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A Midsummer Fairytale – Carcassonne, France

June 21, 2020 by libertatemamo 22 Comments

“Are you sure/That we are awake? It seems to me/That yet we sleep, we dream”
― William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream circa 1595

Is this a dream?

It felt a little like a dream, this past week. We decided to go on an outing in LMB, a last little “hurrah” before the madness of summer steps in.

Originally our plan was to head deep into the mountains and find our solitude there, but the forecasts showed nothing but rain and cloud. So we looked East, past the mountains and towards the sea, and our eyes landed on a fairytale place, a Castle of legend and a city of the past with a campground just steps away. It looked ideal, and in normal times we wouldn’t hesitate to go. But these are not normal times, and we weren’t at all sure.

Would we be able to enjoy this tourist spot, with enough distance & barriers to feel comfortable? Or would it be over-run, as so many of these spots are?

But much like Shakespeare’s great play, it seemed we were taken by fairies and lived it all through a dream, because nothing turned out quite like we expected, which was a very pleasant surprise indeed.

Views of the medieval city from the walk along the river into town

Carcassonne, The City of Two Cities

The Cité of Carcassonne is arguably the most famous medieval citadel in France.

One of the many portals into the old city

Set on a hilltop above the valley, it was first built in Gallo-Roman times, then hugely expanded in the 13th and 14th centuries and finally restored by theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in 1853. Today it’s a spectacular monument with 3 kilometres of double stone outer walls that envelop a 12th century castle (Château Comtal), a magnificent cathedral (La Basilique Saint Nazaire) and 53 majestic towers that can be seen from miles away. It’s in pristine condition and it’s enormous. The first time you see it, it takes your breath away.

Of course that also means it’s crazy popular, drawing over three million visitors per year (!)

I’ve heard it described as a tourist trap, and have been warned that the crowds within the old city are often so thick you can only move at the pace of the masses. It carries the curse of being a spot that is both un-missable and over-visited as practically all beautiful spots are these days, once they’re discovered.

Polly approved of the grass at camp
The Cité viewed from below

There’s not just an old medieval Cité here, either.

Directly west of the citadel, across Pont Vieux over the Aude river, the other half of Carcassonne known as the “Bastide” is equally enchanting, albeit in a less dramatic way. Built in the 13th century by Saint Louis, it offers delightfully colorful cobblestone streets, an airy center square, masses of shops & restaurants, and several interesting cathedrals and museums. It’s the modern side of the city, if you can call ~800 years or so of history “modern”.

Carcassonne has two parts to it: the Bastide on the left, and the medieval city on the right, separated by the river Aude
This is a well-known wine region too

Plus of course Carcassonne sits in the midst of a famous wine region, the Languedoc-Roussillon* area, which produces more than a third of France’s total wine production. It’s home to multiple grapes thanks to its Mediterranean climate and rich soils that vary from chalk, limestone and gravel in the inner regions to alluvial near the coast.

With so much going on, it’s not surprising that so many people are drawn to visit this area.

* An Interesting Side-Note: during the two world wars Languedoc was responsible for providing the daily wine rations given to French soldiers. Back then it was a cheap, blended wine, very different from the quality you see today. Languedoc wines have come a long way since then.

Outside the city walls at sunset

We Decide To Splurge On The Campground

For motorhomes, Carcassonne offers both an Aire and a full-service Campground, which sit together just ~20 mins walk along the riverfront footpath from old town.

Our site at the campground was huge

The Aire de Camping is actually quite nice with clean, spacious and green spots for only ~EUR 15/night, but it offers no electrical hookups.

The 4-star Camping La Cité campground (right next door) is lovely, with huge sites, separated by hedges and full services (toilets, showers, on-site laundry, pool, spa, game area, dog area etc.). Some of the sites even have slice views of the old city. However it’s also somewhat pricey.

This time of year (mid-season) it costs EUR 22/night which seems inexpensive until you add in all the “extras” such as EUR 2.90 for your pet and EUR 4.90 for electricity, meaning you end up paying ~EUR 30/night for your site. Ah well, you only visit Carcassonne once right?

And it was very private too (that’s us in the middle with the nearest other motorhome on the left)

Temps were expected to be hot while we were here, so we decided to splurge and got an enormous, private  site in camp. We loved it and felt it was totally worth it for the few days we were visiting.

There’s a slice view of the old city from some sites

Early Next Morning We Head Into The Heart Of The Cité

The French are not really morning folks. They prefer to ease into the day with détente, and tend to do their sightseeing later rather than earlier. It’s something we’ve seen everywhere since we’ve lived here. So the next day we decide to take advantage of that little nugget of insider info.

