Carcassonne [Title edited by MNHQ]

[onlyconnect]

I have been to Carcassonne before but I can fly there from my local airport. Can someone who's been tell me if you think it'd be a suitable place for me and my ten year old for 4 nights in the summer please? We'd stay somewhere with a pool.

I have been there and the weather should be good, not much for a 10 year old, but if you have a pool you should be okay.

I would change your title though, it is quite misleading.

If you do go there are hardly any taxis and they cannot be relied upon to get you from the airport to accommodation, even if you book them. the shuttle bus, which they arrange around flights, is much more reliable.

I did it with a 9 year old... tbh we were staying at a eurocamp in Beziers and drove for a day. He found it interesting but too hot wandering around at points.

It was SO hot when we went, 40 degrees and limited shade as everyone was standing in it and not moving!

Far too hot for me and my kids - we fly into Carcassonne most summers and it's always about 40 degrees minimum. Last time we went the temperature on the hire car was showing 48 degrees! Far too hot for any sightseeing or exploring.

It was lovely in the spring though.

I'm looking for somewhere we can fly to from a local airport and where I wouldn't need a car.
Bergerac is also an option

I went when I was about 10 and loved it. Took the kids when they were slightly younger…. All good! Great city!

I remember Carcassonne as interesting but incredibly hot, when I visited as a child. I would recommend Bergerac - we’ve visited that area twice and are going again this summer. Weather not so scorching, and lots of interesting places to visit.

Everywhere is horribly hot in the summer now. Half term is much nicer! Or Easter. Local airports usually have loads of routes if served by Ryanair or Easy Jet.

Bergerac is lovely, my family lived nearby. Eymet, issigeac and Miramont have great markets. Bergerac itself has a wine museum , and tasting, biking along the river, it's not too far to the cave paintings and there's a little zoo nearby.

You would need a car in Bergerac though.

Can you get to La Rochelle? You could stay on the Ile de Ré, no need for a car there, everyone cycles everywhere.

Plenty of taxis available at the airport, only a 5 minute ride to get onto the island though I expect you’d have to pay the bridge toll.
The Odalys site in Rivedoux Plage is nice and you can self cater if you want to.

Bicycle hire places on the main road in Rivedoux Plage.
Thoroughly recommend cycling to St Martin via La Flotte.

My kids loved it when they were 8 and 10 and we didn’t even have a pool! We didn’t go in the summer so can’t comment on the heat.

It was our first time flying with Ryanair on a stupidly cheap deal, something like £5 each plus taxes etc and there was a great bus transfer from the airport. We’ll never match the enjoyment to cost ratio again

Its wonderful. I love it. The castle is the highlight. 5 airport only opens in high season. The end of July is a big festival which is fun and family friendly

We were nearby (Limoux) for a week in August during the heatwave. It was (as others have mentioned) unbelievably hot. Carcasonne is also very small and crowded. The countryside is lovely but you’ll need a car for that. Fine for a day but you’ll be keen to get about and public transport will be crowded and hot. My Provancale mother found it hotter than she could bear!

I second La Rochelle as a good alternative. Lots of places to explore with ease aboit there. Or fly to Geneva, and catch the train round to Evian. It’s a lovely town on the lake, with swimming beaches and events in summer. And good transport link up into the gorgeous Memises mountains for walking/ adventures and across the lake to Lausanne or round to Montreux. Never gets too hot but warm sunshine most days.

@Maddy70

5 (?) airport only opens in high season.

If you mean Carcassonne for info the airport is open all year round, but it's certainly quiet outside peak season, especially for UK destinations.

FWIW there's a Ryanair flight to/from Manchester today (Saturday)...there's a Ryanair flight from/to Stansted tomorrow.