Carcassonne. Crowd peak in the Medieval City due to the Ascension Bridge

“There are always people this weekend, but here we are really surprised, it’s like the month of August”testifies Muriel Brunet, director of the municipal tourist office, who has come to strengthen the seven overwhelmed holiday councilors. “All the workshops are complete, all the costumed visits and all the classic guided tours as well.” The reasons for this peak in attendance? “You never know”says Muriel Brunet, listing the potential: “There are many people, especially from Occitania, who had the idea of ​​coming following the recent broadcast of a report on tourism in the city of Carcassonne in Capital on the M6”. Other reasons: two major and recent 15-day advertising campaigns, one in the Paris metro and one on Toulouse trams. “Moreover, the climate is mild, in any case sufficient to come and visit our heritage. Then families are attracted by our two treasure hunts which are in great demand”.

Watch out for the jerks

In the cobbled streets of the City infested with intergenerational tourism, among strollers, pole selfies, dogs on leashes and children armed with a knight’s sword, you had to be careful where to put your legs. And not only at the municipal tourist office of the Municipality there was a queue. A few meters away, along the walls of the entrance to the Château Comtal, two very long queues arrive. Nothing that surprised the two day receptionists, nor Bernard Besson, coachman at the Cité for 35 years. “There are always a lot of people during Ascension, but this weekend is really bigger than what we’ve known since Easter”, he confirms, watering his two white lace-trimmed Comtois. Many families, French, but also Belgians, Italians and Germans all agree that crowds are important. Enough to train new seasonal workers on what awaits them this summer!