Getting There -- Carcassonne is a major stop for trains between Toulouse and destinations south and east. Five trains per day arrive from Toulouse (trip time: 1 hr.; one-way fare: 14€/$18), 9 per day from Montpellier (trip time: 1 1/2 hr.; 22€/$27 one-way), and 3 trains per day from Marseilles (trip time: 4 hr.; 40€/$52 one-way). For rail information, call tel. 36-35, or visit www.voyages-sncf.com. Bus service to Carcassonne consists mainly of local buses taking children to school. You'll want to either take a train or drive yourself. If you're driving, Carcassonne is on A61 south of Toulouse.
Visitor Information -- The Office de Tourisme has locations at 28 rue de Verdun (tel. 04-68-10-24-30; fax 04-68-10-24-38; www.carcassonne-tourisme.com) and in the medieval town at Porte Narbonnaise (tel. 04-68-10-24-36).
Special Events -- The town's nightlife sparkles during its summer festivals. During the Festival de Carcassonne (www.festivaldecarcassonne.com) in July, concerts, modern and classical dance, operas, and theater fill the city. Tickets run 28€ to 68€ ($36-$88) and can be purchased by calling tel. 04-68-11-59-15 or 04-68-77-74-31. On July 14, Bastille Day, one of the best fireworks spectacles in France lights up the skies at 10:30pm. Over 6 weeks in July and August, the merriment and raucousness of the Middle Ages overtake the city during the Spectacles Medievaux, in the form of jousts, parades, food fairs, and street festivals. For information, contact the Office de Tourisme (tel. 04-68-10-24-30).
