This is a well maintained castle with 3 km of ramparts. It dates back over 2,000 years and conjure…read morevisions of troubadours and knights. History buffs should probably take a tour, but I was more interested in walking the grounds. I took a one hour train ride from Toulouse. I recommend staying elsewhere and visiting the castle as the city itself is not a stand out culturally and architecturally. From the SNCF station it is about a one mile walk to the Narbonne Gate in the Old City. I used AllTrails to navigate the castle as it is large and it is hard to distinguish where you are otherewise. It took me 90 minutes to walk the circumference of the lower outer gates and the inner city. The castle is FREE but the ramparts are ticketed. Advice: Everyone told me the food is not good here so pack a lunch and eat at the walls or the park at the gate. Many restaurants in the city if you choose otherwise. Sunscreen if it is a sunny day. If you take the train, there are markets along the way even on Sun.

Do you like history, castle at Carcassonne you got served. I did an audio tour. It was well…read moredescribed, the architecture, the view. Carcassonne has a rich history. Walking on The rampas give you a nice view of the city. I watched a medieval fight. It took us a good 4 hours and I am pretty sure there is a lot more to see.

The owner is absolutely wonderful. Tooke the time to explain every dish (in very good English with…read morea straight out of Central Casting accent). Then for the wine, he showed up at the table with 4 bottles of white wine and did a min wine tasting to make sure I had just the right wine for my taste. The food was exceptionally flavored and aesthetically pleasing. I had the truffles in oil with bread for dipping, truffles with tuna belly and foie gras, and finished with truffle and goat cheese. At €57 for the meal, including wine, I believe that it was truly a value for what I had.

If you love truffles, you will love this pace. Well situated on the road just out the gates of the…read morecastle. We ordered the oeufs cochette, carpaccio, and potatoes, all covered in shaved truffles. Only had to add some really amazing Minervois (we left it to the owner, a lovely, affable guy, and were not disappointed. The Ancely 2009 was amazing - like drinking ink, but in a good way). Food is delicious, and just the thing if you've over-cassoulet-ed it and want something lighter for a change.

Lovely experience Amazing views of Perpignan…read more No rush feeling Let your imagination run wild about the events/balls that once were happening in these enormous halls The seasonal electronic display and jewels exhibit is a must

Definitely a castle with a lot of historical significance in the Perpignan region. This castle was…read morethe "Northern HQ" of Catalonia and part of it still has a function for the military. The "Palace of the Royals of Majorca" has a lot of history behind it that can only be unlocked by going on tour! In the castle, you will probably be able to get an English speaking guide to give you a tour but if not there are a few English materials. Just as with any medieval castle, there are always a few interesting features that are unique to that castle and this castle is no exception. My favorite part of this tour was reaching the top and overlooking the Roussillon plain. You can see the many of the famous peaks of Pyrenees-Orientales as well as the sea - if it is clear enough.

The museum located in the Palais de la Berbie. This building is use by the Bishops at the pass. Now…read moreis museum palace. This art museum is dedicated to an artist work of the painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec who was born in Albi. Many of the art works are the last painting of Henri. The artist mother donated the remaining work of Henri to the museum at 1922. This huge collection is now on display here. They include the last painting of the examination of the doctors. Henri did sketch himself in his drawings. It is interesting to see many rue de moulin painting collection. The art symbolizes the Moulin Rouge in that time. He also has some art work on circus, society, medicine, and more. Many show posters of the show have been done by him are in display. If you want to learn the poster work, you may want to visit this museum.

Museum is located in a fantastic, little city. I'm not really a fan of Lautrec's art but I sure…read moredid appreciate it and how the museum was set up for visitors. I learned a lot and left with a new appreciation for the man and the artist of his times. If you are in Albi, France..... this is a must see. Then, visit the outdoor cafes, church, and shops.

Chateau de Foix is always a excellent stop to make to take in the medieval revival of what once was…read morea fortress that oversaw the base of the Pyrenees mountains. This castle is quaint and well preserved nestled in the wonderful town of Foix. The cobble stone walk way up to the castle is quite real. Be sure to wear comfortable and sturdy shoes.

