Car Rental Carcassonne

Introduction

Carcassonne consists of two parts. The first is an enchanting medieval fortress town, one of the most interesting sights in Europe. When the afternoon sun shines over the city and contrasts with dark skies, the view is breathtaking. The second part, Ville Basse (lower town) is a kind of modern sister to its thirteenth century sibling.

Population

Carcassonne has about 47,000 inhabitants, which is not enough to make it one of France's 50 largest cities.

Location

Carcassonne is located some 150 kilometers to the north of the Franco-Spanish border, which is situated in the middle of the beautiful Pyrenees. Seventy-five kilometers to the east you will find the water Golfe du Lion, which borders on the Mediterranean. The river Aude runs through the city and at the same time separates the slightly elevated fortress and its slightly lower modern twin.

Economy

Carcassonne's economy depends largely on tourism, which is not surprising when you think realize that the small town with its 47,000 inhabitants attracts 2 million tourists a year. Especially in the summer the number of tourists is huge. The main attraction is the medieval town, which was built by the Gauls, Romans, Moors and Franks. In 1659, Roussillon, which is currently part of France, was added to France. Since that time, Carcassonne is no longer a border town. After a period of decline, the city is now one of France's main tourist attractions.

Airports

Carcassonne has one airport, which is located 5 kilometers to the west of the city. The name of the airport is Carcassonne-Salvaza Airport. It processes two regular flights a day, one by Ryanair flying from London Stansted Airport, and another by the same company from Brussels Charleroi.

Public transport

You can reach Carcassonne by bus as well as by train. It is located on the line between Toulouse and Montpelier. From the airport you can take bus 7 by Agglo'Bus. The same company also operates the bus services in the city itself. Between mid-July and mid-August, there are free buses between the old part and the modern part of the city.

Traffic and Parking

Driving in Carcassonne will probably not cause any problems. During the tourist season, keep in mind that you may not be able to park your car as near to the old town as you may want. To go back to the airport, take the Carcassonne Quest A61.

Hotels

Although Carcassonne has no really luxurious hotels, you will be able to find a decent mid-range hotel, though, and there are also plenty of budget hotels. During the summer, you need to book ahead if you want to be sure you have a room in this tourist attraction.

External Sources

For more information about Carcassonne, we recommend Google, and the following external sources:

• Wikipedia, Carcassonne
• Tourist Service Carcassonne
(multilingual)
• City of Carcassonne