Montpellier or Carcassonne?
 

We want to spend about a week in the area. I've seen some travel shows that included Carcassonne and liked what I saw. DH has fixated on Montpellier. What opinions do y'all have?

I only visited Carcassonne for the day to see the walled city area, so don't really know what it would be like to stay there a week in the town itself outside of that. I have stayed in Montpellier for several days and really liked it a lot, though. It's larger than Carcassonne, so that could be a plus or minus (a plus for me, especially for a week).

I guess I've never been crazy about staying in a place that is known mainly for one big tourist attraction. Montpellier is more a real, working city. I think MOntpellier is better located if you want to visit some things over in that area, of course (like Nimes or Arles, for example). But if you wanted to visit Toulouse and Albi, then Carcassonne would be better.

I did do a quick day trip to Narbonne from Montpellier, you could do that from either location. I didn't have a car, so was using the train. If you did have a car, a smaller town might be easier for coming and going.

Here's an interesting article on it http://www.creme-de-languedoc.com/La...arcassonne.php

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It depends on what you are looking for. Will you have a car?
Montpellier is the capital of Languedoc-Roussillon, a university town and is close to the sea. Carcassonne is smaller and close to the Cathar castles. It is a choice between city and country life :-)

I would choose Montpellier in a heartbeat.

Montpellier. I would get bored with Carcassonne after about 3 hours. Montpeillier is a very "alive" city, and lots of nooks & crannies. Great farmer's market also. I think there is more "stuff" to do & see around Montpellier than around Carcassonne.

Stu Dudley

If you do stay in Montpellier and have a car, make a trip to Aigues Mortes; stay late and have dinner in the beautiful square. You could do it by public transport, but it is harder.

We spent 4 days in Montpellier and really were very pleasantly surprised at how much we liked it.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...and-report.cfm

As said above it is what you are looking for (and what time of the year you travel). Montpellier is one of the nicest cities in France, but Carcassonne is a "monument" the third visited place in France after Tour Eiffel and Mont Saint Michel. Staying in Montpellier you will have the possibility to visit the French Mediterranean Coast including the natural reserve of Bagnas, but sojourning in Carcassonne will allow you to visit the Cathar castles, the numerous historic abbeys and small villages not to mention the Canal du Midi (you can even take a short cruise on it!)

http://southweststory.com/carcassonne-tourist-sites

HTH

I think we've decided to spend most of our nights in Montpellier and a couple of nights in Carcassonne. Really want to see the Cathar castles. And we found a hotel to stay in the fortress.

Thanks for all the input. I'm going to have a lot more questions before we finalize this trip :)