Carcassonne is in the Aude department of the Occitanie region. Medieval town restored in the 19th century, it is now a listed building. UNESCO World Heritage Site for 26 years. Carcassonne and the Aude region are full of little gems to visit, from the city within its ramparts to what is known as the lower town and the surrounding area.
The city of two towns
In the south of France lies Carcassonne, between the Massif Central and the Pyrenees. More than 46,000 Carcassonnais live in the town, which boasts medieval architecture. Rich in history and geography, it has more than one treasure for you to discover.
A bit of history
The town of Carcassonne has been inhabited since the Middle Ages. Neolithic. We lived off the commercial and agricultural activities. These activities were made possible by the presence of the River Aude, which flows through the town. Carcassonne is a city that has been in the hands of various peoples. In the 3rd century BC, it came under the domination of Celtic. In 118 BC, it was the turn of the Romans to take Carcassonne. Between 234 and 285, the Roman Empire experienced a crisis with military anarchy and the Barbarians took advantage of the situation to pillage the town and the whole of Gaul. As a result of this pillaging, the Romans decided to build a a fortress around the town several kilometres long and made up of around thirty defensive towers. Following this, Carcassonne became Visigoth. In 725, the Muslims took the town and it was renamed Qarqshuna. A few years later, Pepin the Short takes over the city, but it still suffers from regular looting. Then comes Charlemagne. During the Middle Ages, Carcassonne experienced several years of war over reign and descent. In 1209, Carcassonne was awarded to Simon IV de Montfort which turned it into a military zone. The people of Carcassonne were forced to leave the town immediately without any preparation, abandoning all their personal belongings. They decided to settle on the opposite bank of the river. Little by little, the town was rebuilt outside the ramparts, to the point where Louis IX nicknamed it "Carcassonne". lower city "The region became economically prosperous. Then came the Wars of Religion. The town within the ramparts remained Catholic, while the lower town supported the Protestants. Later, in 1944, the town fell into the hands of the Germans but was liberated shortly afterwards. In 1997, Carcassonne was listed as a World Heritage Site by UnescoThe lower town thus became a protected area.
So many places to see
Carcassonne itself already has more than one treasure to show you. First of all, there's its city, between the ramparts. The fortress is steeped in history. Here you will find the Comtal castle which will take you back in time to the Middle Ages. You'll find a panorama the Pyrenees, the Montagne Noire and the Bastide Saint-Louis. The latter is also a must-see. This will also be an opportunity to visit the lower city and the Old bridge which was one of the main means of defence in the past. You can also visit the Saint-Nazaire basilica whose architecture is a blend of Romanesque and Gothic. The basilica is renowned for having the most beautiful stained glass windows in the whole region. As well as the town, there are plenty of places to visit in the surrounding area. Twenty minutes from Carcassonne, you can visit Montolieu which is located on the Black Mountain. It's a village of books and arts. You'll find a variety of second-hand booksellers, artists and craftspeople. You can also stop off at the Cérès Franco Museum which not only exhibits his work, but also rare works from the 20th century. In this museum you will see works of art brut, Brazilian and European naive art and many others. For lovers of damp, dark places such as caves, you can visit the Cabrespine chasm 25 km from Carcassonne. The chasm is 250 m deep. To help you discover the chasm, you can go caving, see a light show or cross a glass bridge. Visit Cabrespine chasm is considered to be one of the most beautiful caves in Europe. You can also lose yourself in the Limousis cave comprising seven rooms and two lakes.
The city airport
The airport of Carcassonne is located 2.5 km from the town centre. As the airport is not a major French airport (ranked 63rd in France), it has no scheduled flights. Only Rayanair offers national and some international flights. There are also a number of private flights departing from and landing at Carcassonne.
Information
Carcassonne airport, also known as Sud de France airport, is located at route de Montréal, 11000 Carcassonne. As the airport doesn't have much traffic, if you want to get there we advise you to check their opening times: Monday 2pm-6pm, Tuesday 8am-6pm, Wednesday 9.30am-4pm, Thursday 8.30am-4pm, Friday 7am-5.30pm, Saturday 7.45am-6.30pm and finally Sunday 7.15am-2pm. You can also call them on 0820 67 34 11. You can get to the airport by car. Carcassonne airport has several places to park your vehicle. You can park at P1 which is free for 15 minutes. If you would like to leave your vehicle for a few days, you will find the P2. For those travelling for a few weeks, the best place to stay is at the P3. This is the cheapest car park, but it is much further from the terminal. For regular travellers, the airport offers subscriptions parking. One is for a quarter, the other for a year. With these season tickets you have unlimited access to the airport car parks.
Private car parks
Choosing to park your car in a car park close to the airport often means you can be sure that your car is in a safe place. guarded and reliable parking. In fact, private car parks near airports are often under video surveillance. Most of them also have a 24/7 presence. If you wish to leave your car on a private car park near Carcassonne airportWe work with a number of partners who can offer you the ideal car park. Our partner car parks offer you a secure car park as well as a car park that is easy to use. transfer (including luggage) to the airport by shuttle. This transfer is free of charge. You can also use the valet service. In this case, a valet will collect your vehicle directly from your terminal. For your return, whether by shuttle transfer or with a valet, just give us a call and your car park will take care of you. Simple, fast and efficient.
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