and thus serving as a protective feature. Today, consisting of a stately palace separating two courtyards, the castle dominates the Lower Town, protected by 11 towers, including two keeps. The main entrance is guarded by twin towers forming a gatehouse with elaborate defensive systems. The Watchtower, in the South Courtyard, is the castle's tallest. It is one of the city's few square towers. Constantly modified over time, the count's castle was enlarged in the 12th century by the Trencavels, Viscounts of Carcassonne. A primitive castle already stood on this site. The construction of this new palace, begun around 1130, took place in a very unique context. The establishment of the feudal system led to the division of the territory and the decentralization of power: vast territorial areas were placed under the responsibility of lords, tasked with administering the various regions on behalf of the Carolingian kingdom. While these families owed loyalty to the king, they were increasingly powerful and independent. In Carcassonne, the Trencavel dynasty managed to establish its dominance and ensured the management of the viscounty. This was an important family, composed of fierce warriors and gr

A real treat, the audio guide is worth the extra €. Just make sure the guide finishes the current subject before moving on or it may auto jump to the next chapter as it is all automated. A lovely 'castle' with lots of history. I really recommend pre purchasing your tickets and arriving for 09.45 for a 10.00 am start when it opens. Walk up from the entrance and the main castle and ramparts are in front of you. We arrived at 09.45 with pre-booked tickets and were first in line. By 10.00, opening time, the queue was already sizable. You can walk for 0.8 mile/1k + around the inner ramparts via the audio guided tour but there are exit points on the way if you feel you can't complete it. Beautiful views and lots of info via the audio guide, however less so if not using the audio guide. The 'city' itself within the walls is quite tourist focused and the quality and price reflect that. I would prefer to eat in the main city of Carcassonne itself, or just over the le Pont Vieux (Old Bridge). Get there early, avoid the heat and crowds, it's a worthwhile visit!

Absolutely beautiful area, would say everyone should see this at least once in their lives.