Carcassonne During World War 2
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Carcassonne, France
- 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The UNESCO-listed medieval citadel of Carcassonne was occupied by the Nazis during WWII, with its citizens forced to live under a Vichy government. With this private walking tour, journey back to WWII France and learn about life in Carcassonne from 1939 to 1945; hear about the resistance, rationing, and the ‘Free Zone’ as you explore WWII-era sites and memorials; and see an archive of black and white photos from the period.
- Discover a side of Carcassonne most travelers miss
- Explore the medieval citadel on a guided walking tour
- Gain insight from your private guide, a WWII expert
- Enjoy a personalized experience with this private tour
What's Included
- Tour Guide
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Brasserie a 4 Temps2 Bd Barbès, 11000 Carcassonne, France
Meet by the restaurant Brasserie à 4 temps.
End point
- 16 Av. Arthur Mullot, 11000 Carcassonne, France
The tour ends at the memorial to the Resistance, Sqaure Gambetta
Operating hours.9:30 am
Itinerary
1
Carcassonne
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 148 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Christopher_V, Jul 2026
Paul is an articulate, clear-speaking (vital as I wear hearing aids) Englishman who is thoroughly familiar with the subject matter of Carcasonne in WW II. His numerous pictures correlated well. The walking between sites was steady, neither hurried nor dragging, with breaks and shady spots (it was a VERY hot and sunny day).
William_H, Jul 2026
Book this tour ! This gentleman is knowledgeable, interesting and truly makes the history you learn into a story you feel engaging. Bringing it full circle in the end. We are already reading the book he recommended.
jeff_h, Jun 2026
Really enjoyed learning about the history of Carcassonne during WWII. Our guide was informative, engaging, and helped brought so much more to our trip to carcassonne. I gained a lot more appreciation for what this area went through during that time. Highly recommend it!
maria_w, Jun 2026
A worthwhile and very interesting tour with Paul , highly recommend it !
A very informative and interactive tour, taking us back in time and appreciating the heroes and heroines who will always be remembered.
Adrian_B, Jun 2026
Very intelligent and knowledgeable guide.
Even though the weather was hot at 37degrees, my partner managed to engage the whole time.
I learnt so much and I would 100% recommend this tour with Paul.
We saw parts of carcassonne that we would never normally have seen.
Julie_O, May 2026
Excellent tour with Paul - the tour was very interesting and informative and the vintage photos he showed us of the Nazis in Carcassonne and the resistance fighters brought the war years to life.
Paul_C, May 2026
Excellent tour. Engaging and informative. Very professionally run. Well paced - unhurried, but we covered a good area of the city and saw things that ordinarily would not be noticed
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks Paul. Lovely review. Glad you enjoyed your tour. A special tour with 3 Pauls !!
Susan_K, May 2026
It is well worth doing. Very interesting and informative.
Our guide, Paul, was excellent. Very knowledgeable and made the tour fun aswell.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks for your lovely review. Glad you enjoyed your tour as much as you did.
maria_D, Apr 2026
Paul is an energetic and enthusiastic tour guide. We enjoyed his detailed descriptions of Carcassone both pre and post occupation.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks Maria ! 🙂
Shelia_P, Apr 2026
Very educational and our tour guide was very engaging. A must for WW2 enthusiasts…Highly recommend!!!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks Sheila for your 5 star review. 🙂
Kathy_M, Apr 2026
It is a superb tour. It gives a great insight into Carcassonne and its people during the WW2.
Paul is a wonderful guide who brought history alive for us.
We would highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thanks Kathy ! So pleased you enjoyed the tour.
Alan_M, Mar 2026
Absolutely brilliant from start to end. Loved the guide’s enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject. Definitely recommend.
Response from Host, May 2026
What a lovely review ! So pleased you enjoyed the tour. Thanks for finding the time to leave your 5 star rating 🙂
Melody_G, Nov 2025
This is a wonderful opportunity to learn real stories of real people, mens and women’s stories that help us know about World War II and the people ofCarcasonne during the resistance. This is the brilliance of this tour because it gives us an opportunity to learn from the past , to understand what is happening now and how the choice to save one life can save the world.
