Carcassone travel tips

[Tricky Trevor]

Hi guys looking for any advice on Carcassone and surrounding area. Not going until September but it’ll give me time to check out suggestions and see if they suit Mrs. T. And mesen.

[distortiondave]

Sounds French. Wouldn't bother.

[dibraidio]

What sort of tips are you looking for? My first suggestion would be to hire a car if you're staying for more than a couple of days. There are are lots of nice places around to visit. The canal du midi isn't very far away. It's a wine region so there are plenty of places you can go for that. The local dish is cassoulet, a bean dish often served with confit duck or sausage. You're not far Limoux where they make a sparkling wine and claim that Champagne stole their recipe. You're also relatively close to the Arriege which has some of biggest cave systems in Europe including an underground river. If you want to go to the sea then it's just over an hour to get to Narbonne, that's one of the windiest places in France. You're about an hour an a half away from Toulouse which has a "space city" with lots of old space equipment, interactive exhibits and cinema type space shows.

[Stalbansclaret]

I went for 3 days last year and also briefly visited in March when I went over with friends to watch St Helen's play Catalans Dragons in Perpignan. Its definitely a good place to visit and spend time in. The intact walled medieval town is up the hill on one side of the river and is brilliant to visit and wander around. There are several restaurants/bars and a very nice hotel within the old walls and I imagine it gets very busy in there in the Summer.
Down below and on the other side of the river the modern town of Carcassonne is a pleasant and interesting place. The main square has some good places to eat and there are numerous bars, cafes and interesting shops. The railway station gives easy access to other towns and I went to Narbonne which is only about half an hour away by train and had a great meal in the market hall there.
Its difficult to be precise about what makes it an attractive place, beyond the obvious feature of the beautiful medieval town, but there is just something very civilised and relaxing about that corner of South West France I think.

[rincon]

Went there last year to see a concert (the stranglers and status quo¬very good).
Flights with Ryanair were quite cheap. On arriving at Carcassonne airport, if you wait outside, there are buses that run into Carcassonne centre.
Carcassonne itself is very pretty, the walled city part is good to get around and there are plenty of bars and restaurants.
Personally, I think the local dish of cassoulet is very bland and overrated, but French food in general isn't bad.
Carcassonne attracts tourists from all over the world and therefore isn't cheap, but I found the locals friendlier than the French in general.
Before visiting, I wasn't keen of France or the French, but I've changed my mind a bit. That part of France is very nice and I'd go again, probably as part of a larger trip.

[Stalbansclaret]

I agree about the locals seeming friendlier than is perhaps typical in France. Forgot to mention that there is a nice little understated “Irish bar” called The Celt close to the main square in the new town. They had Sky Sports !

[GetIntoEm]

It's a totally false narrative that the French are rude and dismissive. Sure you'll probably find an off few, just like you would in Burnley, Manchester or London. But on the whole the French are a decent lot with good morals.

[mikeS]

Went there on the train a few years back with Riviera Travel. Well organised tour to the region which included a visit to Carcasonne. Have a look on their website.

[Tricky Trevor]

It's a totally false narrative that the French are rude and dismissive. Sure you'll probably find an off few, just like you would in Burnley, Manchester or London. But on the whole the French are a decent lot with good morals.

I’ve been to France many times and totally agree. Paris can be different but that’s not the French in them that is big city syndrome world wide, they just want to be left alone.

[Tricky Trevor]

Went there last year to see a concert (the stranglers and status quo¬very good).
Flights with Ryanair were quite cheap. On arriving at Carcassonne airport, if you wait outside, there are buses that run into Carcassonne centre.
Carcassonne itself is very pretty, the walled city part is good to get around and there are plenty of bars and restaurants.
Personally, I think the local dish of cassoulet is very bland and overrated, but French food in general isn't bad.
Carcassonne attracts tourists from all over the world and therefore isn't cheap, but I found the locals friendlier than the French in general.
Before visiting, I wasn't keen of France or the French, but I've changed my mind a bit. That part of France is very nice and I'd go again, probably as part of a larger trip.

