Before you go

Your trip to Carcassonne.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Carcassonne – Occitânia Destination Carcassonne and Toulouse about 92 km from Toulouse

How to get there

Aéroport Toulouse-Blagnac (TLS) Blagnac · 105 km
Aéroport de Carcassonne (CCF) Carcassonne · 4 km
Gare de Carcassonne 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Gare de Carcassonne receives trains from Toulouse in 45 minutes to about 1 hour, and also from Narbonne, Montpellier and Bordeaux. Check before buying.

How many days

One day is enough for the Cité, the castle and the ramparts and a stroll through the lower town. With two days and a car, you’ll have a day for the castles of Peyrepertuse and Quéribus or for Lastours. Seeing the Cité lit up at night makes it worth staying overnight in the town.

When to go

April to June and September to October usually offer pleasant weather and fewer crowds. July and August are hot and busy, with the Cité full of groups. In winter, from December to February, it’s windy and cold, but the Cité is quiet. The town is generally windy year-round.

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

Do you need a car?

For the Cité and the lower town, no: everything can be done on foot from the station, with the city bus as an option to go up to the Cité. For the Cathar castles in the Corbières and the Montagne Noire, a car is practically necessary, or else an organized tour.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Carcassonne

Morning
Ascent to the Cité
Leave early from the Bastide Saint-Louis, cross the Pont-Vieux and walk up to the Porte d'Aude. Visit the Château comtal and walk along the ramparts before the tour groups arrive.
Afternoon
Basilica and lices
Have lunch inside the Cité between 12:00 and 14:00. Then see the Basilique Saint-Nazaire and walk around the lices, between the two walls.
Late afternoon
Lower town
Walk down to the Bastide Saint-Louis, stroll through the Place Carnot and the streets laid out in a grid, and continue to the Canal du Midi, near the station.
Evening
Illuminated Cité
Have dinner in the lower town or in the Cité from 19:30, with cassoulet on the menu, and return to the Pont-Vieux to see the illuminated walls.

2 days in Carcassonne

Day 1

Morning
Château comtal and walls
Start with the Cité: enter through the Porte Narbonnaise and visit the Château comtal and the walkway along the ramparts.
Afternoon
Saint-Nazaire and lices
After lunch, visit the Basilique Saint-Nazaire and walk the lices between the walls.
Late afternoon
Pont-Vieux and Bastide
Go down via the Porte d'Aude, cross the Pont-Vieux and stroll through the Bastide Saint-Louis to the Place Carnot.
Evening
Night in the Cité
Return to the Cité after dinner to see the illuminated walls and the almost empty streets.

Day 2

Morning
Peyrepertuse
Drive early and head to the Corbières, about a 1h30 drive. Climb up to the Château de Peyrepertuse, on the limestone ridge.
Afternoon
Quéribus and Cucugnan
Have lunch in Cucugnan or Duilhac and climb to the Château de Quéribus, about 10 km away, with a Gothic hall featuring a central pillar.
Late afternoon
Return to Carcassonne
Return via roads through vineyards. Those who prefer a shorter day can swap the two castles for Lastours, 20 km from the city.
Evening
Canal du Midi
At the end of the day, walk along the bank of the Canal du Midi near the station and have dinner in the Bastide Saint-Louis.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

How to get to Carcassonne from Toulouse?

By train, in 45 minutes to about 1 hour to the Gare de Carcassonne, or by car, about 92 km via the A61 motorway.

Is the station far from the Cité?

About 2 km. You can walk up via the Bastide Saint-Louis and the Pont-Vieux in about 30 minutes, or take a local bus.

Is it worth staying overnight in Carcassonne?

Yes, if you want to see the Cité illuminated and walk the streets without groups, early in the morning or at night.

What are the Cathar castles?

Fortresses in the mountains around Carcassonne, associated with the crusade against the Cathars in the 13th century and later with the defense of the border with Aragon. Lastours, Peyrepertuse and Quéribus are the most visited from the city.

Is cassoulet from Carcassonne?

Cassoulet is a dish of the whole Languedoc. Carcassonne, Toulouse and Castelnaudary have their versions, and it appears on many of the city's restaurant menus.

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