Visit to discover a grand, imposing citadel, home to a labyrinth of cobbled streets, churches, a castle, towers and ancient buildings. It is now considered to be the largest and best conserved medieval fortress in Europe.
The old citadel gradually fell into ruin until state commissioned architect Viollet-le-Duc took on the restoration in 1844. Over time the ramshackle homes spread and created the wider neighbourhood of Carcassonne. The more fortunate lived inside the protected walls. In the middle ages the poorest people lived in ramshackle homes that leaned up against the ramparts. She has a rather smiley face and no wonder – she beat Charlemagne! Dame Carcas’ likeness adorns one of the gates of the magnificent enclosed city, looking down on all who enter. Dame Carcas had the bells of the city rung in victory, “Carcas… sonne” it was said, “Carcassonne is ringing” – hence the name. Charlemagne, believing that the inhabitants must have so much food stored they could afford to chuck it away called off the siege. On learning that her people had just one pig and a bag of wheat left to survive on, the reigning princess, Dame Carcas, had the pig fed on the wheat and thrown over the ramparts. There is a legend that the Emperor Charlemagne laid siege to the fortified city for five long years in the 8th century. The city changed hands several times, its history was colourful, it’s always been sought after.
Its legacy goes back centuries, ancient tribes inhabited the area, the Romans arrived and built a fort – they called it Carcasso. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of the old city of Carcassonne is every bit as enchanting when you see it in real life as it is in the photos.