I made my own Cassoulet, from a very good international cook book, and it was enjoyed by all. I once made the mistake of buying a tinned version in France only to open the tin to find hot dog sausage in baked beans. About as far from a Cassoulet as you can get.

[get stuck in tracy]

Chanel 4's "Two men on a bike" spend some time in Carcasonne, looks beautifull.

[GetIntoEm]

Proper Canard Cassoulet in that region is lovely, it's very filling though so I'd not get a starter. Lovely with a glass of wine. Look for local recommendations though as someone said, a bad cassoulet can be a bit bland and stodgy

[Rowls]

I've never been to Carcassonne and I'm sure it's set up for tourism so perhaps there are more English speakers there.

You're just about in "The South" there which is is distinct from the rest of France in the same way The North of England is distinct from the rest of the country. The analogy is between the south of France and the North of England is a good one - the people are friendlier and easier going. There's none of the hustle and rudeness of the capital cities.

Here are some general tips:

* Don't try to get served at a bar unless there are signs specifically saying "Service au bar" or unless you're actually sat at the bar. Take a seat on a terrace and somebody will come and serve you. It'll be frustratingly slow when it first happens but you'll adjust to the pace of life and learn to enjoy taking things easy.

* Paying is more often done at the table but lots of establishments serve you at the table but take (or expect) payment at the bar. They'll tell you if this is the case. Unlike getting served, it's not frowned upon to go to the bar to pay if you're in a rush to leave. Always remember to pay - it's easy to forget as we're so used to having paid in advance.

* Start the day with a coffee. You'll probably get good coffee. But it won't be a jug full like it is here. It's a small cup and is to be savoured and enjoyed - preferably on a terrace. There are only four kinds of coffee in France:
1. Expresso (that's not a typo, they pronounce the x)
2. Double (pro- "doo-bler") = a double expresso
3. Alongee (pro- "Al-ON-zhee") = a single expresso shot with twice as much water
4. Grande Creme = milky coffee. A shot of expresso served with hot milk in a small coffee cup.
Don't expect any daft starbucks/costa style things like fappa-latte-cinos

* Eat plenty of the patisseries. My personal favourites are the eclairs. Typically there's a choice of chocolate or coffee but if you're lucky there will be the magical pistachio eclair which is worth killing for. Ditto the tarte au pistache. In fact, eat as much patisserie as you can stomach because you won't be able to get them back home.

* Avoid any restaurant offering "English specials" / "English Fry Up" / "English Roast Dinner" etc.

* Don't expect anyone to speak English. Carcassonne is such a destination that most people you encounter in shops, restuarants, cafes etc probably will speak at least some English but it really isn't widely spoken by the general populace. Don't expect anybody over the age of 30 to speak a word of English. If they can/do that's a bonus.

* Avoid eating in any restaurants that are facing a packed, popular or pretty square. You'll pay 10-20% more in these restaurants and the food and service is typically worse. That is to say, it'll probably be nice, but you can do much better. If you want to sit down and enjoy these locations, a lot of these etablishments will be ordinary cafes in between meal times - have a coffee to enjoy the view and find a better restaurants to eat.

* The better restaurants are typically tucked away a street or two off the main squares and throughfares. If you find a restaurant with opening hours of only lunchtime or one that's only open a few days a week that was always a good sign.

* Drink plenty of wine. It's important to stay hydrated.

* Eat lots of charcuterie.

* Don't order the second cheapest wine. Just don't. The house wine will be good, if not spectacular. House wine has an added bonus of being available in a carafe. You can order carafes in 25ml, 50ml and 75ml. A small 25ml carafe at lunchtime is perfect. The wine is normally the cheapest / best value drink in an establishment.

* Don't expect wine to come in goldfish bowls like it does over here. And don't overfill the glasses.

* It's OK to drink rose with ice. This is a really good idea.

* Whatever you do, don't pay for water in a restaurant. Ever. Any restaurant that tries to sell you water is, unforunately, a tourist trap and you've taken a wrong turn. If this happens, eat up as quickly as possible and leave. Providing drinking water is a legal obligation in French restaurants.

