Three hours after our train left Bordeaux we disembarked at la Gare de Carcassonne. We were making a brief stop to check out a medieval city, on a hilltop of course. You can see ibelow, in the photo taken from our apartment. Happily, not only was the old city worth the visit, the newer parts of Carcassonne were too. It's an attractive, walk-able, and culinary city.
The apartment was charming. Well appointed, spacious, colourful, and a great view. It's a 6th floor flat on Rue Frédérick Mistral, a street named for a French poet. It's two blocks to the train and the canal du midi, should you arrive by boat, and a 20-minute walk to the gates of the old city on a hill.
Dinner was a highlight: a seven-course (plus dessert) tapas dinner at Agapé Carcassonne. Reservations recommended, they offer a single seating and a fixed menu. The food was super—amazing gazpacho—and the proprietor provided warm and attentive service that could be habit forming if you lived in the area. A treat.
