Begin your journey in Toulouse and travel to Carcassonne, a city that has evolved over centuries and continues to exist today between past and present. Because of its location, Carcassonne has always been a crossroads. Trade routes connected the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, and this strategic position made the city both prosperous and highly desirable to those who wanted to control it. Explore the medieval city, starting at the Porte Narbonnaise. Walk through the Baileys and Ramparts, and see the Comtal Castle from the outside. Visit the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire, a stunning example of Gothic architecture. Cross the Pont Vieux, which connects the medieval city to the Bastide Saint Louis. This bridge is not just a physical connection, but a symbolic one, linking the medieval authority of the City with the economic development of the Bastide. End your tour in the Bastide Saint Louis, a more modern and lively part of the city.