Carcassonne and the surrounding area are very popular travel destinations because of the charm, character and history of the region. Rather than staying at a cookie-cutter hotel when you visit Carcassonne, consider taking advantage of some of the incredibly unique accommodations available in the area.
Obviously if you’re looking for holiday accommodation on a vineyard, I highly recommend visiting me at O’Vineyards! But vineyards aren’t the only cool place to stay while you’re in Carcassonne.
You can spend a night floating down the Canal du Midi. Or sleep inside a medieval castle! Gypsy caravans? Vintage Airstream trailers? If you want to go further afield in the Languedoc Roussillon, you can find… Country yurts? Treehouses? Glam Camping?
With all of these options, you don’t have to have to stick to traditional lodging accommodations.
Here’s a list of just a few unusual options available around Carcassonne.
Vineyard
O’Vineyards B&B Carcassonne
885 Ave de la Montagne Noire
11620 Villemoustaussou
33 (0)4 68 10 89 18
ryan@ovineyards.com
In the Castle
L’echappee Belle
5 Rue Raymond Roger Trencavel
La Cite 11000 Carcassonne
33 (0)4 68 25 33 40
info@lechappeebelle.co.uk
On the Canal du Midi
Péniche Mirage
28 rue du Canal
Ecluse d’Herminis
11090 CARCASSONNE
33 (0)6 16 46 28 67
info@mirage-hotes.fr
Gypsy Caravan
Les Roulottes Du Lauragais
1, rue de la République
11320 MONTMAUR
33 (0)4 68 60 56 64
lesroulottesdulauragais@orange.fr
This is a list of accommodations on the Canal du Midi and Canal du Rhone. These are bed & breakfasts, gites or other lodging alternatives that let you sleep on a boat that cruises down some of France’s grooviest canals.
Obviously, I’d like to see you stay at O’Vineyards Bed & Breakfast which is a few kilometers from the Pont Rouge stop of the Canal du Midi. But staying at a vineyard isn’t quite the same as staying on a boat. So here’s a list for the fluvial accommodation lovers out there:
Canal du Midi
France is renowned for having a diverse landscape, and the department of Aude is particularly rich and varied. One of the few landmarks that manages to unite this vast area is the Canal du Midi or Canal des Mers that connects the Mediterranean coast to Toulouse (and thus allows ships to pass from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean without circumnavigating the Iberian peninsula).
Péniche “Mirage”
28 rue du Canal.
Ecluse d’Herminis.
11090 CARCASSONNE
info@mirage-hotes.fr
06 16 46 28 67
Lodela
Ecluse de l’Eveque
11800 Villedubert
hudroulers@voila.fr
06 82 09 98 75
La Baïsa – Gite fluviale
Le Port
11120 ARGELIERS
06 07 88 18 30
Péniche KAPADOKYA
écluse de la méditerranée
11400 LE MAS SAINTES PUELLES
enpeniche@gmail.com
06.86.95.71.36 (de préférence entre 18 et 21h)
Le Canal du Rhone
Peniche Helios
Rue de l’Écluse
30300 Beaucaire
06 25 24 85 00
Peniche Farniente
Port de plaisance
30127 BELLEGARDE
penichefarniente@free.fr
06 10 69 59 81
This post is about charming Bed & Breakfast rooms available in Carcassonne.
Obviously, I’d love for you to come and stay with me at O’Vineyards B&B, but we’re not very close to the castle. So if you like slurping red wine and you’re going to have a car, you can come sleep at our place. Otherwise, here are some excellent options that are walking distance to the medieval Cité de Carcassonne.
B&B Walking Distance from the Castle
Downtown
42 Victor Hugo – 142€ – 160€
42 Rue Victor Hugo
11000 Carcassonne
33 (0)9 77 52 44 36
peter@42ruevictorhugo.com
This is a really unique building in the Bastide St-Louis (the historic downtown). The interior is a very contemporary design and the exterior is a rather ornate historic facade. The location is perfect for short walking trips into the town for restaurants, cafes, local markets, concerts and everything else that locals do. It’s a tiny bit removed from the more touristic sites of the citadel (a good thing in many ways), but it’s still walking distance from the ramparts.
On the Canal
Péniche Mirage – 106€ – 520€
28 rue du Canal
Ecluse d’Herminis
11090 CARCASSONNE
33 (0)6 16 46 28 67
info@mirage-hotes.fr
Stay on a barge on the Canal du Midi. This has been fully outfitted as a charming B&B / houseboat. The owners are onboard to take care of you. There’s also a jacuzzi on top of the boat. Prices range a lot depending on how much luxury you want on the peniche. Children have to know how to swim if you want to stay on the boat.
In the castle
L’echappee Belle – 75€-125€
5 Rue Raymond Roger Trencavel
La Cite 11000 Carcassonne
33 (0)4 68 25 33 40
info@lechappeebelle.co.uk
This B&B is notable because it’s actually in the medieval citadel. A lot of people don’t realize just how big the castle is. Hundreds of people live within those ramparts. There’s a school, dozens of restaurants and shops, 2 hotels, a hostel, and a B&B.
At the foot of the ramparts
Côté Cité – 77€ – 147€
81, Street Trivalle
11000 CARCASSONNE
33 (0)6 89 35 61 51
info@cotecite.com
A B&B at the foot of the castle, just outside the remparts.
Other accomodations
For a full list of accomodations, check out Trip Advisor’s Carcassonne Hotel page. Whether or not you trust the reviews, it’s a pretty complete list of lodging options in and around Carcassonne.
