Carcassone, France: Cité de Carcassonne

We run into people occasionally that aren't particularly interested in traveling. They'd rather stay safe and sound at home. That's not a wrong perspective by any means, but - on the other hand - they are missing a lot.

Like this area. Hard to take a bad photo of this place.

There aren't many prettier spots than this one. The photo was taken across the river from the Cité de Carcassonne, a fortress from Medieval days that dates back hundreds of year. (I've already got a print of this one on the wall in the hallway.) The old buildings, the stone bridge, the river, the plants ... spectacular. 

The walls date back a couple of thousand years, although every so often an armed conflict came around and some rebuilding was needed. Around 1130, the construction became circular in nature. With a position up on the hill, it was a natural point for military defense. 

The big walls were still important until 1659, when the area became part of France. For centuries, the fort that was close to the border was in constant fear about who might invade next. The last had been the Spanish. But after that move, Carcassone's worries were over. The fortress's days as a important military camp had come to an end.

After a couple of hundred years, the city decided to stop letting the fortress decay and began restoration. It is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, as you won't see a better example of what a medieval fortress town looks like. The area is mostly a tourist attraction, filled with stores, hotels, restaurants, private homes, and the like. Just walking around is fun. 

We took a bunch of photographs of the area, and they are all worth seeing. But, a video is a little easier.