The 10 Best Budget-friendly Things to do in Carcassonne Center, Occitanie

June 19, 2021 Phylicia Berquist

Step back several centuries and imagine yourself in medieval times. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, La Cite at Carcassonne is a painstakingly restored medieval walled city on a hill by the Aude River. You'll half-expect to see armed lookouts manning the fortified city's towers. Cross the river to La Bastide neighborhood for all the charms of a French country town.
Restaurants in Carcassonne Center

1. Sun Tour

Excellent
94%
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5.0 based on 112 reviews

Sun Tour

Surprising sightseeing tours from Carcassonne, door to door service, in comfortable air conditionned 9 seats minivans . Along the Cathar's road, for a day trip, discover the castles such as Queribus and Peyrepertuse. Guided tour for a day or half day in English or French.

2. Cocoa & Grapes - Chocolate and Wine Tasting Food Tours

Excellent
96%
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5.0 based on 239 reviews

Cocoa & Grapes - Chocolate and Wine Tasting Food Tours

Half day, morning, leisurely paced, no hills, Walking Food Tour lasting approximately 4.5 hours for those 18 years and older. The tours are not family oriented. Advanced booking is preferred. Please book ahead whenever possible. We visit and support local small producers. The shops we visit are open Tuesday to Saturday, therefore, these are the days we offer our walking Tasting Tour - Tuesday to Saturday. The Cocoa & Grapes Food Tours start at 09:00am and finish at approximately 1:30pm. Food Tours are offered in English only and include tasting exquisite hand made chocolates and local artisanal wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon, now part of Occitanie. Experience pairing fine chocolate with luscious wine, while hearing some fascinating stories of Carcassonne and the region thrown in for fun. There is a two person minimum for Food Tours to operate.

3. Eglise Saint-Nazaire

Place Saint-Nazaire La Cité, 11000 Carcassonne Center, Carcassonne France http://www.carcassonne.org/carcassonne_en.nsf/vueTitre/DocPatrimoineBasiliqueStNazaire5
Excellent
47%
Good
42%
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4.5 based on 1,917 reviews

Eglise Saint-Nazaire

Reviewed By PJandSJ - Matlock, United Kingdom

This is an imposing church which exudes a sense of deep history. The stained-glass windows at the altar end of the church – the apse – are beautiful, particularly the two rose windows – one at each end of the transept. I sat there for several minutes gazing at their beauty … and returned two days later to have another look. The windows rivalled anything that I’ve seen on visits to various churches around the world.

4. Cathar Castles

Carcassonne Center, Carcassonne France +33 4 68 11 70 72 http://www.audetourisme.com/fr/laissez-vous-seduire/histoire-et-patrimoine/les-chateaux-du-pays-cathare.php
Excellent
70%
Good
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Satisfactory
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4.5 based on 831 reviews

Cathar Castles

Reviewed By alexanderp982 - Helmsange, Luxembourg

Once you have parked in the village, walked to the entrance and paid the fee (face mask compulsory inside) you then take off your mask for the steepish walk up the hillside paths to reach each of the 4 castle ruins in turn. Allow 2 hours to do the tour. Ticket includes access to viewpoint across the valley which you can then drive to afterwards.

5. Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne

A61 West Sur la Rive droite de l'Aude, 11000 Carcassonne Center, Carcassonne France +33 4 68 10 24 30 [email protected] https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/345
Excellent
68%
Good
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4.5 based on 9,819 reviews

Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne

Reviewed By shonas804 - Auckland, New Zealand

We absolutely loved visiting here. Imagine a real life medieval town, Harry Potter fans would love this place. I loved everything thing about it .... from the cobbled streets, the amazing turrets, to the fantastic shops, the incredible history and being able who walk around in a living city with so much history. The church had gorgeous stained glass windows. Go here, it is amazing!

