landmark
Canal du Midi
A UNESCO-listed 17th-century engineering marvel connecting the Atlantic to the Mediterranean through 240 kilometers of tree-lined waterway.
24 km · about 30 min drive
EuropeFranceOccitanie
Carcassonne
Occitanie, France · Europe
About Carcassonne
Carcassonne is worth a stop: 5 minutes from Cazilhac, 42km from Cathar Castles.
Carcassonne is in Occitanie, France, with about 50,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Cazilhac, about 4 km away.
Carcassonne is a French city in the department of Aude, region of Occitania. It is the prefecture of the department.
Inhabited since the Neolithic Period, Carcassonne is located in the plain of the Aude between historic trade routes, linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea and the Massif Central to the Pyrénées.Read more
Its strategic importance was quickly recognised by the Romans, who occupied its hilltop until the demise of the Western Roman Empire. In the fifth century, the region of Septimania was taken over by the Visigoths, who founded the city of Carcassonne in the newly established Visigothic Kingdom.
Its citadel, known as the Cité de Carcassonne, is a medieval fortress dating back to the Gallo-Roman period and restored by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc between 1853 and 1879. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997 because of the exceptional preservation and restoration of the medieval citadel. Consequently, Carcassonne relies heavily on tourism but also counts manufacturing and winemaking as some of its other key economic sectors.
Where to Stay in Carcassonne
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Carcassonne?
Within an hour or so of Carcassonne: Canal du Midi (24 km), Cathar Castles (42 km), Château de Peyrepertuse (42 km), Abbaye de Fontfroide (46 km).
Are there any good drives near Carcassonne?
The nearest famous roads are Port d'Envalira, Coll d'Ordino and Millau Viaduct (A75).
Where is Carcassonne?
Carcassonne is in Occitanie, France, about 4 km from Cazilhac.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 49,600
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- France
- Region
- Occitanie
- Timezone
- Europe/Paris
- Coordinates
- 43.2165, 2.3486
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in France
Carrying a warning triangle and hi-vis vest in your vehicle is mandatory. Motorway emergency phones connect to official breakdown services only.
Full driving guide for FranceTags
Worth the detour from Carcassonne
5 notable places within an hour's drive.
castle
Cathar Castles
Ruined medieval fortress sanctuaries perched on impossible rocky peaks across the Languedoc, including Peyrepertuse and Queribus.
42 km · about 50 min drive
castle
Château de Peyrepertuse
A vast ruined Cathar castle stretching along a knife-edge ridge high above the Corbières vineyards.
42 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Abbaye de Fontfroide
A beautifully preserved Cistercian abbey of rose-gold stone tucked in a quiet wooded valley near Narbonne.
46 km · about 55 min drive
castle
Château de Quéribus
The last Cathar stronghold, a lone keep perched on a rocky pinnacle with views to the Pyrenees and sea.
48 km · about 55 min drive
Driving in France
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.85/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€10.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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