Carcassonne, France - recommendations?

[supersun23]

Hi,
We are booked to go to Carcassonne in August by the castle (we know it will be hot and busy but looking forward to it). We are staying for 3 days with children, ages 6 and 9. Can anyone recommend places to go, eat, activities etc.. We don't have a car but can take the bus.
Thank you!

One of my favourite holidays. We were there without kids so don’t know there is a lot to do with them.

We spent our days by the pool and afternoon/evening in the medieval city just wandering about, went round the castle. There are so many restaurants there, we never had a bad meal.

The canal trip was terrible, there was literally nothing to see!

We also did a day trip to Perpignan by train.

Take a boat tour along the Canal du Midi
Swim at “Carcassonne Plage” on Lac de Cavayere. A pretty man-made lake with a sandy beach, lifeguard-protected roped-off swimming area for children, pedal boats, playground, volleyball courts, and picnic area.
There’s a forest acrobatic park for kids of all ages to the left of the main car park at the lake.
There’s an Australian animal park nearby. It seems that you can get there by ‘bus line 2’. www.leparcaustralien.fr/pratique/accès/ 

Great ideas thank you!

Dont eat in the 'square" that's a bit touristy great for a drink though.

Always has great food everywhere else. I don't live too far from there so it's a regular weekend break for us. It's utterly lovely. Do the castle at night for the light show, the dungeons are fun with children the tourist train. Is good and gives you an over view which hotel are you staying in?

This time of year you may find fiestas in the new part, down the hill and over the bridge

You'll love it

Thank so much! Is there a website of events - I've had a look at the local sites but nothing seems to have an events section?

This might be useful
https://www.tourisme-carcassonne.fr/en/useful/getting-around/

If you walk down from La Cité to the town center, you can walk along the Canal du Midi.
There are plenty of restaurants in the Cité itself, but avoid Hotel de la Cité unless you are prepared to remortgage your house.
Have fun (we lived in the area for many years).

I actually really liked the canal trip! Definitely do the man made beach and maybe take a train to somewhere like Béziers for the day. There's a fab museum in the old bit on the inquisition, the right level of gory for kids to love it while the adults cringe.

Great thank you!