6. Chateau Comtal

1 rue Viollet le Duc, 11000 Carcassonne Center, Carcassonne France +33 4 68 11 70 70 http://www.remparts-carcassonne.fr/en/
Excellent
53%
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4.5 based on 905 reviews

Chateau Comtal

Reviewed By Karen7 - London, United Kingdom

This well restored castle costs 9 euros to enter plus 3 for an audio guide which is good for English info on the history and events in the castle even though it's amusingly voiced by an Aussie and Irishman acting as the restorer Violet de Duc. You get to walk around so much of the castle and ramparts. We really enjoyed the night lights show too for 13 euros with films and music played on the castle walls. Helps to be fairly mobile though to navigate the various stone staircases

7. Memorial House (Maison des Memoires)

53 rue de Verdun, 11000 Carcassonne Center, Carcassonne France +33 4 68 72 45 55 http://www.tourisme-carcassonne.fr/preparer/voir-faire/sites-et-monuments-a-visiter/358597-maison-des-memoires---centre-joe-bousquet
Excellent
47%
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4.5 based on 34 reviews

Memorial House (Maison des Memoires)

Home of poet Joë Bousquet.

8. Chateau et Remparts de la Cite de Carcassonne

1 rue Viollet le Duc, 11000 Carcassonne Center, Carcassonne France +33 4 68 11 70 70 [email protected] http://www.remparts-carcassonne.fr/en
Excellent
61%
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4.5 based on 6,328 reviews

Chateau et Remparts de la Cite de Carcassonne

Carcassonne was settled as early as the 6th century BC and later became an important Roman town. It was fortified in the 4th century and was a strategic site in the Middle Ages. It took on its definitive shape in the 13th century with the king’s decision to construct the distinctive double-walled ramparts and extend the castle. The city was restored by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century and is a testimony to 1,000 years of military architecture and 2,600 years of history. See a 12-minute film combining 3-D images and close-up footage; walk along the galleries, the fortified walls and the north ramparts; discover the museum of masonry and many other attractions. Designated world heritage site by UNESCO. Open: > April to September: from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. > October to March: from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last admission 45 minutes before closing time. Closed: > 1st January, 1st May, 1st November, 11th November and 25th December. Admission fees: Adults : 8,50 €; Concessions (18 to 25) = 5,50 €; Free admission: minors under 18*; Free admission: 18-25 years old* (citizens of one of the 27 countries of the EU or are non-European permanent residents of France) * excluding school groups

Reviewed By azeemcobb

Carcassonne is an old walled medieval city. If you like history and peace and quiet this city is well worth the visit, Very few cars are allowed in the city, so walking and enjoying the shops and sights is quite enjoyable. Spending a day walking the ramparts and looking at all the ancient artifacts and then enjoying the fine food and drink in the evening is most relaxing and enjoyable.

9. Musee De L'ecole

3 rue du Plo, 11000 Carcassonne Center, Carcassonne France +33 4 68 25 95 14 [email protected] https://carcassonne.org/article-page/musee-de-lecole
Excellent
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4.5 based on 206 reviews

Musee De L'ecole

Reviewed By irishmick2018 - Dublin, Ireland

Really enjoyed this visit.OK you might say it’s just a school and you would be correct at that but it’s a walk back in time to see what a French school looked and felt like way back. A really interesting little museum very quaint and quite a bit of history to it in relation to world war 2. Well worth a visit

10. Centre Culturel De La Memoire Combattante

102 rue Trivalle, 11000 Carcassonne Center, Carcassonne France +33 4 68 72 40 16 http://centre-de-la-memoire-combattante.webnode.fr/
Excellent
60%
Good
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Satisfactory
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4.5 based on 70 reviews

Centre Culturel De La Memoire Combattante

Reviewed By 124janetk - Southport, United Kingdom

A museum packed with lots of interesting memorabilia and a very helpful your and very good attempt to speak English ,my husband is knowledgeable about all the exhibits and between us filled in all the storylines.David's is history proud of his family history and their part in the wars.

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