• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Professional Hobo

Traveling full-time in a financially sustainable way

  • ABOUT
  • BLOG
  • DESTINATIONS MAP
  • TRAVEL STUFF
  • CONTACT
  • BOOKS/COURSES

Carcassonne: More Than Just a Game

Last Updated: July 16, 2020

Carcassonne: More Than Just a Game

I must confess. One of the reasons I wanted to take a day trip to Carcassonne had very little to do with the place itself, or my knowledge of this medieval walled city with a formidable history and a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

No. It had to do with the fact that I love to play the board game called Carcassonne. If the game was that good, there had to be a reason why they named it Carcassonne, right? Surely, Carcassonne was cool.

Lucky for me, it was.

The walled city of Carcassonne France is a sight to behold! Well worth a day trip (at least). #France #Carcassonne #walledcity #castles #TheProfessionalHobo #travel
Please share this on Pinterest!

This article was originally published in 2010. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and formatting.

I’ve been to a few walled cities in Spain (namely Toledo and Segovia), and I love their charm and historical significance. Nowhere in North America would we see places with such beautiful old dwellings – that are still lived in and used no less. Most of Europe holds hundreds of years of history in commonplace sights and buildings, but walled cities (for me) take it to a new level.

Carcassonne in particular looks like a giant castle (with 53 towers and fortified double walls) perched atop a hill, surrounded by French vineyards. Just the drive in is stunning.

view of the surrounding area of Carcassonne France

Although the last stages of fortification happened in the 1200’s, Carcassonne took its initial hold around 100 BC. (BC!) It has fallen under numerous rulers and regimes since then, and by the 1800’s it was all but forgotten and had fallen into quite some disrepair. In fact, it was the public uproar in response to a proposal to demolish the city in the mid 1800’s that actually helped transform Carcassonne into the place it is today (and quite inadvertently brought the game into existence a mere thousand or so years later).

So instead of being demolished and forever forgotten, it was restored and preserved as the historical monument that it is.

Besides the board game (did I say I love the game yet? Well, I do), Carcassonne is known to be a major filming site for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and has wended its way into numerous works of literature and poetry.

lunch in Carcassonne

Because I made only a short day-trip to Carcassonne, I didn’t have a chance to see it at night, which is apparently quite spectacular. June through August is also a hopping time, with active festivals and over 100 shows (almost 75 of which are free to attend).

So if I had it all to do over again, I might have tried to see a show and stay overnight. But with so much to see in Europe, I can’t possibly conquer it all. Instead, I am thankful for the time I had to wander this beautiful old city and soak in the ambience, and I’ll remember the trip every time I sit down to play the game!

Sharing is Caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Filed Under: France

About the Author: As a former CFP (Certified Financial Planner), Nora Dunn traveled full-time for over 12 years. She is an expert in remote work, long-term travel, financially sustainable lifestyle travel, and much more. She is a celebrated author, speaker, writer, coach, and YouTuber. Read More…

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. James says

    August 26, 2010 at 9:16 am

    Carcassonne is indeed a very picturesque place and it looks like you had better weather then when I visited. Strickly speaking there’s a fair bit of artistic licence to the recreation of the 19th century, particularly the conical towers. If you get a chance try visiting Minerve (a Cathar village), which is not too far away.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minerve,_H%C3%A9rault

    Reply
  2. theprofessionalhobo says

    August 26, 2010 at 1:53 pm

    @James – When were you in Carcassonne? I generally feel quite blessed with all the weather I’ve had in Europe – even in the UK, where the weather is renowned to be mediocre! In fact, I’m beginning to think I should hire out my services as a “good weather provider”. Invite me to your country for good weather!!! 🙂
    Minerve looks very interesting…I’ll have to save it for my next trip to Europe though, as my four month sojourn is quickly disappearing…

    Reply
  3. Dalene says

    November 28, 2012 at 6:34 pm

    Nerd alert!

    Reply
    • theprofessionalhobo says

      November 29, 2012 at 1:53 pm

      Ha ha! Well if liking the board game makes me a nerd, then I’m guilty as charged!
      At least I’m in good company… 😉

      Reply
  4. Bob Weisenberg says

    July 29, 2015 at 10:45 pm

    Carccasonne is my choice so far of where to live for 1-3 months when we make it to southern France. But then, there are so, so many great choices!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

WELCOME!

This site is part travel tales, and part lifestyle travel tips.

Check out my free Travel Lifestyle Guides to answer all the questions you have about your own travel journey!

I'm Nora Dunn. I traveled the world full-time for 12 years, and I still travel for half the year (pandemics notwithstanding).
Expert on long-term travel, personal finance (as a former CFP), remote work, and lifestyle design.
If there's a high-adrenaline activity, I've probably done it. Weird food? Eaten it. Former shaman's apprentice. Always an actor/singer/dancer. Professional speaker. All that. And more…

Get Free Accommodation

how to get free accommodation around the world

Here’s Where I Get Almost All My Clothes:



Use the discount code NORA20 for $20 off orders of $120 or more!

To Maximize Your Free Credit Card Travel Rewards, I Recommend:



buy hats at wholesale price on dhgate for travel

Search

Categories

Before Footer

Nora Dunn The Professional Hobo Featured in Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes, MSN Money, Yahoo, Lonely Planet, Wise Bread, Business Insider, and many more

Footer

About This Website

The Professional Hobo is about how to travel full-time in a financially sustainable way, as experienced since 2006 by Nora Dunn, former financial planner and current world traveler/writer.

  • Writing Portfolio & Speaking Credits
  • Contact
  • FAQs
  • Travel Resources
  • Web Stories

Follow Me!

Copyright © 2009-2021 TheProfessionalHobo.com. All Rights Reserved.

Disclosure: In accordance with FTC guidelines, I disclose that I may be compensated if consumers choose to utilize links located throughout the content on this site. Additionally, some posts might be sponsored to support this blog. Please do the appropriate research before participating in any third party offers. All opinions are my own.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Privacy Policy: While you may rest assured that we at The Professional Hobo are not using your information for evil purposes, here is everything you need to know about our Privacy Policy.