Tale of twinned cities

The lower part of Carcassonne, where we are staying, is as fascinating as the Cite. The imposing Place Carnot hosts an outdoor market a couple of times a week, and there are numerous shop fronts and monuments to Art Nouveau and art Deco to enjoy. Today is also a national strike day with protests mainly by transport workers.

Carcassonne is fortunate enough to lie on the Canal du Midi, which runs from Toulouse in the west to the Mediterranean. Started in the reign of Louis XIV, it's over a century older than the English canals and is distinguished by its oval-shaped locks. When I used to go on canal trips, we would talk about doing the French canals but sadly this never happened. Maybe the fact that bars in France don't sell real ale as we know them, didn't help!Read more