* Drink a kir royale. This is great fun.

* Don't drink too many kir royales. This is ends badly.

* Don't scoff all the bread before your starter arrives. This is seen as typical bad English behaviour. Tourist restaurants actually hold off handing out bread to English tourists to prevent this. On the other hand, don't be shy about asking for a bit more if you're running low during the meal. And if they haven't brought you some bread by the time your starter arrives, politely prompt them to do so and then impress them by not scoffing it like badly behaved English tourists.

* I'm not sure of your level of French but always 'vous' serving staff initially but don't ever "vous" anybody more than once. It's really not the done thing.

* Cassoulet has been mentioned. This is a must and it'll probably be on every menu. Also try the brandade (a salt-fish spread) and make sure you have Steak Frites with roquefort sauce at least once.

* There is no such thing as 'tea time'. Do NOT expect to eat a meal at 5:30pm. The earliest you'll be able to book a table for an evening meal will be 7:30pm. Most people eat between 8:00 - 8:30pm.

* Typing the above reminded me - restaurants normally use 24 time. Eg. 8pm = "Vingt heure" written as 20hr. 8:30pm - 20hr30 etc

* Because they eat later in the evening, they have this wonderful concept called "apero". This is something you'll want to make the most of. Apero happens typically around 17h - 18hr. It consists of a snack such as brandade, peanuts, pistachios, charcuterie etc and a "light" drink. A popular apero drink is pastis, an aniseed drink served with ice and small jug of water. Water it down to your own preference. The main pastis brands in Montpellier were 'Ricard' and '51' (Cinquante Et Un). Locals order these specifically by their brand names so best to copy if you can.

* Pints of beer are expensive. If you want to drink beer, seek out 'happy hours' to save money. Pronounce happy hour like Mimi Lebonk from Allo Allo - " 'Appy 'eure'"

* Do at least try to order in French. If they speak English, they'll switch. If they don't they'll appreciate your efforts and like you more. Franglish will get you far.

[Rowls]

I made my own Cassoulet, from a very good international cook book, and it was enjoyed by all. I once made the mistake of buying a tinned version in France only to open the tin to find hot dog sausage in baked beans. About as far from a Cassoulet as you can get.

Lol. You can actually get some very good tinned cassoulets. I forget the brand but there's a well known one with a fancy, cream coloured art-nouveau label.

[Rowls]

It's a totally false narrative that the French are rude and dismissive. Sure you'll probably find an off few, just like you would in Burnley, Manchester or London. But on the whole the French are a decent lot with good morals.

It's probably a Paris thing.

Paris is to France like London is to England.

[Rowls]

Found this site for you Tricky Trev:

https://navaway.fr/specialites-culinaires-carcassonne/

Google translate is your friend if need it.

I hadn't heard of "Le cassoulet glace" or "La Tourgnol". You're in for a treat, you lucky bugger. Have a great time!

[Rowls]

Oh, one last thing (for this morning at least)

Make the most of the "Menu" offers you'll see advertised at restaurants. "Menu" translates as a set meal, so you typically have an offer of starter+main, main+dessert or starter+main+dessert. You'll get a smaller choice of meals but often these are a lot cheaper than ordering off the a la carte options.

[GetIntoEm]

It's probably a Paris thing.

Paris is to France like London is to England.

Definitely is.

[Tribesmen]

Really top info for Rowls I must say .
I do like the idea about the bread , Funny here in Italy you can eat bread before your meal but not during , bread is for mopping up the sauce when you have finished your main meal .

[Down_Rover]

Visited a couple of years ago
Great trip. I agree about the car, loads to see

The old city is full of great restaurants so try and find a hotel within walking distance. My favs were Escargot and au four saint louis

[ClaretOfMancunia]

Funny here in Italy you can eat bread before your meal but not during , bread is for mopping up the sauce when you have finished your main meal .

Scarpetta!

[ClaretPete001]

Carcassone is worth a visit - the town itself it not much to look at but the old town is definitely worth a go.

