guided tour of the lower city

When you cross the bridge and the river Aude , you see another town  , the Bastide St Louis.

Today , it is the modern town, and it is the Prefecture of the departement of the Aude , with 43 000 inhabitants .

Built in 1248 , this city is located on the left bank of the river Aude .In the medieval times, it was organised on a geometric urban development plan whith straight streets conducting to a central square . It is a Bastide .

It became prosperous in the 14 th century thanks to the merchants drapers , until the 18th century.

Guided tour of the Bastide St Louis.

The Place Carnot .

IT 's very lively especially the days of the market ,tuesday, thursday,and saturday. In the past this square was called the Place aux Herbes .You can see on it a fountain with the representation of Neptune.     

Cathedral of St Michel    
It is one of the oldest buildings in the city, built in Languedoc gothic style.  It was restaured by the famous architect Viollet le Duc in the 19 th century .It was created on the ancient ramparts.

The streets Verdun and Aimé Ramon 

In these streets , you can admire the mansions; they were built in the prosperous times by the merckants drapers .

Joe Bousquet's house

Joe Bousquety is a surréalist poét . He was hurt during the first war in 1918 .

He lived here , in this mansion, in this room , because he couldnt move ,;he was paralysed.He received in this room , other famous surréalist artists .

You can see also in the lower city ,Church of St Vincent, Bastion of Montmorency ,

the gate of the Jacobins, Art Museum, les Halles ,the Canal du Midi..

You can do in a full day , guided tour of the medieval Cite and the lower city .