Old City Carcassonne

There's an old poem by the French writer Gustave Nadaud in which he tells the sad story of a man who was never able to go to Carcassonne, although he had always wanted to.

This city in the southwest of France has long been popular with tourists—millions of visitors every year. They go to see the old medieval city, known as La Cité, which is thought to be home to the best-kept medieval remains in all of Europe.

Lonely Planet calls it"something out of a children's storybook". And it's true that from the outside it looks like it belongs to a fairy tale! Inside, it's a charming place of narrow streets, shops and cafes. But it can get very busy during the summer.

Tourists like to visit the medieval castle inside the old city, and walk the ramparts to get a great view of the countryside below.

Those who stop for lunch are often recommended to try the cassoulet, a French stew made with meat and beans.

However, there's more to Carcassonne than just La Cité, and some tourists miss it.

Walk from the walled city across one of France's oldest bridges, to get to the newer part of Carcassonne: known as ville basse. It's newer, but it's not new at all! There's still lots of history to explore, as well as lively squares, churches and an art museum.

Keep going a little further, and you'll find the Canal du Midi, a 17th century canal recognized by UNESCO. The city's tourist office calls it"a work of art".

In fact, all of Carcassonne could be described that way—which is probably why that man in Nadaud's poem wanted to visit!