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Carcassonne
Located between the Black Mountains and the Pyrénées in the south of France’s Languedoc-Rousillon region, the medieval city of Carcassone is a renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site that seems to have stepped out of a fairytale.
After a past of neglect, the city of Carcassone stands proud after much restoration as one of the premiere French cultural heritage sites.
Being the only fortified town in Europe still inhabited with enchanting towers (numbering over 50), it is no surprise that Carcassone’s twirling turrets and drawbridges conjure up images of knights in shining armour.
Visitors regaled by such stellar views in such a time-capsule may not even be surprised to learn that the town was the real life inspiration for Walt Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” castle.
Cathar fortresses of mythic proportions still stand proudly in wild surroundings once strategically placed to defend the French against the Spanish before border was established in peacetime of 1659 long ago. With the most important castles to serve this purpose, the "Five Sons of Carcassonne"— Aguilar, Queribus, Pierrepertuse, Termes and Puylaurens, still open to locals and visitors alike.
Travelers wishing to relive the majesty of the times may also visit the castles as well as the circular villages which dot the region.
For example, Arques’s military enclave is a square tower with four turrets from the 13th century, while Termes is a castle dating back to the 12th century with its concentric walls reliving past glory days.
On the other hand, the circulades (circular villages) also welcome travelers with open arms, a far cry from their original intention as security installations. These villages were often situated on hilltops and built in a circular fashion. Many examples can be found near Carcassonne, in the Razès : Alaigne, Alairac, Bellegarde du Razès, Bram, Cailhau, Cailhavel, Donazac, Issel, La Force, Lasbordes, Lasserre-de-Prouilhes, Mazerolles du Razès, Montclar, Preixan et Villeneuve-les-Montréal.
