Cidade Turismo
France
Carcassonne and Toulouse

Occitânia · France

Carcassonne and Toulouse

The brick city on the banks of the Garonne and the medieval walled city on the Aude, connected by train in about an hour and by the Canal du Midi.

South

In the photo: Pont-Neuf de Toulouse, France.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Toulouse and Carcassonne are in Occitanie, in southern France, about 90 km from each other. Toulouse is the regional capital and the fourth-largest city in the country; Carcassonne is much smaller and known worldwide for the Cité, the medieval city surrounded by a double wall with 52 towers.

Toulouse has the nickname ville rose, the pink city, because of the brique foraine, the fired clay brick that dominates churches, townhouses and houses in the centre and takes on a pinkish or orangey hue depending on the light. The Basilique Saint-Sernin, the Capitole and the Couvent des Jacobins are there. The city is also home to Airbus and is one of Europe’s main aerospace centres, which explains the Cité de l'espace and the Aeroscopia museum.

Carcassonne has two parts: the Cité, on top of the hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, and the Bastide Saint-Louis, the lower town with a grid of streets, where the train station and shops are. Around it, in the Corbières and the Montagne Noire, lie ruined castles linked to the history of the Cathars, such as Lastours, Peyrepertuse and Quéribus.

What links the two cities is the Canal du Midi, opened in the 17th century to connect Toulouse to the Mediterranean and a World Heritage Site since 1996. On the table, the region’s dish is cassoulet, a stew of white beans with meats, cooked in an earthenware pot called a cassole.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Toulouse, Carcassonne.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Carcassonne and Toulouse is
ToulouseCarcassonne

Contornos: © IGN, ADMIN EXPRESS, Licence Ouverte 2.0. Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Carcassonne and Toulouse

✈ Aéroport Toulouse-Blagnac (TLS), in Blagnac · 10 km to Toulouse

The gateway is Toulouse-Blagnac airport (TLS). Check before buying. From Paris, the TGV reaches Gare de Toulouse-Matabiau in just over 4 hours. Between Toulouse and Carcassonne, regional and long-distance trains take from 45 minutes to about 1 hour.

Suggested arrival point: Toulouse

The local experience

Things to do in Carcassonne and Toulouse

Cité de Carcassonne
Carcassonne · Occitânia · Historical site

Cité de Carcassonne

Medieval fortified town on top of a hill, with a double wall of about 3 km and 52 towers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; access to the streets is free.

Place du Capitole
Toulouse · Occitânia · Square

Place du Capitole

The central square of Toulouse, facing the brick-and-stone façade of the Capitole, with the Occitan cross drawn on the paving and cafés around it.

Capitole de Toulouse
Toulouse · Occitânia · Palace

Capitole de Toulouse

Seat of Toulouse's city hall for more than eight centuries and also of the opera theatre; the state rooms, such as the Salle des Illustres, can be visited.

Château comtal et remparts
Carcassonne · Occitânia · Castle

Château comtal et remparts

The castle of the viscounts of Carcassonne, inside the Cité, and the walk along the ramparts, a national monument with admission.

See 18 more places in Carcassonne and Toulouse
Basilique Saint-Nazaire
Carcassonne · Occitânia · Church

Basilique Saint-Nazaire

Former cathedral inside the Cité, with a Romanesque nave and a Gothic choir lit by stained glass windows from the 13th and 14th centuries.

Basilique Saint-Sernin
Toulouse · Occitânia · Church

Basilique Saint-Sernin

One of the largest Romanesque churches in Europe, built from the end of the 11th century to house the relics of São Saturnino, with an octagonal brick bell tower.

Bastide Saint-Louis
Carcassonne · Occitânia · Historic neighborhood

Bastide Saint-Louis

The lower town of Carcassonne, founded in the 13th century with a grid of streets around the Place Carnot, where the shops, restaurants and station are located.

Couvent des Jacobins
Toulouse · Occitânia · Church

Couvent des Jacobins

Church and cloister of the Dominicans, all in brick, with the 28-metre palm-shaped column and the tomb of São Tomás de Aquino.

Musée des Augustins
Toulouse · Occitânia · Museum

Musée des Augustins

Toulouse's fine arts museum, in a former Gothic Augustinian convent, with European painting and a large collection of Romanesque and Gothic sculpture.

Pont-Vieux
Carcassonne · Occitânia · Bridge

Pont-Vieux

Stone bridge from the 14th century over the Aude river, linking the lower town to the ascent to the Cité, with views of the walls.

