La Cité de Carcassonne

La Cité de Carcassonne is one of the world’s best known sites – one of those places everyone has heard of and everyone wants to visit. Over three million do each year, and from all over the world.
A medieval fortress built on a hill overlooking the river Aude and up and up and down the ‘Toulouse corridor’ from the sea at Narbonne towards Castelnaudary it was occupied from before the Roman occupation by people of the iron age. Fortified by the Romans as the key to the crossing of the Aude below it continued to be enlarged and further fortified by succeeding generations with massive defensive works. Falling into decline after its sack by Simon de Montfort during his suppression of the Cathar heresy during the Albigensian Crusade in the early 13th century it became virtually a quarry for the rebuilding and fortification of the lower town or Bastide St Louis. Its importance as part of the heritage of France was recognised by the great French architect Violet le Duc in the mid-19th century and important restoration and rebuilding (not always accurate) was undertaken over a long period to leave the Cite as we see it today.
Being relatively small and still occupied as a walled village with countless restaurants, bars and a wealth of mediaeval or pseudo-mediaeval features it is an irresistible tourist trap.