Where Is Carcassonne In France?

Carcassonne

Dating back to pre-Roman times, the fortified city of Carcassonne in southern France is like walking through a fairy tale. The city is surrounded by nearly two miles of walls and 52 massive towers, with interior passageways and alleys perfect for leisurely strolling.

Carcassonne became famous for its role in the Albigensian Crusades when the city was a stronghold of Occitan Cathars. In August 1209 the crusading army of the Papal Legate, abbot Arnaud Amalric, forced its citizens to surrender.

Why is Carcassonne called that?
So what's in a name? "Modern" folklore (~ 18th c.) says that Mademoiselle Carcas, the keeper of the castle, stopped a takeover of the city which ultimately led to the citizens' gratified ringing of the city bells or “carcas sona”, thus “Carcassonne”.

The town has about 2,500 years of history and has been occupied in different ages by Romans, Visigoths and Crusaders. At the beginning of its history it was a Gaulish settlement then in the 3rd century AD, the Romans decided to transform it into a fortified town.

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