Jetta_B, Oct 2025
This is a well structured, engaging and informative tour bringing local characters and events to life. The guide used photographs from the war period and local landmarks very effectively. The pace of the delivery made it enjoyable for everyone.
Sarah_M, Oct 2025
Paul was extremely knowledgeable and very accommodating throughout this tour. Highly recommended to anyone interested in this era of history.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thanks Sarah. Glad you enjoyed the tour. Thanks for leaving your review. 🙂
Paul
Tom_K, Jun 2025
Paul gave insightful local anecdotes against a backdrop of the national and international stage... thought provoking and sombre at times...
emma_c, Jun 2025
Paul was a great guide and was passionate about Carcassonne during WW2. The tour was informative and fun. Lots of really interesting facts but never dull! Personally I thought the group was too big on my day considering the narrow streets in the town. Sometimes hard to hear and find a safe place to stand. For a big group there needs to be more emphasis on safety and consideration of locals. However I cannot recommend this tour enough!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thanks for finding the time to leave a review. I agree that the group of 23 was too big. It is the first time I have had a group this large. I will look into setting a limit of 12 so the tour experience for everyone is 5 star. Sorry you had trouble hearing everything and that your safety was not adequately considered. Paul
john_c, May 2025
We were impressed with Paul's knowledge and preparation. Anyone interested in World War II history will enjoy this tour.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thanks John. Happy you enjoyed the tour. 🙂
Heather_H, May 2025
Was very informative and our guide made it interesting and answered our questions for us. Very interesting tour!
clairednewton, Apr 2025
There is a reason that Paul has a flawless 5 star record. His tour is amazing! We were entertained, engaged and well informed for the entire 2 hour tour. His tour was one of the reasons we stopped in Carcassonne, and it was worth every minute.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Great review ! Thankyou Claire ! Glad you enjoyed the tour so much.
kristine_b, Feb 2025
Focus is on WWII, very interesting and inspiring. Tour lasts 2 hours or so, I learned a lot. If you are interested in the French Resistance, this is a must.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Interesting and inspiring ! Thankyou !
Paula_Z, Jan 2025
Paul, the guide, was very pleasant the whole time, you could tell he was passionate about the subject. It was a very entertaining and educational tour.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
"Entertaining and educational" Thankyou ! 🙂
Charlotte_W, Dec 2024
Paul, the guide, was amazing and we all really enjoyed the tour. It was very professionally delivered.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thanks Charlotte! Glad you enjoyed the tour and thanks for leaving your feedback.
Natasha_B, Dec 2024
In Carcassonne, we did explore,
World War II’s tales, rich in lore.
An Englishman led,
With history spread,
We’d recommend this tour and more!
Tim_R, Oct 2024
Paul was passionate about his subject and was able to speak knowledgeably on the history and people involved. He had great pictures to bring the subject to life. At the same time he was able to make history come alive.
david_r, Oct 2024
The two hours plus passed quickly, with a constant dialogue on the way between and at the important places all around the town. Bringing to life the heroic story of the Resistance in Carcassonne and Vichy France.
Lively and interactive, engaging questions, well narrated, good artefacts.
Mike_G, Oct 2024
Paul was punctual and personable. His level of knowledge and research was impressive and very well pitched.
If you are interested in all things WW2, you will love this, but I'm confident that those with less of an interest will still find it very interesting. Both my wife and I loved it, and I'm the WW2 one.
Overall a good value and enjoyable two-and-a-bit hours. Would thoroughly recommend.
Wendy_B, Jul 2024
Excellent tour. Attention to details and facts were superb. Paul had an abundance of details, photos and interesting anecdotes to suit all ages and level of prior knowledge.
I would recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Thanks for recommending the tour. Glad you enjoyed yourself and learnt lots.
Carol_M, Jun 2024
Paul was engaging, informative and his love of history made this tour so enjoyable. Definitely a must do if you want to learn more about Carcassonne.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Your the first to call the tour a gem. Thankyou ! Glad you enjoyed yourself :-)
jacqueline_j, Jun 2024
What a good tour. Our guide was well informed and his use of historical photos really made the history come alive. His pace was perfect. He also involved his audience by having us look for things he was discussing. So very interesting and well presented.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Thanks for your great feedback. Glad you enjoyed the photos from the archives.
From $23.31
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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