If, on the occasion of your vacation in the South of France or on the occasion of a long weekend in Carcassonne, you wish visit the tourist sites around Carcassonne, here is my 2 days tour with detailed itinerary and Google Map.
This 200 kilometer route is perfect for a road trip of a weekend in Carcassonne or be part of a circuit of 4 or 5 days in the Corbières.
In addition, the tourist stages of my itinerary around Carcassonne can also be the subject ofday trips if wish stay in Carcassonne and flutter all around ...
If you have the chance to stay on vacation and / or do some tourism around Carcassonne, you will be able to discover great classified sites (City of Carcassonne and Canal du Midi), the wild landscapes of Minervois and the Cathar villages among the most beautiful of France !
For that, here is my 2-day road trip around Carcassonne who may be able to inspire you ...
Carcassonne tourism - The unmissable
It is difficult to choose among all the beautiful sites, all the small villages of character and other places of interest around Carcassonne. They are too numerous and too scattered to visit them all in 3 days.
So, to define an itinerary that only includes the most interesting tourist stages, I had to select the most beautiful places in the Cathar Country which are unmissable places around Carcassonne :
- Carcassonne
- Aragon
- Villelongue Abbey
- Saissac and its castle
- Castles of Lastours
- Giant abyss of Cabrespine
- Caunes minervois
- Minerva
- Jouarres lake
- Cavayère lake
- Canal du Midi
Then, I had to organize them to form an optimized circuit for 3 days in order to waste as little time as possible in the journeys and diversified in terms of tourist visits.
Carcassonne tourisme - Route map
do not forget to click on "more options" in the map below to switch to GPS mode
Weekend in Carcassonne
Of course the visit that is essential when you are in the Aude department is that of the largest fortress in Europe: La Cité de Carcassonne !
The site is simply grandiose with 52 towers, 2 concentric enclosures totaling 3 kilometers of ramparts with its loopholes, its Count's Castle, the Saint-Louis bastide, the Saint-Nazaire basilica ...
Linked to the Saracen invasion and the development of Catharism, the city of Carcassonne was handed over to the Chief of the Crusades, Simon de Montfort, then ceded to the King of France.
My tourist circuit making a loop, you can choose to visit the City of Carcassonne at the very first or at the end of the circuit. See my circuit to visit the city of Carcassonne.
What to visit around Carcassonne - Villages and châteaux
Le country of Cabardès extends north of the magnificent city of Carcassonne and climbs in stages towards the Montagne Noire. It is a region of sunny vineyards, a great diversity of landscapes and villages and Cathar vestiges.
Carcassonne tourism - Aragon
A few kilometers from Carcassonne is Aragon. Built on a rocky outcrop, this pretty fortified village evokes the Spanish province of Aragon which once exercised its sovereignty over the territories of Languedoc.
Botanical trails, hikes or mountain bike circuits await you to discover the “capitelles” which are stone huts in the middle of the limestone plateaus.
A hiking trail panel is located opposite the Maison du Cabardès at the entrance to the village. Three main circuits through the scrubland are indicated:
- Pierre Sèche and Garrigue (7 km in 3 hours)
- Vallon de la Valette (4.5 km in 1h30)
- Through the scrubland (15 km in 4 hours or mountain biking)
Carcassonne tourism - Villelongue Abbey
The 2nd stage of my tour is at Saint-Martin-le-Viel. At the edge of the river, surrounded by hundred-year-old trees, theCistercian Abbey of Villelongue which dates from the 17th century is worth a visit for its history and architectural richness.
Carcassonne tourism - Saissac
About ten kilometers from Saint-Martin-le-Viel, you can visit the medieval village of Saissac which houses pretty corbelled houses and the ruins of a Cathar castle. It is in the 18th century, with the cloth industry that the city will experience a significant boom under the influence of the family of Saptes.
A journey of just under an hour's drive now takes you to the Châteaux de Lastours.
Carcassonne tourism - Castles of Lastours
The castles of Lastours were, until the Revolution, the lock of the Country Cabardès. They provided defense and resistance against the repeated assaults of the crusade against the Albigenses.
