Carcassonne, Pezenas & Montpelier

We arrived into the very small airport of Carcassonne on low cost airline ‘Ryanair’ from Bournemouth, which is really convenient for people living in the south of England. It was my daughter’s first flight experience so all very exciting! We walked straight out of the airport terminal and across the road to the car hire company, all very close to hand and efficient!

Carcassonne:

La Cite is a beautifully preserved medieval castle with a drawbridge and a moat. This is where most of the bars, shops and restaurants are situated, in converted old buildings. The city inside the castle walls is not cheap but there is plenty of choice. There are many fantastic photograph opportunities in La Cite, which include the medieval castle walls, quaint walls inside and out, winding narrow streets and the, beautiful, rolling French countryside, visible for miles around.

If you want to enjoy some interesting trips in the area the train station and canal trip departures are situated in the Louis Bastide Centre Ville which is about a 25 minutes walk from La Cite, it also has a more extensive shopping area. There are a couple of pleasant walks around Carcassonne but in this area, they will not take you all day! So, if you fancy a walking holiday there are other destinations to choose from. If you are a serious walker you can find lots of challenging walks which take you to other Cathar castles in the district.

If you would like to visit Carcassonne and the surrounding area there are plenty of hotels to choose from in this area inside and outside of city walls.

After a couple of days we left Carcassonne to travel and stay with friends in the beautiful town of Pezenas, in the department of Val d’ Herault. It is about 100kms from Carcassonne.

Pezenas:

Definitely take your walking shoes as it is lovely, you can stroll through the narrow cobbled streets of the old quarter of Pezenas, walking right back in time. The buildings go back as far as the Middle Ages, with gargoyles peering down at you from various hotels and official buildings, then moving on to the buildings from the elegant 18th century you can admire their beautiful facade, for instance the Consular House in place Gambetta, with its beautiful wrought iron work.

Pezenas is famous for its trade fairs and markets, for the colours, the atmosphere and the extraordinary variety of food produce on sale. The wine industry is very important in this part of the world and I recommend you sample some! There are also many other culinary specialities.

The town is also home to several, charming and interesting restaurants, very much suited to all tastes; this all adds to the ambience of this beautiful old town.

Montpelier:

Montpellier has everything it takes to please. It is lively, vibrant, elegant and artistic. There is so much to see and a great city to walk around. The city has a rich past and there are some beautiful historic buildings to prove this. However, the city feels vibrant and young with the elegant shops and the riverside cafes, former and contemporary glory there is intense cultural life and youthful feel. Montpelier is home to many schools and just walking through the city bears witness to this, many young people riding their bikes and lunching beneath the many statues. We had beautiful days here, the climate is warm and there is a host of things to do. Great for shopping, eating out and entertaining children - there is even a carousel in the centre.

Some recommendations for things to do:

The safari park at Sigean is a great family day out, (www.reserveafricainesigean.fr).

If wine is your interest then why not visit a local vineyard (www.gerard-bertrand.com). Gerard Bertrand sells wine from a grape that only grows in this very small area near Montpelier.