Hi. We%26#39;re planning to spend a couple of days in Carcassonne in late June with our two kids, ages 9 and 13. We%26#39;ll be coming from the Nice area, will spend a couple of nights in Carcassonne and will then head up to Paris. Financially it looks like a car would be a little cheaper but we%26#39;re not fond of long drives. Can we get around Carcassonne without a car if we arrive and depart by train? And are there any nice places on the train line up to Paris where we could stop overnight? Or is it better to drive from Carcassonne to Paris (we%26#39;ll ditch the car as soon as we get to the city)?
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That%26#39;s a very curious itinerary: Nice - Carcassonne - Paris.
There is excellent train service among these points, travel should not exceed much more than half a day. Stopping en route to Paris should not be required. Consult:
www.voyages-sncf.com
While the Cité Médiévale is interesting, the highlights of the city can be visited in one day. There are a myriad of possibilities to fill in the gaps from Carcassonne to Paris. Driving is not really necessary but offers greater flexibility.
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We have just covered this area by rail so here are some thoughts:
1) good cheap hotel in Carcassonne: Hotel de la Bastide - close to station, charming and helpful proprietress, good breakfasts. You don%26#39;t need a car in Carcassonne - walk up to the old city.
2) Unless you really enjoy driving, it can be hard work in France.It%26#39;s quite good travelling by rail and you would be eligible for the %26#39;decouverte enfant plus%26#39; tickets - children under 12 travel at 50% and adults/older children at about 70% of normal fares.Just turn up for these tickets, but bear in mind ticket office queues can be notoriously long.
3) In addition to the TGV where higher fares apply, the Corail trains are excellent. The run from Nice is quite interesting although a change at Marseilles may be necessary. On this journey consider a stopover in Nimes( suggested hotel : Hotel Majestic - 2 minutes from station) to view amphitheatre and other things Roman - also bus to nearby Pont du Gard.
4) a suggestion on how to get back to Paris - take the slow route from Bezieres via Millau and Clermont Ferrand for a wonderful journey through remote areas- there is one daily through train to Paris Lyon. Just before Millau you will pass under the spectacular new viaduct which is higher than the Eiffel Tower and you should consider a stopover at Millau from where there is an open top bus which takes you on a tour of the viaduct along works access roads..
Just ask if there%26#39;s anything else.
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Nice to Carcasonne is 300 miles, which is just about doable.
Carcasonne to the centre of Paris is 480 miles. If you don%26#39;t like long drives, why are you even thinking about this ?
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