If it was me I'd go a bit further East and look at the Orb Valley around Cessenon sur orb. I think Carcassonne is about an hour away so if you have a car it's a good day trip. Lots of Rivers where you can swim and areas to walk.

Also, St Chinian is not far away, which is a wine areas that sells to the UK quite a lot.

But you can also get to the coast and places like Pezenaz, which is another medieval town in Southern France.

My favourite part of France. The only negative is French driving, which is not great but unlike the UK nowhere in France seems that busy.

[ClaretPete001]

As per Rowls, it's not just a common courtesy to speak Franglish it also helps them to understand you a little better if you know a couple of sentences in French.

Makes a big difference.

[Tricky Trevor]

I've never been to Carcassonne and I'm sure it's set up for tourism so perhaps there are more English speakers there.

You're just about in "The South" there which is is distinct from the rest of France in the same way The North of England is distinct from the rest of the country. The analogy is between the south of France and the North of England is a good one - the people are friendlier and easier going. There's none of the hustle and rudeness of the capital cities.

Here are some general tips:

* Don't try to get served at a bar unless there are signs specifically saying "Service au bar" or unless you're actually sat at the bar. Take a seat on a terrace and somebody will come and serve you. It'll be frustratingly slow when it first happens but you'll adjust to the pace of life and learn to enjoy taking things easy.

* Paying is more often done at the table but lots of establishments serve you at the table but take (or expect) payment at the bar. They'll tell you if this is the case. Unlike getting served, it's not frowned upon to go to the bar to pay if you're in a rush to leave. Always remember to pay - it's easy to forget as we're so used to having paid in advance.

* Start the day with a coffee. You'll probably get good coffee. But it won't be a jug full like it is here. It's a small cup and is to be savoured and enjoyed - preferably on a terrace. There are only four kinds of coffee in France:
1. Expresso (that's not a typo, they pronounce the x)
2. Double (pro- "doo-bler") = a double expresso
3. Alongee (pro- "Al-ON-zhee") = a single expresso shot with twice as much water
4. Grande Creme = milky coffee. A shot of expresso served with hot milk in a small coffee cup.
Don't expect any daft starbucks/costa style things like fappa-latte-cinos

* Eat plenty of the patisseries. My personal favourites are the eclairs. Typically there's a choice of chocolate or coffee but if you're lucky there will be the magical pistachio eclair which is worth killing for. Ditto the tarte au pistache. In fact, eat as much patisserie as you can stomach because you won't be able to get them back home.

* Avoid any restaurant offering "English specials" / "English Fry Up" / "English Roast Dinner" etc.

* Don't expect anyone to speak English. Carcassonne is such a destination that most people you encounter in shops, restuarants, cafes etc probably will speak at least some English but it really isn't widely spoken by the general populace. Don't expect anybody over the age of 30 to speak a word of English. If they can/do that's a bonus.

* Avoid eating in any restaurants that are facing a packed, popular or pretty square. You'll pay 10-20% more in these restaurants and the food and service is typically worse. That is to say, it'll probably be nice, but you can do much better. If you want to sit down and enjoy these locations, a lot of these etablishments will be ordinary cafes in between meal times - have a coffee to enjoy the view and find a better restaurants to eat.

* The better restaurants are typically tucked away a street or two off the main squares and throughfares. If you find a restaurant with opening hours of only lunchtime or one that's only open a few days a week that was always a good sign.

* Drink plenty of wine. It's important to stay hydrated.

* Eat lots of charcuterie.

* Don't order the second cheapest wine. Just don't. The house wine will be good, if not spectacular. House wine has an added bonus of being available in a carafe. You can order carafes in 25ml, 50ml and 75ml. A small 25ml carafe at lunchtime is perfect. The wine is normally the cheapest / best value drink in an establishment.

* Don't expect wine to come in goldfish bowls like it does over here. And don't overfill the glasses.

* It's OK to drink rose with ice. This is a really good idea.

* Whatever you do, don't pay for water in a restaurant. Ever. Any restaurant that tries to sell you water is, unforunately, a tourist trap and you've taken a wrong turn. If this happens, eat up as quickly as possible and leave. Providing drinking water is a legal obligation in French restaurants.

