When in southwest France, it’s impossible to overlook La Cité de Carcassonne, both because it’s one of the top tourist destinations in the area, and also because it literally is a massive fortress on a hill.
The au pairs assembled and braved a French road trip about an hour south east of Toulouse. With the weather on our side as ever, it was a perfect day to appreciate some fields, listen to terrible French pop music on the radio, and numbify our bums on some car seats.
The approach alone is impressive, as the turrets and spires rise above its modern counterpart; Carcassonne. Upon arriving in La Cité(signposted throughout the streets below) we were immediately swallowed into a mass wave of tourists squeezing in amongst the quaint and narrow streets. Obviously we did the typical tourist thing to do – complain about other tourists. Every photograph I took is guaranteed to have been taken simultaneously by about five other people – effectively queuing to do so. The town itself is a bit surreal – almost like a toy town. Souvenir shops lace the streets, and if there aren’t post cards outside, it’s probably a café equally designed for the city’s daily visitors.
This isn’t to say the Carcassonne experience wasn’t enjoyable. In fact I was happy to discover a sweet shop well stocked with free tasters, sweeping the room without shame and only mildly pretending to consider a purchase. And the church was nice.
Top tips for Carcassonne enjoyment:
- Visit at a less busy and stressful time of year to avoid those horrid tourists.
- If the former is unavoidable and you do find yourself in confined space with the bumbag-wearing sort, I recommend a stroll along the outer walls of the city. Panoramic views of the surrounding countryside are stunning. Not to mention that breeze.
- As we discovered, if you want to eat well in La Cité, it will come at a price. And if you want a cheaper option, like a panini, its best to keep expectations low. I would recommend sourcing your refreshments outside of city walls to get more value for your money.
- The larger, more modern city often gets a bad rep in comparison to its walled neighbour, but from what we saw, it’s just as worth a visit and a wander.
- Take everything I say with a pinch of salt – I complain a lot.
Salut Toulouse 