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Carcassonne is one of the most visited towns in the whole of the Languedoc region and with good reason. It is an incredibly beautiful place with a fascinating history.
The town is divided into two with the Cité, on the right bank of the river Aude and the Ville Basse on the left side. The division is the result of King Louis IX act of expelling the people of the town and only allowing their return if they built on the low ground of the river, after they had attempted to restore their traditional ruling family, the Trencavels, in 1240.
The Cité is home to some of Europe`s finest remains of medieval fortifications and has a rich blend of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. It is a wonderful place to wonder through and get a glimpse of medieval life with its numerous alleys, city well and the Chateau Comtal, built in the12th century by the Viscount of Carcassonne, all enclosed within two lines of ramparts.
The left bank too is an enchanting place with its main square, geometric streets, corner bastions and private houses, which serve as a reminder of the prosperity of the cloth merchants of the 17th and 18th centuries. All in all Carcossonne is a fabulous place to visit.
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