A look back in time

We flew into Carcassonne airport to begin our holiday in SW France. Carcassonne is located in the Aude plain between two great axis of circulation linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean sea and the Massif Central to the Pyrenees. Its prominent position was quickly recognized by the Romans who occupied its hilltop until the demise of their western empire and was later taken over by the Visigoths in the fifth century.

The city is famous for its medieval fortress restored by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in 1853 and added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997, which make it one of the main tourist attractions in the area. I personally found it a bit too busy and commercialised although some parts were very impressive.