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Historic neighborhood · Carcassonne, Occitânia
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.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Bastide Saint-Louis
Bastide Saint-Louis is the lower town of Carcassonne, on the left bank of the Aude, opposite the Cité. It was created in the 13th century under King Louis IX, when inhabitants expelled from around the Cité after the crusade were allowed to settle on the other side of the river.
Like other bastides in southern France, it has straight streets that cross at right angles around a central square, the Place Carnot, formerly called the Herb Market. The square hosts cafés and, on some mornings, a market.
The bastide's old walls were dismantled from 1764 and replaced by tree-lined boulevards. Within the layout are the Cathédrale Saint-Michel, the Église Saint-Vincent, the covered market and mansions of cloth merchants, the industry that made the town prosperous.
This is where Carcassonne's everyday life unfolds: shops, restaurants and hotels, a few minutes' walk from the station and the Canal du Midi.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
1 to 2 hours.
Best time
In the morning on a market day at the Place Carnot; check the days. In the late afternoon the square's cafés fill up.
How to get there
It begins about 300 meters from the Gare de Carcassonne, crossing the Canal du Midi. Place Carnot is in the center of the bastide, about a 10-minute walk from the station.
Tip
Combine the bastide with the walk up to the Cité: from Place Carnot to the Pont-Vieux is a few minutes, and on the other side of the river the climb to the Porte d'Aude begins.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Bastide Saint-Louis
What is a bastide?
A planned new town from the Middle Ages in southern France, with straight, grid-like streets around a central square.
Where are restaurants and shops in Carcassonne?
Most everyday shops are in the Bastide Saint‑Louis, around Place Carnot and on the pedestrian streets.
Is there a market in Place Carnot?
Yes, on some mornings of the week. Check the days before you go.