You can discover and visit the 4 castles: Cabaret, Tour Régine, Surdespine, Quertinheux and the Castrum de Cabaret. You will enjoy an exceptional panorama of the site from the Belvédère de Montfermier (near the campsite) at the exit of the village.
Carcassonne tourist circuit - Where to stay?
Very well located to optimize my tourist circuit around Carcassonne, the Bed & Breakfast Demeure du Pareur is located in Villeneuve Minervois. Only 10 km from Lastours and 6 km from Cabrespine (next day's stage).
If you want to stay in an exceptional place, this is the address for you! Indeed, it is a very beautiful 18th century residence with a traditional restaurant which offers regional cuisine with a selection of local wines. During the truffle season, it offers a range of dishes around the black pearl ...
More information on the Bed & Breakfast Demeure du Pareur
What to visit around Carcassonne - Cathar cities and lakes
To start this 2nd day of tour around Carcassonne, there is a must-see in the region that you must not miss: the Giant abyss of Cabrespine.
Around Carcassonne - Giant Chasm of Cabrespine
This chasm was formed thousands of years ago by the work of the water which dug the bowels of the Black Mountain to make a huge cave.
Around Carcassonne - Caunes-Minervois
The 2nd stage of the day is in Caunes Minervois (15 minutes by road) to visit its Abbey. You can also visit the archaeological remains of the medieval cloister and the Carolingian church founded in 790. Then I recommend that you stroll through the charming little historic village, very quiet with its medieval streets, its quarries and its red marble sculptures. Why not a lunch break which will be the opportunity to taste its AOC wine?
Minerve, the most beautiful village in France
In the afternoon, my tourist circuit will take you to Minerva which is half an hour by car.
Due to its geographical location on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Cesse and Brian gorges, the city of Minerve is simply magnificent.
This ancient Cathar city which left its name as a heritage to the Minervois region is ranked among the most beautiful villages in France.
Around Carcassonne - Jouarres Lake
I now offer you a little relaxation in the cool ... Direction Olonzac, Homps and finally the Jouarres pleasure lake !
It is a quiet place with a small beach and a pine forest. Several activities are available to you and your children: Swimming, canoeing, water park, fishing, hiking ...
Around Carcassonne - Lac de Cavayère
If you prefer another very nice lake 45 minutes from Lac de Jouarres or only 15 minutes from Carcassonne, I recommend Lac de Cavayère. It is also called the Lac de Carcassonne.
In a splendid setting, in the middle of unspoiled nature, you can bathe there (3 sandy and grassy beaches supervised in summer), pedal boat, ski lift, mini-golf or a hook-up course. -branches.
Around Carcassonne - Canal du Midi
A heritage of Pierre-Paul Riquet which was created in the 17th century to link the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, the Canal du Midi is classified in the list of world heritage by UNESCO.
It is 240 kilometers of water punctuated with locks, bridges, small canal bridges that run through the 240 km of waterway, which can be discovered by walking or cycling along the canal or by cruise on the water. shadow of the hundred-year-old plane trees ...
Several cruise companies will offer you to embark for an hour, a half-day or a whole day.
To get there, you have to go to Carcassonne and park in the parking lot at the station. The port is located opposite the SNCF station (square André-Chenier).
Hotel in Carcassonne
If you want to stay close to the Cité de Carcassonne, just outside the ramparts, here is the La Rapière guest house.
With its beautiful location, its low price and all the comforts one would expect, this guest house offers a bar-restaurant and a beautiful terrace with a view of the medieval town.
More information about this guest house in Carcassonne
Want another idea for a tour in the South of France?
here is my original circuit in unusual accommodation
or a road trip in Camargue,
un trip to Ardèche,
mon tourist circuit in the Gard,
mon tourist route on the Mediterranean coast
or a circuit around Perpignan ?
Thank you for your great information! I like to travel around France by bike. Is this itinerary suitable? If not, it might be a nice feature for you to suggest alternatives that are.
Hello,
Yes, I think this itinerary is feasible by bike. In fact, it doesn't take place on freeways or main roads, but on departmental roads, which are also more picturesque!