Service Description

From the Medieval Citadel to the Royal Bastide with your private guide Discover Carcassonne on a 4-hour private walking tour led by one of Carte Blanche Tours’ certified professional guides, offering a comprehensive exploration of both the medieval citadel (Cité de Carcassonne) and the lower town, the Bastide Saint-Louis. Passionate storytellers with strong historical expertise, our guides combine rigorous knowledge with a friendly, engaging, and flexible approach—making the city’s layered history accessible, lively, and meaningful for all. The tour begins within the UNESCO-listed citadel, where your guide will introduce you to its most remarkable architectural and historical highlights. The walk showcases emblematic sites such as the double ring of ramparts, the Narbonnaise Gate, the Château Comtal, and the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire, famed for its stained glass. You will discover how military strategy, royal authority, and medieval daily life shaped this extraordinary fortified city. The visit then continues in the Bastide Saint-Louis, founded in the 13th century as a planned royal town. Here, your guide will reveal a different side of Carcassonne, with its grid-plan streets, Place Carnot, elegant façades, and lively squares that reflect commercial life, civic organization, and the city’s evolution beyond its walls. Together, the citadel and the bastide offer a complete understanding of Carcassonne’s political, social, and urban development across the centuries. Carte Blanche Tours specializes in bespoke experiences. Each visit is carefully adapted to the interests, pace, and ages of your group, whether you are traveling with friends, colleagues, or family, including children. Expect an interactive tour that balances history, architecture, legends, and everyday life, always adjusted to your curiosity and rhythm. Our goal is simple: to offer a professional-quality tour without stiffness, combining solid expertise with warmth, clarity, and genuine human connection. This walking tour provides a complete and nuanced introduction to Carcassonne, offering a deep understanding of one of southern France’s most emblematic historic cities. Practical information • Maximum group size: 20 participants • For groups of 21 participants or more, audio devices are required (rental available upon request) • Duration: 4 hours* • Language options: English, French, and other languages available upon request *includes a 30-minute free time break