Collection Bemberg
Toulouse · Occitânia · Museum

Collection Bemberg

Art collection of collector Georges Bemberg, from Veronese to Picasso, with a large collection of Bonnard, housed in the Hôtel d'Assézat, a Renaissance townhouse from 1555.

Port de Carcassonne (Canal du Midi)
Carcassonne · Occitânia · Historical site

Port de Carcassonne (Canal du Midi)

Stretch of the Canal du Midi beside the station, with a lock and a port from which boat trips depart, between the Gare and the Bastide Saint-Louis.

Châteaux de Lastours
Carcassonne · Occitânia · Castle

Châteaux de Lastours

Four medieval ruined castles on a rocky spur above the Orbiel river, about 20 km north of Carcassonne.

Musée Saint-Raymond
Toulouse · Occitânia · Museum

Musée Saint-Raymond

Toulouse's archaeology museum, next to Saint-Sernin, with Roman sculptures and pieces from the Celtic world and the early Middle Ages.

Château de Peyrepertuse
Carcassonne · Occitânia · Castle

Château de Peyrepertuse

Ruined fortress on a limestone ridge of nearly 800 meters in the Corbières, one of the largest in the region, about 85 km from Carcassonne.

Les Abattoirs
Toulouse · Occitânia · Museum

Les Abattoirs

Modern and contemporary art museum installed in the former municipal slaughterhouses, on the left bank of the Garonne.

Château de Quéribus
Carcassonne · Occitânia · Castle

Château de Quéribus

Castle atop a rocky peak at 728 meters, above Cucugnan, with a tower that houses a Gothic hall with a central pillar; views over the Corbières and the Roussillon.

Pont-Neuf
Toulouse · Occitânia · Bridge

Pont-Neuf

The oldest bridge over the Garonne in Toulouse, despite its name, with seven brick and stone arches; from it you can see the Prairie des Filtres and the Hôtel-Dieu.

Port de l'Embouchure
Toulouse · Occitânia · Historical site

Port de l'Embouchure

River port where the Canal du Midi meets the Canal latéral à la Garonne and the Canal de Brienne, featuring an 18th-century bas-relief.

Cité de l'espace
Toulouse · Occitânia · Theme park

Cité de l'espace

Science park dedicated to space, with a replica of the Ariane 5 rocket, a model of the Mir station, a planetarium and exhibitions on astronomy.

Musée Aeroscopia
Toulouse · Occitânia · Museum

Musée Aeroscopia

Aviation museum in Blagnac, next to the Airbus factories, with two Concordes, the Super Guppy and over 40 aircraft; the starting point for Airbus tours.

Halle de La Machine
Toulouse · Occitânia · Museum

Halle de La Machine

Shed where the company La Machine stores and sets into motion its performance machines, including the 14-metre Minotaur Astérion, which carries passengers.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From April to June and from September to October the weather is usually mild and good for walking. July and August are hot, often above 30 °C, and the Cité of Carcassonne becomes very crowded. In winter, from December to February, it’s moderately cold and the days are short, but museums and churches remain open.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Three days work well: two in Toulouse, with the historic centre one day and the space and aviation sites the other, and one in Carcassonne, with the Cité and the lower town. With four or five days and a car, you can include the castles of Lastours, Peyrepertuse and Quéribus. Carcassonne can also be a day trip by train from Toulouse.

Which city to stay in

In Toulouse, the centre between the Place du Capitole, the Place Wilson and the Garonne leaves almost everything within walking distance; the Gare Matabiau area is convenient for those arriving and departing by train; Saint-Cyprien, on the other side of the river, is more residential. In Carcassonne, staying inside the Cité lets you see the walls empty at night, but the streets are cobbled and cars stay outside; the Bastide Saint-Louis, near the station, has more restaurants and price options.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Carcassonne and Toulouse

Can you do Carcassonne as a day trip from Toulouse?

Yes. The train takes from 45 minutes to about 1 hour to Gare de Carcassonne, and from the station to the Cité is about 2 km, on foot or by bus. A full day covers the Cité, the castle and the ramparts and a stroll through the lower town.

Do I need a car?

For Toulouse and Carcassonne, no: train, metro, tram and walking will do. A car only makes a difference for the Cathar castles in the mountains, like Peyrepertuse and Quéribus, which don’t have practical public transport.

What's the best time to go?

Spring (April to June) and early autumn (September and October). The European summer, June to August, is usually hot and very busy in Carcassonne; winter, December to February, is colder and has short days.

How long is the train from Paris?

The TGV from Paris-Montparnasse to Toulouse-Matabiau takes just over 4 hours. For Carcassonne there are direct trains or ones with a change in Toulouse or Narbonne; check the connection when booking.

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