The deserted inner streets of the Cité

Right after breakfast, we leash Polly up and walk together along the pleasant riverfront path to the Cité**, turning up at the Porte de l’Aude exactly at open at 9AM. We thought this to be the best way to avoid the crowds and in fact, it ended up being even better than that.

There was literally no…one…there!

Cafes and restaurants were mostly closed (a few were just opening up), shops were shuttered and the streets were completely, wonderfully, spectacularly empty. It was as if the wind swept through and left only dust and stones, the historic site abandoned and quiet, waiting just for us. What an absolute treat!

The Basilique Saint Nazaire
Empty seats at the Citadel Cafe
View of the Château Comtal
Ours, aaaalll ours!

So we walked through as if in a dream, wandering the narrow cobblestone alleys, admiring the church and the majestic 12th century castle (Château Comtal), soaking in the history and reveling in the eerie silent atmosphere. A few cafe owners glanced at us, surprised to see anyone around so early, and a dog trotted up to visit Polly from one of the shops, but other than that our time in the old city was completely ours. A magical moment indeed.

**Visitor Info: The Cité is free to visit, and completely dog-friendly to boot (there are even doggie bag dispensers at all the main entrances). However if you want to visit the castle, or any of the in-city museums there is an entry charge (and doggie cannot go with you inside). Also normally the city is open all hours, but due to COVID-19 restrictions during our stay, visits were limited to between 9AM – 10PM.

An empty cafe in the city
Inside the Basilica

I Make A Few More Visits

Over the next day I go in to visit the area a few more times.

Downtown in the Bastide side of town (Musée des Beaux-Arts)

I travel by bicycle to the Bastide side of town, where things are somewhat busier. The town square is open, with chairs and tables out, colorful umbrellas hung in strings between buildings, and everyone is enjoying the sun (only few are wearing masks, unfortunately). I bike through and don’t linger, as I’m still not keen to be around crowds. What’s strikes me however is that everyone is speaking French, something that doesn’t really sink in until later, when I realize the city would normally be full of international tourist at this time.

Right now there are no tour buses, no tour groups and no international tourists. Admittedly I rather like it.

Chapelle des Dominicaines
Downtown in the Bastide
Biking over Pont Vieux
Afternoon mood at the walls of the Cité

Late that afternoon I go for a final photography outing at the Cité, with the aim of walking around the entire 3km perimeter of outer walls. Once again, I enjoy what I can only describe as a magical experience. I pass a cat enjoying the evening out, just like me. And I see pigeons everywhere, the stone walls echoing with the fluttering of their wings, and their cooing as they court each other. I pass a meager sprinkling of people, but for the most part I am totally alone.

It seems somehow fitting to be here, at this time, in this way. Everyone else is (presumably?) inside the old city, going to restaurants, shopping, buying tourist attractions. But where I find peace is here on the outside of everything, awed by the walls towering above me, the stones bursting with stories to tell, and transporting me back in time to listen to them.

I so want to stay in this moment, in this mental space….

I spend the next hour wandering along the outer ramparts, climbing up and down worn steps, going through arches, and following hidden paths to undiscovered places. This is totally my jam. As the sun drifts lower on the horizon the rocks change from grey to a warm ochre, and I click away on my camera, enjoying the glorious architecture and solitude. Perfection!

Castle arches & lines
Some paths you just gotta take
What y'a looking at?

We Finish Up At A Winery

The next morning we head out, wanting to avoid whatever crowds might descend on the place in the week-end.

We stopped a little winery on the way home

On our way home we stop at a winery (Domaine Le Fort) recommended to us by our local neighbors. They’re a family shop, very low key, but they make excellent wines that all sell by word of mouth. We load up LMB with five cases and then follow the back-roads back home. It’s a quiet, and pleasant drive along rolling hills and through small towns. The quintessential French motorhome experience.

And just like Shakespeare’s play, we wake up at home the next day and wonder if it was all a dream. Did we really see the old city of Carcassonne with no-one around? Did we really have it all to ourselves? Could something beautiful like that actually happen in this year, this crazy year of suffering and rife?

But all the story of the night told over,
And all their minds transfigured so together,
More witnesseth than fancy’s images
And grows to something of great constancy,
But, howsoever, strange and admirable.

Indeed, I think we did…

HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all the dad’s out there! We made it home to spend the day with mine, and that was also rather special. May you all have a magical day!

The citadel walls turn to ochre with the setting sun

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« Going Bananas, And Talking Fruity
The Fruits Of Our Labour »

We LOooVE Comments, So Please Do

  1. Terri A Reed says

    June 21, 2020 at 1:38 pm

    What a beautiful “break” for you guys! and thank you for sharing, as it was a pleasant read in the midst of alot of unpleasant reads in the world today.

    Reply
    • libertatemamo says

      June 22, 2020 at 1:59 am

      We were very lucky to see it as we did. I’m very glad we went.

