Carcassonne: Discovering the Medieval Town and the Board Game of the Same Name

After a year of playing Carcassonne, the famous board game  , aboard our campervan, we finally made it to the real city, where we bought an expansion  to add some spice to our adventures on board!

Carcassonne is located in southern France, which makes the city a great stop on the way to, for example, Northern Spain or on the way back to Italy.

Carcassonne is one of the five most touristy cities in France, which is why we visited it at 7am, admiring it in total solitude (from 10am in summer the little streets get swamped with tourists). We have to admit that the many touristy shop signs didn’t inspire us to take too many photos, but let’s see together how to spend half a day in the city!

If, like us, you’re arriving by campervan, don’t worry — at the end we’ll leave you a couple of safe places to park. Unfortunately the city is affected by quite a few theft incidents, but we managed to find safe spots to sleep or park peacefully while visiting the city!

A leap back in time

Carcassonne is a typical medieval town with a double set of walls, 4 gates and 52 towers visible from a distance, sending your mind flying back in time. All along the road leading into town, your gaze gets lost among vineyards, hinting at its strategic position.

Once inside the city, it feels like a dive into the past, into an era animated by the heroic deeds of knights, ladies and princesses to be saved. Or, if like me you’re a film buff, it’ll bring back memories of one of Ridley Scott’s latest masterpieces: The Last Duel  .

Carcassonne: a city all worth discovering

The city winds between the medieval part, perched on top and protected by the walls, and the more modern part, found on the plain of the Aude river.

The medieval city

The medieval city of Carcassonne is a unique example in Europe, both for its size and its state of preservation. It can be reached through two gates, Porte Narbonnaise and Porte d’Aude, from which you can wander through a maze of little streets buzzing with bars, restaurants and shops. Unfortunately, both in the alleys and in the small squares, there are so many shop signs, chairs and tables that they leave only your imagination to relive the authentic medieval atmosphere.

In the medieval city you can visit:

• the Château Comtal, the castle, home to the lapidary museum and numerous exhibits, as well as allowing you to walk along the ramparts and admire the views below (visiting hours 10am-5pm, price €9.50, bookable here  )
• the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire, a church of Romanesque origin enriched with Gothic details in the rose windows and chapels (free admission)
• the School Museum 
• the Inquisition Museum 

The lower town: Bastide Saint-Louis

From the medieval city you can reach the lower town in a 15-minute walk, crossing the splendid Pont Vieux, 210 metres long and built in the Middle Ages. From here you can also admire the medieval city in all its beauty.

Carcassonne’s lower town, called La Bastide Saint-Louis, was built in 1260 when King Louis IX granted the population permission to settle in this area. It’s a fairly lively centre, with numerous shops, restaurants and a covered market. Down here you’ll always feel the urge to look up and try to admire the walls and towers of the upper city from every angle.

Are you a fan of boat trips? In Carcassonne you can treat yourself to one exploring the Canal du Midi, built in the era of the Sun King to connect the Mediterranean to the Atlantic.

A city that loves to celebrate

Carcassonne isn’t just a beautiful city rich in history — it hosts a huge number of events all year round!

In the summer months it comes alive thanks to the Festival de Carcassonne, featuring theatre, classical music, dance, concerts and opera.

On 14 July it’s the stage for the famous fireworks show dedicated to the Storming of the Bastille.

In late August/early September, the Feria de Carcassonne is held, dedicated to popular music and dance.

Around 10 September, its streets are taken over by players of the board game of the same name, one of our favourites.

The Carcassonne board game  involves assembling various tiles to recreate medieval towns and roads, around churches and the course of the river. Over time several expansions have been released, with cathedrals, rivers, inns, traders and builders, towers, abbeys, mayors, catapults, bazaars, bridges, sheep and hills, dragons and princesses, counts, kings and heretics.

During our visit to Carcassonne, at one of the city’s tourist centres, we bought expansion no. 2  (even though we don’t have number 1 😂), then rushed back to the campervan to start a game right away (played by 2 to 5 people). More than once we’ve invited a fellow traveller to play on board with us! Have you ever played it?

Where to park with the campervan?

In the city you can find a campsite and a paid, equipped stopover area. We preferred to stay overnight for free in the nearby town of Cazilhac, then park 2 kilometres from the city and reach it easily on a 10-minute walk.

You’ll find all the coordinates on this map: