Sete Cruise Excursion to Carcassonne (private)

From€1,400

8 hours

Commentary: Audio · en

Private tour

Sete, France

About this activity

An Idyllic Private Full Day Trip from Sète Cruise Port to Medieval Carcassonne classified Unesco World Heritage Site. Enjoy a guided walking tour of the Cité, free time fore personal discovery & lunch. End with a wine tasting session.

Highlights

Explore the famous Castle & Ramparts of Carcassonne
Visit Saint Nazaire Basilica
Wine tasting in a Languedoc Winery

Full description

Capture The Best Of Carcassonne on this Full Day Private Shore Excursion from Sète

Carcassonne looks like some fairy-tale medieval city. Bathed in late-afternoon sunshine and highlighted by dark clouds, La Cité, as the old walled city is known, is truly breathtaking. The visit of the Basilica with its outstanding stained-glass windows is a must.

Program & Itinerary :

Pick up at Sète Cruise Port Terminal

- Guided Walking tour of Carcassonne

- Free time in Carcassonne for personal discovery and lunch (at own expense)

- Wine tasting in a selected Winery

Drop off at Sete Cruise Port Terminal

Pick up at your Cruise Ship in Sète

From Sète Cruise Port depart for a full day private tour to the fortified city of Carcassonne one of the most famous Unesco World Heritage Sites of the region. On this full day trip to Carcassonne, we will first come and pick you up at your Ship located in Sète. Meet your English speaking driver who will go over the itinerary and program of the day with you.

Then you will board your air-conditioned vehicle and it will be time to drive off to this day’s destination. The drive from Sète to the medieval town & Cité of Carcassonne is 1 hour and a half. As you drive, admire the Languedoc region landscape with its rolling hills, fields of bright yellow sunflowers and of course the Canal du Midi that you will follow until Carcassonne. This full day tour also enables you to take in some panoramic views of the area especially as you pass the Alaric mountain range.

Visit the Walled Town of Carcassonne – La Cité

A bit of History

The oldest traces of mankind - 6th century B.P - were found on the promontory where the now medieval Cité lies. Around 300 B.P, the Volques Tectosages brought the Iberians of Languedoc to submission.

In 122 B.P, the Romans conquered the Provence and the Languedoc regions of France. They fortified the oppidum which took the name of Carcaso and occupied our region until the middle of the 5th century. The Visigoths then became the masters of Spain and the Languedoc. The Cité remained in their hands from 460 to 725 A.D. In the spring of 725, the Saracens took the Cité.

They were driven away in 759 by Pépin le Bref, king of the Franks. After the death of Charlemagne, the dismembering of the Empire gave birth to the feudal system. It was under the dynasty of the Trencavels, from 1082 to 1209, that the town began to gain tremendous influence.

During this prosperous period, Catharism grew rapidly. Raymond Roger Trencavel, vicomte of Carcassonne (1194-1209) both tolerated and protected the heretics on his own lands. He suffered the first impact of the crusade preached by Pope Innocent III and on August 15th, 1209, after a two-week siege, it was all over. The Cité and the lands of Trencavel were first handed to the military commander of the crusade, Simon de Montfort, then to the King of France in 1224.

As the Cité made its entry into the Royal Estate, its destiny took a new turn. Under the successive reigns of Louis IX, Philippe Le Hardi and Philippe Le Bel, it grew its modern-day shape. A new borough was born on the left bank in 1262: La Bastide Saint-Louis. Set on fire by the Black Prince in 1355, it was immediately rebuilt. While this new town was bustling with activity, the Cité consolidated its role as a royal fortress.

But due to the use of new war techniques (gunpowder, cannon) and above all to the recession of the Franco-Spanish border in 1659 after the Peace of the Pyrénées, it was gradually abandoned. In the 18th century, the Cité was little more than a slum, a poverty-stricken, outlying area in a town made wealthy by the wine trade and the cloth manufacturing industry.

Only through the joint efforts of Jean-Pierre Cros-Mayrevieille, a historian and a citizen of Carcassonne, of Mérimée and the famous architect Viollet-le-Duc was it saved from demolition. Thousands of people today are able to see and admire the most accomplished fortified town in Europe.

