The Walled City Of Carcassonne Is Basically A Medieval French Fairytale

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Not far from the southern coast of France, you’ll find a small city that is basically the setting for every medieval fantasy you’ve ever had. It boasts tall stone walls, a million sturdy lookout towers and charming cobblestone streets. This is Carcassonne and here’s what you should know about the city.

Carcassonne is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The earliest settlers were around 500 B.C., so you’re walking in ancient footsteps.

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The old town inside the walls is called La Cité.

Both excellently preserved and restored, La Cité is like a time capsule from the Middle Ages.

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There are 52 towers.

And it’s almost two miles around the city walls.

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Carcassonne is within day trip distance of some major cities.

It’s not far from Marseille, Montpellier and Toulouse in France or Barcelona, Spain.

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There are ruins of other fortresses nearby.

You can hike through the crumbling Châteaux de Lastours a few miles away.

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It’s pretty much the perfect medieval castle.

There’s even a medieval-themed board game named after the city.

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Between the old and new town, it’s a bite-sized escape from the big city.

And by bite, we mean picnic lunch with croissants and local cheese. This is France, mon amie!

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