L'appartement - Carcassonne

A car in Carcassonne

Having a car when you are staying in Carcassonne is not necessary. However, if you do have one there are some wonderful tours you can make. If you visit the official Carcassonne tourism website you will find details of eight suggested tours, and there are print-outs of these in the apartments.

The downside of having a car is that the Bastide St Louis was not constructed with the horseless carriage in mind. The streets are narrow, as they were originally simply ditches between the buildings, and so as to enable vehicles to be able to pass with a modicum of ease, they are all one way and one or two are pedestrianised. Needless to say there are parking restrictions, however given the circumstances you will not really find having a car too much of a problem.

There is parking immediately outside the apartments, which is free all day Sunday, and other days except for 9.00 am to midday and 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm, when there is a small charge. You will not always find that there is a parking slot available, however cars seem to move fairly frequently so it is not too much of a problem. If you arrive at your apartment and there is nowhere to park, drivers are generally pretty tolerant of people who are stopping to unload, even if they are holding up the rest of the traffic - so long as you are clearly being as quick as possible. It is only a very short distance to a free car park, and only slightly further to the free parking along the banks of the Aude. There is also secure parking at an underground car park about 5 minutes walk away. If you prefer to park your car before unloading, you can always hail a free "touc" or electric car, which will take you to the place Carnot. Occasionally during the summer the streets immediately around the place Carnot are barred so you may have to do this anyway (although it is only a short walk). However, if you arrive in the morning or after 6.00 pm you should always find the streets are open. If you book your apartment and make it clear that you will be arriving by car, you will be sent directions as to how to reach the apartment by car and a map showing where the car parks are situated.

If you are thinking of hiring a car, it is best to look up "car rental Carcassonne" on Google, where you will find a good selection of low priced cars available. If you are staying for the week, it can be a good idea to spend half the week exploring Carcassonne on foot, and hiring a car for just three or four days.

Although you can have a wonderful holiday in Carcassonne without a car, if you do have wheels the Languedoc is a fascinating area to explore, with many contrasts; you can take a trip up into the Pyrenees, you can explore the Mediterranean coast, you can visit caves, you can browse the antique shops of Pezenas, you can scale the Cathar castles, drive through gorges... and so on. In each apartment there is a copy of an excellent book with suggested tours of the area.

Trips by car from Carcassonne

The official Carcassonne tourism website suggests 8 sightseeing itineraries. Here are very brief details, with many omissions. They are printed out in full in the apartments.

1. Cabardes, 50 km: This route takes you to the area north of Carcassonne and includes the circular village of Pennautier and the paper mill at Brousses.

2. Cabardes, 70 km: This route takes you to the cave of Limousis, the Orbiel gorge, the four castles of Lastours, and the waterfall of Cubservies, one of the highest in Europe.

3. The high valley, 95 km: This route takes you to Saint Hilaire, Limoux, Alet les Bains and Esperaza.

4. The Montagne Noire, 124 km: This route goes up into the Montagne Noire where you have panoramic views and can go on the Little Train and learn about Pierre-Paul Riquet and the Canal du Midi. Visit Castelnaudary (home of the cassoulet), Revel and the "circulade" village of Bram.

5. From the Dominican to the Cathar landmarks, 163 km: Highlights of this route include the magnificent mediaeval city of Mirepoix with its twelfth century main square, Montsegur and Limoux.

6. Central and western Corbieres, 130 km: On this route is Lagrasse, one of the most beautiful villages of France.

7. From the Corbieres to the Marches d'Espagne, 200 km: This route features many of the most famous Cathar castles, such as Queribus and Peyrepertuse, and takes you along the dramatic Gorges de Galamus.

8. Minervois, 125 km: Visit the mediaeval walled city of Minervois, and then stop at an olive-growing cooperative.

On most of these itineraries you will see vineyards, and this same web site provides much information about the wines of the region. The tourist office can suggest wine itineraries that you can follow and you can also find details in the apartments.

Also in the apartments you will find copies of an excellent book giving suggested driving itineraries for the Languedoc region, and there is a detailed map for your use during your stay.