Has anyone driven from Montpellier to Carcassonne who has suggestions of a place to stop for lunch or sites to see on the route? Suggestions on a particular route are also welcomed.
Posted by
Concord
31 posts
Sondra We made the trip in the off season so there were very few restaurants open. We made a detour up to Minerve which is a small village with a ruined Cathar fortress. Very scenic and a bit chilling. We used GPS but had a Michelin map for backup. Have fun.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3398 posts
Stop off in Pezenas. It's a beautiful, small, medieval town with lots of shops and restaurants in a labyrinth of winding, cobbled streets. It is not terribly touristy and I would imagine that there will be plenty of things open if you arrive during lunch hours. Beziers is a larger town that's just a bit further on your way. Very nice place with a beautiful cathedral on the bluffs overlooking the river.
Just a couple of ideas!
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
784 posts
I love Pezenas, but it is only about 60-70 minutes from Montpellier. Minerve would be a good spot, but if it is the off-season, you may have a hard time finding anything open. We were there in April and there was nothing open. When we were there in September everything was open - October/November would be iffy.
If you get an early start from Montpellier, you will probably get to Carcassone around lunch time - anytime between 12 and 2. Try the cassolet. This will be a long day-trip from Montpellier, so I wouldn't want to spend to much time enroute. I'd make tracks to Carcassone to maximize my time there. If it's early enough when you leave Carcassone, you can take your time going back. I suggest following the route along the Canal du Midi at least part of the way. Bon voyage.