carcassonne anyone?

Many people who visit Carcassone in the daytime have a poor impression of it. Too many tourists obscure the romance of the place. It feels more like a crowded day on a Disney Medieval set.

However, in the evening, 80% of the tourists leave, and you begin to get a feel for the place. By sunset, the floodlights light the walls, and the place becomes magical.

Book a room. Arrive late afternoon, settle in & enter the old town (if you aren't staying within the walls already). Stroll the streets. Eat a meal al fresco, see the cathedral when the light is good. Then stroll the ramparts just after dark. In the morning you have the place to yourself until about 11AM. Then leave.

With a few extra hours, stroll the "new" town, which was started in the 1400's and is quaint, too.

Good advice. It holds true for many popular places in Europe, and Carcassonne is certainly one of them. A great place in late afternoon, evening and morning. Not so much fun from 10 an to 3 pm.

Carcassonne is bigger than you think - even without the lower town. Staying overnight lets you wander the ramparts, which can be magical.

I like Carcasonne. There is a tour of the castle that is worthwhile. Steer clear of the obvious tourist traps (museums of torture and the like).

Well we won't be able to spend the night - my daughter is skating in the Nation's Cup in Toulouse so we'll be based there.

If I left Toulouse around 3pm and planned on being back in toulouse by 10pm does that allow enough time and provide the right setting for a tour?

Carcassonne is magical at night. My visit was from 4pm to 11am, and I have a specular memory of that place. Randy pretty much nailed my visit which was perfect. Since you can't spend the night, I would really try to see Carcassonne after dark, since it is one of the most spectacular fortresses at night. Walking the ramparts (day or night) is pretty special, too. I'd make the trip, even if for a few hours, but night is best.

Is there a difference in what is open to tour at night versus the day? I we arrived at say 5pm would that give us a taste of both?

The only two things we did while there that had a closing time were the cathedral and the castle tour. The cathedral closed some time around sunset and I don't really recall when the castle tour closed since we saw it in the morning. The castle was interesting, but not that much different than 20 other castles we've seen. It wouldn't be a tragedy to miss it. The old town, itself is the real attraction.

Given you can't stay the night, I would shoot for arriving by 3:30PM and heading through the main gate, past all the tacky souvie shops, shove your way past the crowds, and head strait for the castle tour. It should be open still, and that will kill a good hour or so, then head directly for the cathedral (a 3 minute walk away) for another 30 minutes or so. By this time the crowds will start to thin and you can begin to look for a place to eat. There are semi-nice sit-down restaurants as well as many snacky/picnicy options.

By the time you do those three things - castle, church, eat - all of which keep you away from most of the crowds - the streets should be pretty clear, it will be 7PM or so and you can now amble as much as you wish until sunset. In April this may be around 8:30 or so. Stay until at least 9:30 to get a good shot at walking the parimeter and seeing it all lit up. Then drive home.

Randy's sounds like a good plan. I'd find out when that tour is before you go, though.

I'm thinking there might be reduced hours in April, and/or you may find that there are no English-language tours.

How would I find out when the tours are? I tried looking for the website, but it deosn't seem very helpful.

I lifted this:

Date and schedule from the visits
The castle is open all days :

• April 1 at September 30 of 9h30 at 18h30
• October 1 at Mars 31 of 9h30 at 17h

from here:

http://www.casteland.com/puk/castle/languedoc/aude/carcassonne/carcassonne.htm

If this is the only castle you'll see, it's probably worth a visit; otherwise I'd skip it since it's rather mediocre.

Thanks Ed - so it looks like the castle portion is open until 6:30 while we're there. I think we may make this a late afternoon/evening trip for a few hours. If we leave Toulouse at around 4 arrive there by 5:15, we can tour the castle then have another couple of hours to look around. I noticed it says that they stop selling tickets 45 min befor closing,so as long as I have my tickets in hand before 5:45 I should be good.

thanks everyone for your help