Photos: Krzysztof Golik, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Daniel Lepoittevin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Krzysztof Golik, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Daniel Lepoittevin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bastide Saint-Louis's grid streets
Your local guide
Thomas Cathala
View profile
Highlights
- A grid planned in a single decision
- Walls traced only in street shapes
- A new town built from scratch
- Medieval planning still shaping traffic
- The Bastide, the Cité's planned twin
About this tour
This session looks at Bastide Saint-Louis, from its precise right-angled grid to the traced outline of walls that no longer exist. You see why an entirely new town was planned from scratch in the thirteenth century rather than simply extending the Cité, and how its old defensive line still shapes traffic today. It is a session about planning and its long afterlife.
We move through the grid at an easy pace, pausing wherever the old wall line is clearest. I answer questions about the town's founding as they come up. A short note on the Bastide's history follows the call.
This suits anyone with an interest in urban planning or medieval history. It also works well as a contrast to a session in the older, organic streets of the Cité.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Carcassonne before heading out.
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The right-angled streets 21 min
The camera follows a straight street meeting another at a precise right angle, part of a grid laid out in one planning decision in the thirteenth century. I explain why a new town was built across the river rather than simply expanding the Cité.
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The former town walls' line 21 min
At the edge of the old grid, you see where the Bastide's own defensive walls once stood, now traced only by the shape of the streets that replaced them. I point out how the walls' outline still governs traffic through this part of town today.
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Your questions 9 min
Time to ask anything about Carcassonne: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 4 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Cassoulet de Carcassonne and Les Lices, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Paris time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Carcassonne, showing you The right-angled streets and The former town walls' line live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I carry my phone through the streets while we talk.
Times shown in Paris time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Sat 7 Nov · 10 seats left From 18,00 €
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