Carcassonne tourism and travel guide

Hotels & holiday rentals

Places to visit nearby

Excursions & Activities

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Hotels & holiday rentals

Excursions & Activities

Visit Carcassonne: highlights and tourist information

France This Way comment: The medieval fortress-town of Carcassonne is very extensive and very interesting. Highly recommended!

Carcassonne is situated in the Aude department and Occitanie region.

Tourist classifications for Carcassonne include "heritage site" and "secteur sauvegarde".

Below you can see some of the places that we have visited and reviewed and can recommend when you are sightseeing close to Carcassonne in Occitanie.

Popular places to visit nearby include Chateaux de Lastours at 14 km and Montolieu at 16 km.

Carcassonne, France: places to visit and attractions

Note that all distances below are 'direct' and real driving distances will be greater!

Saint-Hilaire

at 14 km (direction south-south-west)

Saint-Hilaire is a pleasant village that is dominated by the lovely Abbey of Saint-Hilaire,...

See Saint-Hilaire guide

Chateaux de Lastours

Castle at 14 km (direction south-south-west)

The four ruined castles in Lastours, in cathar country, were built in the 13th...

See Chateaux de Lastours guide

Montolieu

at 16 km (direction north-west)

Built on the edge of a deep ravine, Montolieu is well known as a...

See Montolieu guide

Caunes-Minervois

at 19 km (direction north-east)

If you are exploreing the Minervois wine region you will also want to take...

See Caunes-Minervois guide

Limoux

at 21 km (direction south-west)

The small town of Limoux is best visited in late spring to enjoy the...

See Limoux guide

Saissac

at 23 km (direction north-west)

In Saissac the highlights include the views from the top of the village and...

See Saissac guide

Lagrasse

Most Beautiful Village at 25 km (direction east-south-east)

The romantic atmosphere in medieval Lagrasse have made it a popular centre for artisans...

See Lagrasse guide

Alet-les-Bains

at 25 km (direction south-south-west)

The abbey ruins are the most imposing monument in Alet-les-Bains but be sure to...

See Alet-les-Bains guide

Chateau de Termes

Castle at 28 km (direction south-east)

Château De Termes is one of the most important Cathar castles in southern France...

See Chateau de Termes guide

Rennes-le-Chateau

at 32 km (direction south-south-west)

A small village with lovely views, it is also the legends associating Rennes-le-Chateau with...

See Rennes-le-Chateau guide

Rennes-les-Bains

at 33 km (direction south)

Rennes-les-Bains is a traditional spa town in the Aude countryside...

See Rennes-les-Bains guide

Castelnaudary

at 35 km (direction west-north-west)

Slightly away from tourist routes, Castelnaudary has a pleasant canal port and is the...

See Castelnaudary guide

Minerve

Most Beautiful Village at 35 km (direction east-north-east), in the Herault department

The ancient streets of the attractive village of Minerve are very pleasant to explore,...

See Minerve guide

Soreze

at 36 km (direction north-west), in the Tarn department

The abbey-school and numerous ancient colombage houses are among the interesting finds in the...

See Soreze guide

... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Aude

Find Carcassonne hotels & holiday rentals

Reserve excursions near Carcassonne

Map of places to visit near Carcassonne

Markets in and near Carcassonne

Market days in Carcassonne: weekly market: Tuesday & Thursday & Saturday;

• Carcassonne: market Tuesday & Thursday & Saturday (0km)
• Bram: market Wednesday (20km)
• Limoux: market Friday all day (21km)
• Olonzac: market Tuesday (31km)
• Mazamet: market Tuesday & Sunday & Saturday (31km)
• Lezignan-Corbieres: market Wednesday (32km)
• Esperaza: market Thursday & Sunday (33km)
• Castelnaudary: market Monday all day (35km)
• Labastide-Rouairoux: market Thursday (37km)
• Labruguiere: market Friday (37km)

More information about Carcassonne, Languedoc-Roussillon

Tourist attractions near Carcassonne, France

What to do at Carcassonne? Some places with official tourist classifications and other places of interest to visit nearby that should provide inspiration if you are visiting Carcassonne.

Grand sites of France

• Carcassonne City (1km)

Most beautiful villages in France

(see also beautiful French villages)

• Lagrasse (25km)
• Minerve (35km)
• Camon (38km)
• Olargues (59km)

Recommended detour towns (fr: plus beau détour)

• Limoux (21km)
• Revel (40km)

Regional Natural Parcs

• Haut-Languedoc (47km)

Churches and religious monuments

• Abbaye de Fontfroide (Narbonne) (44km)

Remarkable gardens

• Jardin de l'Évêché (45km)

Sites of natural beauty

• Cité de Carcassonne (1km)
• Gouffre de Cabrespine (18km)
• Gorges de l'Orbieu (28km)
• Grotte de la Devèze (41km)
• Gorges de Galamus (43km)
• Gorges de la Pierre-Lys (44km)
• Forêt de Fontfroide (44km)
• Fontaine Intermittente de Fontestorbes (49km)

Villages in bloom 4* (fr: ville fleurie)

• Fraisse-sur-Agout (56km)

Geography and distances

Carcassonne is in the south of France - it is the prefecture (capital) of the Aude department (general information: Carcassonne is 628 kilometres from Paris).

Getting here

For driving distances to Carcassonne from anywhere in France see driving distances and route planner.

We have 8 other places listed as being close (less than kilometres from ): Berriac, Cavanac, Cazilhac, Palaja, Pennautier, Villalier, Villedubert and Villemoustaussou.

This page in French: Visiter Carcassonne