The fortified (and touristed) city of Carcassonne

Carcassonne--La Cite

Despite being packed with tourists, we think Carcassonne is well worth a visit.  The fortified upper town, called La Cite, suffered from sieges and the defeat of its counts during the Middle Ages, was redesigned in part to house the conquerors and eventually crumbled until the 19th century, when the architect and historian, Viollet-le-Duc, oversaw its resurrection and reconstruction.

the "chateau comtel" inside the walls

La Cite was a monumental fortress protecting a large town area inside its massive walls.  The main structure was both a citadel and the elaborate home of the counts, known for their elegance.  All sorts of platforms and devices protected the royal family and, presumably, the townspeople.  At various times, the inner walls were built followed by outer walls and a moat, all of which surround the hilltop town today. It's barely inhabited, though, as, I was told, only about 10 families live inside the walls today.

the basilica

We're staying in a hotel inside the walls of the fortress, which I recommend.  When the daytime tourists leave, the town is relatively peaceful, though its bars and restaurants are still busy and, last night, since France was playing Portugal in the European soccer finals, cheers and groans resounded until the French team lost in overtime.

The fortress is quite fascinating.  You can take an audio tour, which we enjoyed, to learn about its history, construction and reconstruction, and walk around the old walls to look into the gardens and restaurants inside the fortress as well as to view the newer city below and the Pyrenees in the distance.

Basilica's stained glass windows

Carcassonne's basilica was once a cathedral, but was demoted when a new cathedral was built in the "new" city.  It has some of the most intricate and beautiful stained glass windows I've ever seen. This, too, was one of Viollet's reconstructions. While the guidebooks say that all the rebuilding may have more Viollet to it than actual history, he maintained that he was painstaking in trying to determine the original architecture before designing the reconstruction.

old house near Basilica

If you're staying in the new city, the Cite Basse, or have a couple of hours to wander around, the Cite Basse is well worth a visit.  It has a charming main square surrounded by neo-classical buildings, another old square about 3 blocks away with lots of cafes, and some very nice shops.  Remnants of the old city walls still exist near the cathedral.  From the fortress, La Cite, you can walk down the hill, cross the old bridge, now a pedestrian bridge, and enter the newer part of the city.

Carcassonne's walls at night