luvsun

We are currently planning a 9 day trip to the Provence/French Riviera region. We are thinking of including Carcassonne on our visit but it would involve almost a full day detour from our next destination of the St. Remy area. Should we spend the extra time in St. Remy or is Carcassonne a must see?

robertino

Hi luv -

If you had more time, maybe. Some people like it; some people don't. But not with only 9 days. Too many better things to do that are much closer.

However, if you could add another day to your trip, and re-route a bit, it would be very doable. Fly into Toulouse, taxi or navette to train station, store bags there, explore Toulouse a bit (there is an extremely good Romanesque church there), then 45 minute train to Carcassonne. Stay overnight. Like many places, it's much better at night after the tour buses have left.

Big day, yes, but I have done it, a bit jet lagged, and despite missing my scheduled connection at CDG and having to get a later flight to Toulouse.

Next day, train to Nimes or Avignon.

StuDudley

I assume that you will start on the Cote d'Azur, and then go to Provence. If so, I would not consider it a "detour" - more of a "daytrip".

I like Carcassonne, but I would not want it to be the only thing that I see in 1 full day if I was only going to be in France for 9 days.

It is a 4 3/4 drive from Nice, and a 2 3/4 drive back to St Remy

So:
- Leave Nice at 9am
- arrive in Carcassonne at 1:45
- have lunch & tour the chateau & villa...2pm - 5 pm
- get to St Remy - 8PM (Dinner???)

Stu Dudley

PalenQ

Carcassonne's Cite Medieval is fantastic though Ersatz, having been completely rebuilt from rubble in the 1800s I believe - but still as fantastic a medieval ramparted fortress as you ever will find.

That said nothing IMO is worth a whole day's detour. Nothing.

luvsun

Thank you for your input. Unfortunately our reservations are firm. Actually, we will be spending the night outside of Ste. Enimie. From there we are trying to decide if we should make the detour to Carcassonne ending up in St. Remy (which we are estimating will take the full day) or drive directly to St. Remy where we have reservations that night. We will have a full day in St. Remy/Les Baux if we decide to visit Carcassonne; more time there if we decide to omit it.
We have 7 more nights planned in Provence/Cote d'Azur.

ira

Hi luv,

>Should we spend the extra time in St. Remy or is Carcassonne a must see? <

Carcassone is interesting as a Disneyesque reconstruction of Medieval town.

However, if I had only 9 days, I wouldn't give up a day in St Remy to go there.

Christina

I think you can just wait and see what you feel like. I'd do it, but I don't like St Remy, so the idea of spending another day there is not enticing to me, one would be enough. I'd rather see something else, and I like drives through the countryside.

sap

No, not in my opinion. I'd stay in St. Remy.

inbetweeny

I, too, would stay in the St. Remy area.