* Drink a kir royale. This is great fun.

* Don't drink too many kir royales. This is ends badly.

* Don't scoff all the bread before your starter arrives. This is seen as typical bad English behaviour. Tourist restaurants actually hold off handing out bread to English tourists to prevent this. On the other hand, don't be shy about asking for a bit more if you're running low during the meal. And if they haven't brought you some bread by the time your starter arrives, politely prompt them to do so and then impress them by not scoffing it like badly behaved English tourists.

* I'm not sure of your level of French but always 'vous' serving staff initially but don't ever "vous" anybody more than once. It's really not the done thing.

* Cassoulet has been mentioned. This is a must and it'll probably be on every menu. Also try the brandade (a salt-fish spread) and make sure you have Steak Frites with roquefort sauce at least once.

* There is no such thing as 'tea time'. Do NOT expect to eat a meal at 5:30pm. The earliest you'll be able to book a table for an evening meal will be 7:30pm. Most people eat between 8:00 - 8:30pm.

* Typing the above reminded me - restaurants normally use 24 time. Eg. 8pm = "Vingt heure" written as 20hr. 8:30pm - 20hr30 etc

* Because they eat later in the evening, they have this wonderful concept called "apero". This is something you'll want to make the most of. Apero happens typically around 17h - 18hr. It consists of a snack such as brandade, peanuts, pistachios, charcuterie etc and a "light" drink. A popular apero drink is pastis, an aniseed drink served with ice and small jug of water. Water it down to your own preference. The main pastis brands in Montpellier were 'Ricard' and '51' (Cinquante Et Un). Locals order these specifically by their brand names so best to copy if you can.

* Pints of beer are expensive. If you want to drink beer, seek out 'happy hours' to save money. Pronounce happy hour like Mimi Lebonk from Allo Allo - " 'Appy 'eure'"

* Do at least try to order in French. If they speak English, they'll switch. If they don't they'll appreciate your efforts and like you more. Franglish will get you far.

I was waiting for you coming on as I thought you’d worked in Carcassone.
I can get by with O level French and linguaphone revising before we set off.
I’ll definitely try the Kir Royale as it’s the Kir that makes a Black Forest gateau for me.
I’m a pistachio fan as well.
I only drink instant coffee at home so not bothered about fancy ones. I’d normally have a cafe au lait/cafe creme but isn’t there a different time of the day for what you order? I've been told this but it could be a wind up.
Thanks for the great advice.

[Rowls]

I was waiting for you coming on as I thought you’d worked in Carcassone.
I can get by with O level French and linguaphone revising before we set off.
I’ll definitely try the Kir Royale as it’s the Kir that makes a Black Forest gateau for me.
I’m a pistachio fan as well.
I only drink instant coffee at home so not bothered about fancy ones. I’d normally have a cafe au lait/cafe creme but isn’t there a different time of the day for what you order? I've been told this but it could be a wind up.
Thanks for the great advice.

Hi Trevor

I lived in Montpellier which is an hour or so along the coast and never visited Carcassonne. There's something worth seeing around every corner in that region. If you've got a car and are prepared to travel I'd recommend a day in Montpellier, Nimes and visits to the Pont du Gard, Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert and Aigues-Mortes. Here's my recommendations if you travel further afield:

* Montpellier is packed with restuarants, shops, cafes, bars and is very metropolitan but the architecture is classically French. It's a real "hidden gem" in terms of not being all that well known by non-French tourists.

* Nimes is similar but smaller but it does have a Roman ampitheatre which tips the balance in its favour if you've only got a day.

* Pont du Gard is worth seeing but that's a fair distance to travel and there's a lot of walking.

* Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert is a pretty little village set into the canyons. Well worth a visit but a little bit of travelling involved and a lot of walking.

* Aigues-Mortes is an intact Medieval fortress town and I love it there. It looks like a better-preserved English castle from the outside but instead of finding ruins and lawns when you walk through the gates you find a fully functioning old town with shops and restaurants.

