If you are visiting southwest France and need car hire in Carcassonne and the surrounding are offer plenty of options. In addition to several car rental companies at Carcassonne airport, you can also rent a car at several nearby airports, such as Beziers, Narbonne and Perpignan. A little further afield are the larger cities of Toulouse and Montpelier, both of which offer more car rental options.
The walled city of Carcassonne is one of the most well preserved medieval cities in Europe, and a must see sight in this area of France. Carcassonne was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997, and today attracts around 3 million tourists each year. It was fortified by the Romans who recognized its strategic importance, and the city later played an important role in the Crusades of the 12th and 13th centuries. The walls stretch for almost two miles and are punctuated by almost 60 watchtowers, and inside the walls, you can enjoy several museums, plenty of fine restaurants and a number of quality shops. Any time is a good time to visit this beautiful and historic city, although if you visit in the evening after many of the crowds have left, Carcassonne exudes its own unique charm.
French roads are well maintained and well signposted, and within a few minutes of picking up your hire car at Carcassonne or a nearby airport, you can be on the way to your destination. One of the joys of driving in France is to get off the main roads and take the road less travelled, and explore the real France. As a general rule, roads in France are quieter than those in the UK, although the autoroutes can be busy, especially during the summer. When driving, look for roads designated as ‘route bis’ which typically denotes a scenic highway, or a less widely driven road. Whether you collect your hire car at Carcassonne or one of the nearby airports, driving in this beautiful region of France is fun and relaxing, and it isn’t hard to see why this area attracts visitors from all over the world. Find more about it on our website.