From the owner: Entre château de contes de fée et forteresse imprenable Dressé sur un rocher impressionnant au…read moreconfluent de l'Arget et de l'Ariège, le château de Foix domine la ville depuis le Xème siècle avec ses hautes murailles et ses trois tours. Du haut de celles-ci, on découvre un point de vue panoramique sur le quartier médiéval de Foix ainsi que sur le massif des Pyrénées. Pendant le Moyen-Age, le château a joué un rôle important au cours de l'histoire militaire et religieuse des comtes de Foix dont le domaine servit de lieu de refuge aux cathares persécutés. Il est le seul château de la région à avoir subsisté après l'ordre de rasement de Richelieu au XVIIème siècle. Depuis 1930, le Château abrite les collections du Musée Départemental de l'Ariège. Actuellement, le musée redéploie les collections autour de l'histoire du site du château, s'attachant à restituer la vie à Foix au temps des comtes.

A fantastic self-guided tour. Good interpretive signs. It's clear about 80% of this castle is…read morereconstructed, but it's a great experience. Definitely not disabled accessible. I hope the proceeds go to maintaining the historical components. Amazing views of the castle itself and the city surrounding.

This chateau is registered in UNESCO world heritage site. Fortified city was build in 3rd century…read more The chateau is occupied by crusaders at 12th century. The chateau visit will require ticket entrance. The tickets included the chateau, tower and walls, museum and more. They have the lady Carcas stone statue in the museum. She has keep the Carcassonne from invaders. The museum has some stone carving and painted wall with many centuries old. The castle wall went on the the top of wall with pathways link the entire city. It is amazing to see the towers interior. The visit of chateau comtal is about 1.5 hours.

This stylish 100+ year old beaux arts hotel recalls the grand tour days, while being located just…read morefeet from the station, canal and a few good restaurants. There's an old fashioned elevator, and a big, comfortable lobby. Room was fine, old school with a good bath, a bit of a view and two small comfortable beds as requested. The walls were a bit thin, and our neighbors definitely were enjoying their stay, twice! I'd skip the €15 breakfast and eat across the street for €7. The bistro on the other side of the hotel is exceptional, with oysters and moules (mussels) served 5 different ways including Roquefort! The desk was helpful, and there was a taxi stand across the street for lazy Americans who don't want to walk all the way across town and up the hill to the castle.

Lovely Buenos Aires style lobby even though the Argentines aren't my favourite people. They grabbed…read moreour money by credit card as soon as we arrived. I'm always slightly suspicious of hotels that do that but they refunded one night quite happily when we decided to train it to Toulouse a day early. We were told there were no rooms with smoking balconies when we arrived. One day our door wouldn't lock shut and at first the receptionist told us there were no other rooms available which turned out to be a Porkie Pie as they had to give us a room with a superb view of the castle when the door couldn't be fixed. Not bad but not excellent vibes from this hotel. One of those silly Nespresso coffee machines with no milk available in the rooms. There is a superb Bistro restaurant next door along towards the railway station with very good value excellent food and lovely huitres [oysters].

Ever heard of the Cathars? They were big in this part of the world 800 years ago and they changed…read moreworld history. If you.re interested in them you could read some books about them, or come on one of these week-long tours, or better still do both. Highly recommended Tours. Thrilling history. This really is as good as it gets.

Top rate tours of the Languedoc focusing on Cathar sites and other locations associated with the…read moreAlbigensian Crusade. First rate historical tours.

Hello fellow travelers. I want to wholeheartedly recommend this little French town called Albi in…read morethe south of france. I recommend staying in a bigger city like Toulouse, then visiting Albi as a day trip. You can see and experience everything you need to, in a day. The main attractions are the cathedral, old bridge, and the Toulouse Lautrec museum. The cathedral was my favorite. Yes, yes.... we all get castle and cathedral-ed out when traveling to Europe; but trust me, this one is beautiful, had a great feel, fantastic stories and is worth it. I'm not a big fan of the artist, Toulouse Lautrec, but I loooove his story and enjoyed seeing his works and learning more about him in the museum. When we visited, we got super lucky because there was an outdoor play in the main square on stage. How fun. Lots a cute shops and cafe's with live, outdoor performers. I can't remember how long it took us to get to Albi from Toulouse but it wasn't long. Happy travels.

Only had drinks in this lovely spot just outside the main castle in Carcassonne…read more Lovely outdoor seating and prices reasonable, the food looked fantastic as it passed! Enjoyed spending an hour here people watching