There really aren't many places to avoid in the South of France. Somebody mentioned Pezanas which I can't remember if I've been to or not but almost every other town is so pretty and nice that you'll enjoy it almost whereever you go. My knowledge is limited because I rarely had chance or time to leave Montpellier (but rarely had any reason to) however I would say do NOT go to Beziers or Marseilles. Beziers is just a bit scuzzy (it's the only smaller town there that is) and Marseille is a dirty port city full of drug dealers. These are the only places I know to avoid.

You'll get by for all you need with O Level French as long as you revise! Be prepared that some people might not understand your accent if you're pronouncing words incorrectly. As long as you've got a smile on your face and go with it, you'll be grand.

I've never heard of the names for coffees changing for different periods of the day but it might be true. The coffee isn't 'fancy' as such, just different. The standard of the coffee in Montpellier was decent - until they put their awful UHT milk into it. I got into the habit of drinking it black. "Grand creme" is the wording I'd recommend for ordering a milky coffee instead of cafe au lait/cafe creme but they'll probably understand you. If you're unsure or struggling to be understood, say "cafe grand creme" and it'll help. It will be a milky coffee too - not a coffee with milk in it. And it'll be UHT nonsense.

Oh, and don't bother ordering a cuppa tea anywhere unless you drink herbal tea or the person serving you is an ex-pat (English, Irish or OZ/NZ) and knows how to make tea. The chances of having a decent cuppa tea are close to zero.

In terms of revising your French, it's best to be able to think of two ways to say the thing so if they don't understand you first time you can rephrase. For example, instead of going straight in and ordering a "grand creme" first order "une cafe" and then follow up with "Cafe grand creme. Cafe au lait?" etc to make sure you've been understood.

There's literally nothing bad that can happen when ordering stuff of trying to speak. Especially when you virtually anybody can whip out a phone and translate anything in a second. Happy days!

If you're going to visit any of the places I've recommended above I can give you a bit more info about each of them if you like.

[Tricky Trevor]

Hi Trevor

I lived in Montpellier which is an hour or so along the coast and never visited Carcassonne. There's something worth seeing around every corner in that region. If you've got a car and are prepared to travel I'd recommend a day in Montpellier, Nimes and visits to the Pont du Gard, Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert and Aigues-Mortes. Here's my recommendations if you travel further afield:

* Montpellier is packed with restuarants, shops, cafes, bars and is very metropolitan but the architecture is classically French. It's a real "hidden gem" in terms of not being all that well known by non-French tourists.

* Nimes is similar but smaller but it does have a Roman ampitheatre which tips the balance in its favour if you've only got a day.

* Pont du Gard is worth seeing but that's a fair distance to travel and there's a lot of walking.

* Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert is a pretty little village set into the canyons. Well worth a visit but a little bit of travelling involved and a lot of walking.

* Aigues-Mortes is an intact Medieval fortress town and I love it there. It looks like a better-preserved English castle from the outside but instead of finding ruins and lawns when you walk through the gates you find a fully functioning old town with shops and restaurants.

There really aren't many places to avoid in the South of France. Somebody mentioned Pezanas which I can't remember if I've been to or not but almost every other town is so pretty and nice that you'll enjoy it almost whereever you go. My knowledge is limited because I rarely had chance or time to leave Montpellier (but rarely had any reason to) however I would say do NOT go to Beziers or Marseilles. Beziers is just a bit scuzzy (it's the only smaller town there that is) and Marseille is a dirty port city full of drug dealers. These are the only places I know to avoid.

You'll get by for all you need with O Level French as long as you revise! Be prepared that some people might not understand your accent if you're pronouncing words incorrectly. As long as you've got a smile on your face and go with it, you'll be grand.

I've never heard of the names for coffees changing for different periods of the day but it might be true. The coffee isn't 'fancy' as such, just different. The standard of the coffee in Montpellier was decent - until they put their awful UHT milk into it. I got into the habit of drinking it black. "Grand creme" is the wording I'd recommend for ordering a milky coffee instead of cafe au lait/cafe creme but they'll probably understand you. If you're unsure or struggling to be understood, say "cafe grand creme" and it'll help. It will be a milky coffee too - not a coffee with milk in it. And it'll be UHT nonsense.

