Gastronomy and wine

Carcassonne, situated in Languedoc-Roussillon, is the place to sample the region's finest in food and wine.

Gastronomy

Set in a region of exceptional agricultural riches, the chefs of Carcassonne use the distinctive Languedoc produce in a dazzling array of dishes. Discover everything from the reassuringly traditional to the surprisingly avant garde.

Carcassonne’s stunning looks tend to overshadow one of its greatest assets: its larder. Located midway between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, the city is spoiled for choice when it comes to superb, locally-sourced ingredients - produce that has attracted top chefs to the city from across France.

Wine

After exploring the narrow streets of Carcassonne, take time to discover its best-kept secret - hidden down in its cellars - a superb array of wines that rival those of Bordeaux and Burgundy - at a fraction of the price.

Carcassonne is one of the main cities of Languedoc-Roussillon, the world’s largest and most dynamic wine region. Geographically, it’s an extraordinary patchwork of soils, microclimates, hills and exposures - in short all the things that make up terroir, that ineffable quality that give French wines their unique character.

Over the past 30 years, a new generation of vignerons has completely revolutionised wine-making techniques in Languedoc’s 24 AOC areas and myriad pays, or areas, where rules allow for more creative techniques. The results, especially those from the smaller boutique estates and vins de pays, have exceeded all expectations.

“The wines of Languedoc-Roussillon are so amazingly diverse that 80 per cent of the bottles in our cellar are from the region,” says La Barbacane’s wine steward Georges Gracia, who stocks 10,000 bottles in the hotel’s newly-restored cellars and is delighted to share his knowledge with others. “And many of these are bio (organic). Guests aren’t often familiar with the local varieties but want to try something new, and then fall under the wines’ spell. Then they want to find out more.”

A great place to start is Cabardès, located just outside Carcassonne. This is one of France’s newest and smallest appellations, where the wines, uniquely, are made of equal parts Mediterranean and Atlantic varietals. The artisanal fine wines made by the affable young Irish-American Ryan O'Connell at his Domaine O’Vineyards are favourites at La Barbacane, and visits to the vineyard reveal all the hard work that goes into each bottle. Heading east, the sun-drenched hills of AOC Minervois overlook the Canal du Midi. A choice stop here is the Château Saint Jacques d’Albas only 20 minutes from Carcassonne, to taste Graham Nutter’s award-winning wines and stroll through the lovely vines.


Book directly with the hotel • Best Price Guaranteed • Flexible cancellation policy • No booking fees • No intermediary Date of arrival : Number of adult (s) : Number of nights : Or by Phone : +33 4 68 71 98 71

Book directly with the hotel

• Best Price Guaranteed
• Flexible cancellation policy
• No booking fees
• No intermediary

Or by Phone : +33 4 68 71 98 71

• Direction Cité Médiévale
• Follow "parking clients Hôtels"
• Chemin des Anglais
• GPS Coordinates :

43.20.49.37 - 2.36.52.53

• +33 (0) 4 68 71 98 71




	Le Château Comtal To access the hotel, vehicular traffic is prohibited in the citadel from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Follow the sign "Hotels parking clients" (free), which lies outside the walls. For more information, click on the map.
			Porte Narbonnaise To access the hotel, vehicular traffic is prohibited in the citadel from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Follow the sign "Hotels parking clients" (free), which lies outside the walls. For more information, click on the map.


L'Hôtel To access the hotel, vehicular traffic is prohibited in the citadel from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Follow the sign "Hotels parking clients" (free), which lies outside the walls. For more information, click on the map.
		Parking Client Hôtel To access the hotel, vehicular traffic is prohibited in the citadel from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Follow the sign "Hotels parking clients" (free), which lies outside the walls. For more information, click on the map.