A visit to Carcassone

Inside the medieval castle
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ALARM RINGS AT 6AM. I have to get up extra early as I had to re-pack since I went on a frenzy the night before which resulted in my clothes being all over the place.

Breakfast is at 7.30am and it was a formal seating arrangement then it was time to head back and do a last minute check and then board the bus.

'Chataeu et remparts de Carcassone'

We are in for a long haul today as we make tracks for Spain. We drove through France and view the green countryside. It is a public holiday in France today to celebrate the end of WW2. The roads are busy and the ride ever more so long.

We see signs to Barcelona but the original sign stated 650km, which is a long way. We stop at plenty stations for a break and a stretch. Thank goodness for that

The highlight to today is that we have a stop over at the medieval town of Carcassonne.

As we approach the town we noticed the huge fortress in the centre of the town. Back in the dark ages, those occupying lands were constantly feuding and hence fortress was built to guard the occupants from their enemies. You often see castles in movies but getting to see one and step foot in one is an experience to say the least

As we arrive at 'Chataeu et remparts de Carcassone' which is the medieval castle that has been converted to a tourist area. It is buzzing with people as we embark the coach and make dash for the entrance. This place is very massive and we are given free time.

We enter through the entrance, which is a draw down bridge. As soon as we walk through we see small alleys filled with souvenir stores and ice cream stores. The castle itself has been kept in its original form just with additional cafes restaurants added to it for the tourist.

It is quite amazing walking through the castle, getting a feel of how they lived. The fortress is massive as we walk through one end to the other. The cobblestones are still in tact however some pathways are naturally uneven hence walking on some pathways proved to be difficult.

The castle is built so high and we learn it was to protect those living in the fortress from any attack. It was a real step back into history.

We walked to the highest point of the castle to get a good view of the town and take some great pictures.

Soon it was time to head back to the coach but I really enjoyed my time at the castle. It was a real experience and it was great to just soak in the environment. There were plenty cafes to choose from and being a public holiday, plenty people enjoying the afternoon sun.