La Cité de Carcassonne, during a pandemic.

Two weeks ago I had the incredible “chance” to visit the medieval citadel of Carcassonne – almost empty amid the pandemic. A Unesco World Heritage Site, this fortified medieval cité in the region of Occitanie is one of France’s most iconic and touristic sites. I found this usually overly-crowded site all to my self, which made for the most memorable experience.

The Cité Under Lockdown

Just like when I visited Toulouse during the same week, France had just lifted a national lockdown amid the covid-19 pandemic and kept some important restrictions in place: all restaurants and bars were shutdown, as were museums, cinemas and theatres. Only shops, grocery stores and religious edifices were allowed to be open. Wearing masks was mandatory across the whole city, and social distancing was practiced as much as possible. Lastly, a national curfew was in place between the hours of 8pm-6am. 

While the city center of Toulouse was quite busy amid the pandemic, the Cité de Carcassone was almost totally empty. Because it relies heavily on tourism, it is clear the town suffered from the situation probably more than many other cities. I had visited the cité ten years ago in August and it was incredibly busy – so much so, that it sometimes made it hard to enjoy the visit. Every restaurant, store, nook and cranny was bustling. So you can imagine how wandering through the empty zigzaging cobbled streets of the cité felt completely surreal this time. I felt privileged to enjoy this magical site in such a quiet atmosphere and take the time to truly appreciate the charm of this medieval town. It was of course bittersweet and sad (for businesses & restaurants) to find the site so empty, but it truly made for an unforgettable moment.

A few things to know about La Cité de Carcassonne 

Carcassonne is located in the south of France about 80 kilometres (40min train-ride) from Toulouse, and a 5-5:30hr train ride from Paris. The city of Carcassonne is divided in two distincts part: the “Ville Basse” (newer part) where most locals live and work, and the medieval fortified upper citadel that is the main touristic site – attracting over 4 million visitors every year.

La Cité de Carcassonne is a medieval fortress dating back to the Gallo-Roman period. It is composed of two outer walls – that you can contour from the outside on foot – with parapets, spiky towers and barbicans. The inner Cité is an enticing zig zag of cobbled streets, tiny museums, shops, cafes, restaurants, a beautiful Basilique Saint-Nazaire and several charming squares and terraces. Entrance inside the citadel is free and open year-round. 

While I can’t offer you any restaurant or shop recommendations (hopefully I’ll be able to do that another time!), here are a few photos of this pandemic-version of Carcassonne – almost empty, almost unreal. Enjoy!

Note: This article is simply to share my personal experience of visiting  Carcassonne during the Covid-19 pandemic. Of course, this article isn’t to promote un-cautious/un-essential travelling or tourism at this time. Should you have to travel, I encourage you to remain as safe and mindful as possible.

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