Oh, and don't bother ordering a cuppa tea anywhere unless you drink herbal tea or the person serving you is an ex-pat (English, Irish or OZ/NZ) and knows how to make tea. The chances of having a decent cuppa tea are close to zero.

In terms of revising your French, it's best to be able to think of two ways to say the thing so if they don't understand you first time you can rephrase. For example, instead of going straight in and ordering a "grand creme" first order "une cafe" and then follow up with "Cafe grand creme. Cafe au lait?" etc to make sure you've been understood.

There's literally nothing bad that can happen when ordering stuff of trying to speak. Especially when you virtually anybody can whip out a phone and translate anything in a second. Happy days!

If you're going to visit any of the places I've recommended above I can give you a bit more info about each of them if you like.

Cheers. I knew you’d be a big help.
Done Nimes, Avignon and Pont du Gard on day trips from a base in the Ardeche.
Not hiring this time but we do like a train ride so we’ll be getting out a couple of days.
We’ll check them all out on “10 things to do in……” and youtube but you can’t beat this forum for good advice.

[ClaretPete001]

Bezier is about scruffy round the edges but it has a nice centre and an impressive Cathedral.

There is an Arab quarter, which I had a coffee in and did some people watching.

I think Rowls is being a bit generous. If it rains or it's out of season all the shutters go up and it's like the night of the living dead in Southern France.

Castelnaudry is worth a visit and you should be in striking distance of Toulouse if you have a car. Sete on the coats is not a bad place to visit and they have annual jousting events on the canal, which is great because Sete also has a decent beach and good sea food restaurants.

Roquebrun has a fantastic river, which you can swim in and some rustic eating places. But to be fair we are covering a huge area of France with some of these suggestions.

The only things to remember are everything shuts at the drop of a hat, if you p*ss the French off you will know about it and don't turn up in your average French village in the middle of the day and expect to find much more than a couple of scabby dogs and the other red faced dehydrated tourist who has not been to Southern France before.

Enjoy - it's a great place.

[Holtyclaret]

Flew in and out of carcassone last year en route to our usual destination of Agde.

From central station to airport can be tricky, there are coaches to and from at odd times. Taxi to airport was €14 and ten minutes. There’s a little box on the wall at the station to order a cab which took half hour to arrive.

Stunning views of castle as you come to land/take off.

[HollandsPies]

Hotel in Carcassonne: Mercure La Cité - decent
Restaurant: Le Trouvère - decent

Pézenas: Garrigae Distillerie de Pézenas hotel - decent
Restaurant: too many to choose from.
Musée de la porte - if you like wooden doors

For a right old laugh with absolutely no Health and Safety:
Canoe Rapido - St Guilhem le Desert

[IanMcL]

I heard it was off.

[LS7]

If you have a rental car then the Camargue is a spectacular landscape where the Rhone flows into the Mediterranean.

[Owdsyker]

If you get time, I would suggest a drive over the border to Spain. I used to go most weekends when I worked in Toulouse. My favourite was the Town of Roses, with a magnificent beach and full of bars and restaurants. More importantly it hasn't yet been discovered by the British holidaymakers. Roses is about 2hr drive from Carcassonne.

[Folkestoneclaret]

Rent a self-catering villa at L'Espinet about half an hour unto the foothills south of Carcassonne. Much cheaper than hotel stay and amazing scenery. Local attractions more into the mountains include the origins of Champagne in Limoux, Cathar history and if you like heritage trains there's the Train du Pays Cathare et du Fenouillèdes just up the road in Axat, or an easy drive across to Perpignan then up the Tet Valley to Villefranche-sur-Conflent for the spectacular Petit Train Jeune.

You can also get direct to the Little Yellow train by driving across the mountain to Font Romeu or St-louis. Both these lines are 40 miles and more so they're a proper scenic experience - in open wagons. Carcassonne is great for a day but very busy, as is the Canal du Midi. Lots of other great advice here as to east and west of Carcassonne. I suggest also looking south. Bon chance.