Visit of Carcassonne with your licensed tour guide

Reach the cité de Carcassonne that looks like some fairy-tale medieval city. Bathed in late-afternoon sunshine and highlighted by dark clouds, La Cité, as the old walled city is known, is truly breathtaking. The fortress is the largest remaining fortified city in Europe. Follow your guide as you listen to the local stories and legends and be amazed by its old stones and its history.

Follow the ramparts with your guide, to get a feel of the medieval beauty of the biggest fortified city then stroll through the narrow streets lined with shops. Reach the Cathedral of Carcassonne. The visit of the Saint Nazaire Basilica with its outstanding stained-glass windows that date back to the middle ages is a must.

Free time for lunch

After your guided walking tour of Carcassonne, enjoy some free time for personal discovery and lunch (at own expense). There is a large choice of restaurants within the Cité so don't hesitate to ask your guide for recommendations. If you are interested in local food, why not try the most popular dish of the region: Cassoulet. This rich, slow-cooked stew contains meat, pork skin and white beans. Bon apétit!

Languedoc Wines tasting session

Upon return to your Cruise Ship, we will make a stop along the way in a carefully selected winery of the region. Here taste the bold red wines and fruity white wines of the region. Depending on the winery visited, you might also taste some Rosé wine as the Languedoc is by far the largest Rosé wine producing region of France.

After your wine tasting session, we will take you back to Sète and drop you off at your Cruise Ship.

Included / Excluded

Pick up and drop off at Cruise Ship in Sète
Guided Walking tour of Carcassonne
Wine tasting in a selected winery
English speaking driver or driver/guide
Premium A/C vehicle

Wine tasting fees
Personal insurance and expenses
Gratuities for the guide
Meals and drinks

Meeting point

Start Location

Quai d'Alger, Sète, France

Important information

Know before you book

Wine tasting fees can be purchased during booking process
Prices are per group from 2 to 8 persons - Larger groups, contact us
Tour is not wheelchair accessible
Entrance fees to Count's Castle can be booked as extra

Know before you go

Pick up at Cruise Ship at Séte Cruise Terminal
English speaking driver or driver/guide
Curency is in Euros
Good walking shoes are recommended

Requirements

Information required at booking

Ship departure information
Ship arrival information
Shore excursion details

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the activity starts

We accept payment by AMEX, Visa and Master Card. There is no charge or service fee for processing credit card payments except with American Express +3%. For any cancellation, the following fees will be deducted from the refund: Up to 72 hours before the beginning of the activity: full refund Less than 72hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund

Reviews

4.9(7,183 reviews)

Melinda Mandrik-Brown

Oct 2026

5.0

We were lucky enough to be part of Lea’s Chateau Bellevue wine tour. Her personality was delightful and the knowledge she shared elevated what we already knew to another level. The wine was wonderful, the chateau was stunning - a perfect day! Merci beaucoup Lea!

John Carty

Oct 2026

5.0

We are a group of six and availed of a full day tour of the D Day American Sector with this company. The Drivers name was Pascal an ex Police Officer who had served also in Kosovo and Afghanistan which helped us bond really well with him as we were also Veterans who had also served Military Tours in these areas and one of our Guys is a serving Police Officer. Pascal had execellent English and an immense knowledge of the 6--6-44 the events leading up to it and the aftermath of the operation, mix into this his excellent personality and wit and you get the perfect combination for a day to remember. I highly recommend this company and if all their guides are as good as Pascal you will not be disappointed.

BONNIE PEFFER

Oct 2026

5.0

Not a real history buff but our guide Pascal made it very interesting! He went the extra step to provide a very enjoyable tour. He communicated his knowledge in such a way as to educate yet entertain his audience. He provided extra visuals which made it easier to understand what took place on the D-Day beaches. The American Cemetery had an aura of reverence about it. To be there in person was very emotional. May we never forget the sacrifices that were made there!!

Additional information

If you want to share your tour with others, you can put it on Cruise Critic. Most of the time this gives good results. You must do this yourself as we are not accepted on their site as a professional business. We accept split payment transactions by credit card.