      Nina

      Reply
  2. Alana says

    June 21, 2020 at 3:15 pm

    We’ve enjoyed both the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ Carcasonne, so beautiful! You didn’t mention the proximity to the Canal de Midi, another way to arrive in the city!
    Love your blog btw!

    Reply
    • libertatemamo says

      June 22, 2020 at 1:58 am

      YES! Canal du Midi is another thing to see here. We completely blanked on it while we were in town, but it’s a trip I’d love to do in a canal boat one day.

      Nina

      Reply
  3. sue says

    June 21, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    Wonderful, magical visit. Thanks for the solitude and beauty.

    Reply
  4. Kathy Kobishyn says

    June 21, 2020 at 4:44 pm

    I don’t think it could have been better for you both. And you took us there with you. Utterly magical. Thank you.

    Reply
  5. Kathleen Thorman says

    June 22, 2020 at 1:42 am

    First saw Carcassonne from the Madrid-Paris train in the late 80’s. I was totally unaware of Carcassonne since this was an unplanned trip to Paris. Still haven’t made it there but I will someday.

    Reply
  6. Hector says

    June 22, 2020 at 5:39 am

    Fabulous!! Such a treat to have the chance sans le crowds. On our list!

    Reply
  7. Sherry Moran says

    June 22, 2020 at 5:43 am

    Thank you…..I felt like I was there, with you.

    Reply
  8. Brenda Megel says

    June 22, 2020 at 8:12 am

    As I began reading your blog, all I kept thinking was “how will they stay away from all the people?” And, yet, you did just that. How incredibly lucky! So glad you had such a wonderful time and a little break from everything else going on in the world right now.

    Reply
  9. Susan says

    June 22, 2020 at 8:50 am

    Just Wow! What a gift.

    Reply
  10. Julia says

    June 22, 2020 at 12:28 pm

    What a lovely experience. Your writing completely conveys the serenity of the place. Truly dreamy.

    Reply
  11. Donna M Sims says

    June 22, 2020 at 4:39 pm

    Wow….so looks worth the trip! Maybe even a return trip.

    Reply
  12. Jane Harris says

    June 23, 2020 at 7:58 am

    such a nice visit to what sounds like a magical place. Thanks for the posting!

    Reply
  13. Donald Wubben says

    June 25, 2020 at 12:33 pm

    Isn’t it amazing that you can walk through centuries of history and such solitude of yourself. Centuries of history it must be an amazing experience my mind can only imagine I hope someday to be able to walk the same streets did many others have walked before me and take a look. Your travels are so interesting just amazement. Thank you for taking me along.

    Reply
  14. Alvin Chin says

    June 25, 2020 at 1:51 pm

    Nina,
    I read your beautiful prose on Sunday but here on Thursday, I had to come back to look at the lovely photos again, … now that the EU is considering banning Americans from travelling to the Continent because we don’t seem to have our coronavirus in check.
    They say the spread is continuing out West and down South. Alas, in the end, we all get tarred with the same brush. But, thanks for sharing your dream. 🙂
    Alvin

    Reply
  15. Laura says

    July 7, 2020 at 6:49 pm

    Hi from Al’s daughter in Memphis!

    I’ve always wanted to visit Carcassonne – it’s been a dream since I was a junior high school student! Your pictures and words – especially with quiet streets and extraordinary weather – evoke everything I’d imagined it could be.

    Thanks, from an avid-but-covid-era-armchair traveler. Looking forward to reading more!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The Fruits Of Our Labour – Wheeling It says:
    June 28, 2020 at 1:20 pm

    […] we came home from Carcassonne we gave her a good deep clean, both inside and out, including a full wash and wax. She’s a […]

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  2. Feeling Safe (In Unsafe Times) – Wheeling It says:
    July 6, 2020 at 12:34 am

    […] an example, before our LMB outing to Carassonne, we tried to go through everything we’d be doing there and talk about how we’d each […]

    Reply
  3. Montségur, The Last Stronghold Of The Cathars – Wheeling It: Tales From a Nomadic Life says:
    October 25, 2020 at 3:49 pm

    […] some spots such as Carcasonne and Foix, parts of the fortress still date from Cathar times, but for most of the others everything […]

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  4. The End Of 2020 Is Nigh (And I Am Ready For It) – Wheeling It: Tales From a Nomadic Life says:
    December 28, 2020 at 2:02 am

    […] of each other (I still miss them terribly). We didn’t really go anywhere, except for two small trips in the RV and a few day outings here and there. And in-between it all we went through two full lock-downs […]

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  5. A Most Beautiful Village – Camon, SW France – Wheeling It: Tales From a Nomadic Life says:
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    […] been to Carcassonne I can certainly see the similarities, although I’d say that Camon is more like a […]

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