Dungeon, torture, and a rainy day …  what’s not to like?  Finally Carcassonne, the  medieval walled city we’d wanted to see for many years. Some version of  this castle/fortress has been standing since 500BC.  Siege, plunder, crusades…all part of it’s muddled history.

In 1853 an archaeologist, Eugène Viollet-le Duc studied and believed he’d figured out the original plan and restored the city accordingly.  Experts are excavating and modeling what is currently believed to have been the layout.  It’s not just a castle, it’s a village with streets and houses where people once lived but now is mostly shops and restaurants.

And a human scale 13th century Gothic cathedral w/ wonderful windows.

It’s beautiful at night, and the next morning.

bh is particularly fond of the legend of Carcassonne, saved by a woman’s ingenuity. In the 8th century, Charlemagne laid siege to the city for 5 years. The food was gone and the inhabitants were desperate – all that was left was 1 pig .  Lady Carcas, widow of the Lord who was killed in battle, devised the plan to fill the pig w/ the small amount of remaining grain and fling it from the highest tower.  Charlemagne, thinking the city was still so well provisioned they could afford to fling food from their walls, withdrew.  When Charlemagne left, the bells of the city sounded in celebration, “Carcas Sonne” (Carcas Sounds).  Here she is….she saved the city.