Audio Guided Walking Tour of Historic Carcassonne, France

You have arrived in front of Saint-Michel Cathedral. It was she who dethroned the Saint-Nazaire Basilica, in the medieval city, in 1803, robbing it of the status of cathedral.

Here, we are going to turn left, but if you continue a little bit on Aimé Ramond Street, you will come across the Ambassador's House on your left, at number 50.

Here you are in front of a building that will interest more than one: the halls of Carcassonne. Built in the middle of the 18th century, this former grain hall was located on the Place du Pilori, the square where thieves were exposed to punish them.

You are now on Place Carnot, the living heart of the city. Ideal for having a drink or trying local specialties at the restaurant, it is one of the liveliest places in Carcassonne.

The Saint-Vincent church is particularly interesting because it allows you to climb to the top of the bell tower to enjoy a panoramic view of Carcassonne, in exchange for a few euros!

Take a look to your left: the wall that stands here is part of the Saint-Martial Bastion, built in the 16th century.

We are in André Chénier Square, named after this French poet and journalist who was guillotined in Paris in 1794, in the midst of the Revolution.

It was in the 13th century that this church was built in the heart of La Bastide, in 1297 exactly. Like most churches in the city, it follows an architecture based on the southern Gothic style

Take a look to your left: you are in front of the Hotel de Rolland, the current City Hall of Carcassonne.

The beautiful building you are in front of is the Museum of Fine Arts.

Facing the Museum of Fine Arts, Square Gambetta is a small peaceful place where it is pleasant to take a break. It was built in 1861 under the name Place du Charbon, then Place Sainte-Cécile.

The Pont-Neuf, in opposition to the Pont-Vieux which is just opposite, was built in 1840 to allow a second access between the medieval city and the lower town.

Here you are on Trivalle Street, located in the oldest neighborhood in the city. At the foot of the city, it follows the route of the ancient Roman road that linked Narbonne to Toulouse

Behind this wall is Notre-Dame de l'Abbaye, an ancient monastery that comes straight from the Middle Ages.

Here you are in front of a statue of great importance for Carcassonne.

You are in front of what is now the main entrance to the medieval city. The Narbonne Gate, which is actually located on the Narbonne side, is an impressive fortification that ensured the protection of the city.

The large door in front of you corresponds to the entrance to the Count's Castle. It is a barbican, installed here to protect it.

With more than 2 million visitors per year, the medieval city of Carcassonne is one of the most visited sites in France.

Come on, let's embark on a short historical parenthesis. If you have already listened to the audioguide that tells the history of the city, you have understood that Carcassonne was a feudalism for several centuries.

The Basilica of Saint-Nazaire-et-Saint-Celse, whose full name is, is the first building restored by Viollet-le-Duc during his major restoration of the City.

Here you leave the Medieval City through the Aude Gate, which is located next to the Count's Castle. I'm sure this decor tells you something...

The Saint-Gimer church is not as old as the fortifications of the medieval city. In fact, it was only built in 1859, by Viollet-Le-Duc.

On your right, located at the entrance to Pont-Vieux, stands the former royal sheet factory.

We will now cross the Pont-Vieux of Carcassonne, which allows us to cross the Aude and connect the two parts of the city.

This small chapel, on your left, is aptly named: there used to be a large hospital right next to it.