Click here for 48 Hours In Carcassonne map. With a mild climate typical of the south of France, the attractive walled city of Carcassonne is an appealing and accessible destination for an out-of-season weekend. The Gauls, Romans, Moors and Cathars have left their mark on the place and contributed to its atmosphere โ but the restaurants and shops ensure that there is more to Carcassonne than just history.
The only airline with direct flights from the UK is Ryanair ; ryanair. Carcassonne is two cities in one, divided by the river Aude. On its east bank stands the medieval city, whose main entrance is the Porte Narbonnaise 1 ; on the right the Bastide St-Louis, 13th century in origin, but now spilling out beyond the boulevards that mark the location of its ancient city walls.
The two halves of the city are a short walk apart, across the medieval Pont Vieux 2. The main tourist office 4 at 28 rue de Verdun 00 33 4 68 10 24 30 opens 9am-6pm daily Sunday to noon ; see carcassonne tourisme. For a combination of urban and rural, there are few better places than La Maison sur la Colline, an elegant guesthouse set amid vineyards at the Mas de Sainte-Croix 00 33 4 68 47 57 94; lamaisonsur lacolline. The main shopping thoroughfare, Rue Clemenceau is less appealing than Rue Verdun, where there are plenty of intriguing small shops to browse in.
The store On Dirait le Sud 6 has plenty of home accessories, while La Ferme has an extensive selection of local wines, chocolate, cheeses and other deli goods. Carcassonne has a colourful and lively market, with stalls that are piled high with the produce of the region; it takes place on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings in Place Carnot 7. Begin a walking tour of the Bastide at the west side of the Square Gambetta 8 , the rectangular space just outside the boulevards that encircle the city.
The most elegant building is the Museum of Fine Arts, whose permanent collection is of French and Dutch paintings that span the 17thth centuries. It opens 10am-noon and pm Tuesday to Saturday, and from 2.
