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 2,500 years of history. Left in ruins after the the Cathar Crusade (1209-1229), the Inquisition and exile of the Trencavel family, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc was commissioned by the French state in 1844 to restore the city of Cathar. Completed in 1911 under the direction of his pupil Paul Boeswillwald, the royal city was returned to its original splendor, finally being inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1997. In a new, self-guided addition to this tour, guests are invited to see the magnificent views from the medieval western ramparts. 

If you're staying in Toulouse and want to discover the Cité de Carcassonne, the Comtal Castle, the Saint Nazaire Basilica and more historical highlights, this is the perfect day tour for you. Located 1 hour from Toulouse, Carcassonne is one of the 25 great sites of Midi-Pyrénées. In Cathar country and at the heart of the fortified city, you can discover the Château of the Counts of Carcassonne and the Remparts, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will departure from Toulouse at 9:30AM (check-in is at 9:15AM), with a planned arrival in Carcassonne at 10:30AM.  Following your day of discovery, you will depart from Carcassonne at 4:30PM, with a planned return to Toulouse at 5:30PM.

Play the role of a nobleman as you walk around Carcassonne in search of clues and amazing stories. Each clue will lead you from one place to another, giving you precise directions, so you won’t need a map, a GPS or a guide. When you solve it and guess the answer, the secret story of that place is unlocked. Along the way, you’ll reach amazing places, such as the Gambetta Square, Notre Dame de La Santé, Porte de l'Aude, Museum of the Inquisition, and more. You will find out secret stories about the places you discover, and you will help Carcassonne to fight it's haunting ghosts. After you buy the quest, you will receive instruction on how to unlock in the app by e-mail. The game takes about 2-hours to complete, but there’s no time limit, you can finish it at your own pace. You won’t need a guide, just download the app, go to the starting point and you’re ready to go on a city exploration adventure. As you solve the clues, you'll discover new locations and stories. For larger groups, one person can purchase access for the entire group by selecting the number of people in the group. All group members will be able to play the city game on their smartphone. Alternatively, each person can purchase their own voucher. You can play as a group and solve the clues together as you walk, or you can split into smaller groups/teams and compete against the others. Each person can also play on their own, separate from the group, and meet the group at the end.

Carcassonne is the largest medieval city in Europe with its walls still intact. It’s also one of the most recognisable and most visited tourist destinations in France, having been featured in many well-known movies. Despite all this, most tourists barely scratch the surface when they visit Cité de Carcassonne. On this walking tour around the UNESCO World Heritage site, I’ll point out some of its most interesting architectural features, and bring its history to life. Starting outside the medieval city walls, I’ll show you the Buste de Dame Carcas (a sculpture of Lady Carcas) and tell you the story of how she saved the city from Charlemagne. As you enter the city through Porte Narbonnaise (Narbonne Gate, you’ll begin following the wall, which encircles the old city. Along the way, you’ll also learn about the Cathars who flourished here in the twelfth century, the crusade launched against them, and some of the sieges that took place here. You’ll hear about the many different peoples who have occupied this place, and its military role over more than a millennium. You’ll also: • Find out about the brief Muslim period, in between the Visigoths and the Franks • Hear the tragic story of the Cathars that culminated here • Spot the flying pig in a stone sculpture • Learn why the Papal Inquisition was implemented here long before the Spanish Inquisition existed • Discover the role played by Saint Dominic and his Dominican friars in establishing Inquisition practices to eliminate what they regarded as “heresy” • Take in the impressive and almost century-old Château et Remparts de la Cité de Carcassonne, also known as the Château Comtal, where the castle meets the wall and its surrounding defenses • See the Church of Saints Nazaire and Celse, the city’s two patron saints • Gaze upon the monument de la Jean Pierre Cros Mayrevieille, a doctor of law, a historian and an Inspector of Historic Monuments who saved the city from ruin • Locate the various “kill zones” that enemies risked finding themselves trapped in when attempting to siege the city On this two-hour tour, you won’t just trace the walls of Carcassonne, you’ll also venture into its centre through various gates including the Aude, Nazaire, and Toulouse Gates. Join me, James McDonald, an English historian of the medieval period specialising in the Languedoc, as I bring these old stones to life.

Come along on this tour and learn all about the history of this fascinating city.  Enter through the main entrance, known as Porte Narbonnaise, to the medieval city. Learn about the fortifications built by the Romans. Cross the main street, Rue Cross Mayrevieille to the castle. Discover the museum inside the castle and develop a better understanding of the Trencavel family that defended the Cathars during the Albigensian Crusade.  Walk along the top of the wall, crossing both medieval and Roman towers as you head towards the church. Hear an explanation (in English, French or Italian) about the architecture of the Gothic church and see the beautiful stained glass windows, built between the 13th and 16th centuries. Walk through the streets of the ancient religious quarter and learn about the inquisition in Carcassonne and Toulouse.