[Rowls]

Oh, I remembered something this morning whilst walking the dog. It really should be high up for visiting the South of France:

* Say 'Bonjour!'
Yes, it sounds daft and obvious. But people really do say hello whenever they enter a shop or cafe. It's both polite and ensuring that naughty kids / undesirables aren't sneaking into shops. It's going to be especially prevelant in smaller shops/cafes/bars/restaurants.
If you're not mentally prepared to say "Bonjour!" or "Bonsoir!" as you enter, you'll get 'caught out', so to speak.
Once you get used to this concept it becomes very nice and polite and you'll find yourself smiling more and feeling happier.
It also provides an excellent opportunity to let them know your French might not be completely fluent without having to say that your French isn't completely fliuent - just be sure to say an enthusiastic 'Bonjour!' with a strong English accent and anyone who speaks good English will have the opportunity to switch languages et "Robert est ton oncle", as they don't say.

[Folkestoneclaret]

Don't go to Andorra. Long border queues and not much to see or do when you get there! The French flock there for the duty-frees.

The Rivière Souterraine de Labouiche is another to look for - 1.4km underground boat ride. Near Foix, the town also a good visit for the views from its elevated castle

[jos]

Carcassone is an amazing place, I can recommend seeing the jousting tournament if they still have that on show.

[Folkestoneclaret]

Sorry more ideas! I get enthusiastic about French travel for all that the Brexit disaster has made so many things, like taking the dogs, living on the waterways and running a tour business (which Brexit screwed) more difficult. This one is just to suggest getting down there by train, using the stopping services rather than TGV. You can get across from Dover as a foot passenger and then use a 4-day Eurail pass (£249).

Day 1 TER service from Calais Ville through the Opal Coast regional park via Amiens. Break there to visit the greatest of all the Gothic cathedrals then on to Paris to night stop. Day 2 Paris to Lyon with a sightseeing break in Dijon, travelling through the heart of Burgundy. Day 3 down the Rhone Valley to Avignon or Montpellier to collect hire car. Use the last day for TGVs to get back to Calais - easily enough done in a day. You need reservations for the TGVs which they would book for you at the other end on arrival - small supplement payable. Doubtless cheaper to fly to Toulouse or wherever but you see so much more of France on the way...

If you need a night stop close to Dover on the way out and back let me know - we're 20 mins from the port and always happy to pick up from/deliver to our local station - Sandling.

[Holtyclaret]

Very cheap flights to beziers or carcassone, mine for September were £24 and £34 back. I couldn’t get a ten mile taxi to Oxford from where I live cheaper!

[Holtyclaret]

…… last year I bought tobacco on the plane going and on return flight, sold them at work and made 3 times my combined flights back!

[Tricky Trevor]

Sorry more ideas! I get enthusiastic about French travel for all that the Brexit disaster has made so many things, like taking the dogs, living on the waterways and running a tour business (which Brexit screwed) more difficult. This one is just to suggest getting down there by train, using the stopping services rather than TGV. You can get across from Dover as a foot passenger and then use a 4-day Eurail pass (£249).

Day 1 TER service from Calais Ville through the Opal Coast regional park via Amiens. Break there to visit the greatest of all the Gothic cathedrals then on to Paris to night stop. Day 2 Paris to Lyon with a sightseeing break in Dijon, travelling through the heart of Burgundy. Day 3 down the Rhone Valley to Avignon or Montpellier to collect hire car. Use the last day for TGVs to get back to Calais - easily enough done in a day. You need reservations for the TGVs which they would book for you at the other end on arrival - small supplement payable. Doubtless cheaper to fly to Toulouse or wherever but you see so much more of France on the way...

If you need a night stop close to Dover on the way out and back let me know - we're 20 mins from the port and always happy to pick up from/deliver to our local station - Sandling.

As I said higher up we try and slip a train trip into every holiday. We thought we got the TGV from Quimper to Lorient many years ago but as far as Lorient it is only a local train with a TGV logo on the side. A journey on it is high on Mrs T. to do list.