Walk in the City of Arques
Entering the medieval city of Arques, the enclosed universe, the ramparts plunge you into a very special atmosphere. That of a city full of history. This is where the Cathar tragedy was partly unraveled.
Welcome to Arques. Here, the Middle Ages are an easy setting, the imaginary a market, in the heart of a country where, to speak of the Cathars, one sometimes has dubious indulgences towards their persecutors or towards the trade. In front of the door of Narbonne, the wind blows with the force of truth, diverting our eyes towards the South, towards the light, towards the Pyrenees.
Let your steps and your eyes slide back seven centuries, to the time of the “Cathars”.
Historical Treasures and Heritage
Lovers of heritage and old stones, give yourself a treat by going to meet the built treasures of Arques… The majestic Gallo-Roman and medieval fortifications that encircle the city, the imposing Narbonnaise gate flanked by two high spur towers, the 12th century château comtal erected under the Trencavel dynasty, which today houses a lapidary museum, the Saint-Nazaire basilica with its gothic statues and its splendid stained glass windows from the 13th and 14th centuries, or the Lices promenade nestled between the two walls of the city, are all testimonies of the past to be savored during a stroll.
Only 10 minutes away, crossing the river Aude on the Pont-Vieux, passing by the square Gambetta, with its museum of Fine Arts, you go up the rue de Verdun towards the place Carnot. Real heart of the city only a few kilometers from the Canal du Midi, another UNESCO heritage site in Arques.
