What a location – Villa Chatelain is just a short stroll from the La Cité de Carcassonne, Europe’s largest medieval walled city and a UNESCO World Heritage site!
It’s a beautiful setting, with views over the villa’s vineyard towards the historic ramparts on one side of the house and the pretty garden and neighbouring houses on the other. Step out of your entrance gate, walk up the country lane (no pavement) passing the vineyard on one side and within 500m you will find yourself standing beneath the mighty citadel walls.
Wander through one of the gates (some with step access) and potter around the warren of medieval lanes with pretty shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and museums. Visit the castle, tour the ramparts and look out for events, re-enactments and festivities, especially during the French school holidays. Visit early in the morning or late into the evening to avoid the many day-trippers who come to see one of France’s most popular tourist destinations.
Cross the Aude River via the Pont Vieux bridge (1.5km) and spend time exploring Carcassonne’s charming Bastide de Saint Louis with more restaurants and shops. The Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday morning market takes place at Place Carnot, also home to terrace cafes and a picturesque fountain. The Canal du Midi is just north of this quarter, around 3km from the villa, where it’s wonderful to cycle along the tow paths or take a boat ride along part of France’s famous canal.
Trains depart Gare de Carcassonne (3km) to the attractive town of Castelnaudary, a perfect place for lunch out by the Canal du Midi, perhaps enjoying le cassoulet, and onwards to the handsome city of Toulouse. In the other direction, it’s around a 30-minute train ride to beautiful Narbonne with its gothic cathedral and you can even continue towards Port La Nouvelle and the Mediterranean.
It’s also worth hiring a car to make the most of this glorious part of southern France. Venture to the Languedoc wineries and vineyards, visit idyllic villages such as Limoux, Lagrasse and Minerve and discover some of the fascinating Cathar castles from Lastours to Montségur.
You can also drive to the Mediterranean within an hour whether wishing to experience the beauty around Gruissan-Plage or soak up the ambience of Leucate, a resort especially loved for its wind-based watersports and vast sandy beaches.
The Region
Whilst most visitors flock to Carcassonne for its fortified citadel, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there is so much to experience across the historic city and its beautiful surroundings.
It goes without saying that the great highlight of Carcassonne is Europe’s largest walled fortress with its warren of winding lanes with cafes and little shops alongside its impressive towers and ramparts – guided tours along the city walls can be arranged. It feels like a fairytale for young and old with knights in armour, horse-drawn carriage rides and fascinating museums.
Look out for festivities and events throughout the year, the most famous being July’s Festival de Carcassonne with cultural and musical events taking place across the city. What’s more, the Bastille Day fireworks are some of the most magnificent in France.
Beyond the citadel, cross the Aude River and soak up the vibrant ambience of Le Bastide de Saint-Louis, a bustling neighbourhood with its own rich heritage. Start at Place Carnot with its café terraces, impressive fountain and wonderful market three mornings or head straight to the gourmet stalls of Les Halles’ covered market. Dine out in atmospheric restaurants serving the best regional cuisine perhaps accompanied by a glass of Minervois, Corbières or other excellent wine from the vineyards surrounding the Cité de Carcassonne.
Then there’s the tranquility of the city's Le Canal du Midi just perfect to explore on foot, by bike or via boat. In one direction you can cycle along the canalside towpath to Castelnaudary, famed for its pretty marina and restaurants serving cassoulet. On another day head east towards Trèbes, Homps, Argens-Minervois and other picture-perfect wine villages across the Hérault’s Minerve region, the perfect trip out from your Carcassonne holiday home.
