Place Carnot Apartment

The owners Alex & Pippa could not have been more welcoming, we were asked several times if there was anything else that we required. In my experience it is rare to be given such a warm reception. we had 2 / 3 phone calls to check that all was ok. The apartment was in a superb location right on the central square.Furniture, bedding, towels etc were excellent. We arrived just as the wine Festival started right outside our window (wasn,t intentional) what a bonus. Would definately recommend. Thankyou both..... worth every penny.
Ps- I'm 57 and didn't find the stairs a problem.

This was my seventh trip to Carcassone over a 25 year period. I never tire of this part of France and I have stayed in some very impressive accomodation which is something of a hard act to follow.
We were there for four days but only wanted a hire a car for one day. (parking can be a problem in old towns).
The appartment was a perfect mix of character and modern, with views of the sqare frim the lounge, and wonderful views from the roof terrace.
Alex met us at the appartment as agreed, he was friendly and helpful and we were made to feel very welcome.
I cannot fault the accomodation, location or the owners and thanks to them our stay exceeded our expectations.
I would add that the exercise we had climbing three flights of stairs did no harm and helped burn off some of the calories.

We (two adults and one six year old) stayed in the appartment for the last week of August 2009.

The living room and main bedroom are spacious; the bathroom and kitchen bijou - but well presented and perfectly functional. Furnishing is elegant and the roof terrace is a lovely, characterful addition.

The apartment is right in the heart of La Bastide - that means some inevitable street noise, but nothing intrusive three flights up (though those three flights may help work off the cassoulet!)

Highly recommeded.

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this beautiful apartment. Very clean and well presented with lots of thoughtful little extras which made for a comfortable stay.

Plenty of good restaurants to choose from, but for a good, reasonable meal the bistro at le terminus takes a lot of beating.

Spent a few days at Lac du Cavayere and found it simple to get to and a very relaxing place too - no loud tourists or rubbish lying about, just tranquility and sunshine.

Attended an outdoor spectacular at the medieval cite which was amazing, and I believe there are regular other shows presented there.

Although Alex and Pippa were unable to meet us due to their own holidays, their friends welcomed us and Pippa and Alex kept in touch. Not one to miss!

Spent 12 nights staying in this apartment during July 2009 and including the 14th July Bastille Day celebrations - and had a wonderful holiday.
The apartment is well furnished, with a mix of antique and contemporary furnishings and is very comfortable and clean. As the apartment is on the third (top) floor of an old building there is no air conditioning, but that is to be expected in such an age of building and made up for by it's charm and character.
The roof terrace is a lovely place to have a glass of wine whilst enjoying the amazing view of La Cite. We viewed the Bastille Day fireworks from the terrace - and they were fantastic - a real highlight of the holiday and of the year - and the apartment has one of the best views available across the city! The terrace is shared with other occupants in the building - although I did not get the impression that others used it often.
The apartment is in a great location, on the corner of Place Carnot. Don't miss the market on a Saturday - why don't we have markets like that in England !?! Loads of bars and restaurants to choose from nearby and if you're looking for WiFi (to hunt down those local vineyards!) - the local Irish bar 'The Celt' provides free access as long as you are buying a drink.
We used the car park recommended by the owners, which is located just outside the city walls - 5 minutes walk away - and we bought a 15 day pass for €40 which gave us 24 hour access - with extremely helpful car park staff.

Overall a great holiday and I would recommend both the apartment and Carcassonne as a place to stay.

I would not book here again. Dealing with the owners is just too stressful. We arrived outside the apartment building at 1:30pm as agreed but no-one was there. We tried calling all three of the owners' telephone address and emailed them but no response. Further, the building is not very secure, as the front door sometimes does not lock and we saw people wander in and out of the building during our stay (indeed, we entered the building even though no-one let us in). When we finally got in contact with the owner's daughter, we were told one of the owners was overseas and their mobile wasn't working, while the other owner (who was meant to let us in) had gone to the movies and would be back soon, so we should "keep an eye out for her if we saw her on the street"?!. Two hours later (presumably after the movie), the owner called and reprimanded us for wanting to check in at 1:30pm (which we had agreed at booking), instead of the "standard" time of 4pm. We finally got into the apartment just before 5pm and the owner said she needed to come back and drop off a few more things (e.g. dishwashing liquid etc) and also that we could use the bicycles in the hallway and she woudl come back to let us know the combination of the bike lock. We never heard from or saw her again.

The apartment is like an oven in the summer. Because the apartment has no fan or air-conditioner, you will be roasting hot during the day and swelltering and sweating in the bed at night (note - the bed is a foam mattress and the sheets are not cotton, so will make you hotter than normal). Also, the building opposite you are offices, so during the day you will be faced with office workers staring at you while you sit sweating in the lounge. If you close the curtains, you won't get any breeze.

Finally, the bedroom faces a rear deck, which is always full of pidgeons and their droppings (don't even look or you will feel sick). Sleeping is almost impossible, as the pidgeons will constantly be flying, flapping and grunting/crowing all day and all night.

However, the apartment is nice and well furnished (if you are booking here, I hope you like Ikea...) and is clean. Location is great. However, overall, I would tell people not to book here as it's just too chaotic and stressful dealing with the owners and definitely not during the summer (unless you like staying in a sauna).

I'm sure the other reviewers had a good time. However, for me, I wish I had booked elsewhere.

Spent a wonderful 4 nights in this lovely apartment. Lives up to the photos & the description on the web page & more - very central, very accessible. A comfortable apartment with very helpful owners - spotlessly clean & a great place to crash out after pounding the pavements! Great location with plenty shops, bars & restuarants close by. Easily navigable with the grid iron street pattern - easy to walk to main points - La Cite, Canal Du Midi, River Aude, train station & tourist information. Everyone very friendly. We had a wonderful short break & plan to return in the autumn.
Sandra & Jim

Beautiful property, a joy to come back to after a day out.
Great to look out on to the Place Carnot especially on market days.
Make sure you go to the Rail Station, we went to Toulouse and Narbonne and the staff were helpful.
All around the square restaurants are very good.
Pippa & Alex are very welcoming.
Brenda & Clive