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Carcassonne and a wet weekend


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We are staying in Carcassonne for a weekend with 12 friends in May. If the weather is fine we have many ideas of places to go and things to do. However, if it rains we are short of ideas. Has any one got any suggestions?

We are going to eat in La Cite on the Friday night, suggestions for a restaurant would be welcome and if it doesn't stay open late is there somewhere else we could go on to?

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Why do you want to eat in the Cite?  It is generally overpriced and not particularly good food!?  Restaurant Gils - an excellent fish restaurant - near the Canal du Midi just by bridge that crosses the railway track over the road (Av. Mar.Foch.) .Bistro Augustin in the road opposite the Railway Station (has a boat outside) good value, decent grub, not a 'special meal' though(Av. Mar. Jaffre).    La Grande Bouffe (spelling?) Just the other side of the bridge that crosses the railway track over the road ((Route Minervoise) they cook on an open wood fire.   Perhaps someone else can suggest some restaurants in the Cite (we usually avoid the place!!).  It is difficult to make a suggestion as to what you might do in the rain because we don't know your ages and interests!
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[quote user="Polly"]Why do you want to eat in the Cite?  It is generally overpriced and not particularly good food!?  Restaurant Gils - an excellent fish restaurant - near the Canal du Midi just by bridge that crosses the railway track over the road (Av. Mar.Foch.) [/quote]

Not sure I agree with the first statement but can certainly recommend Restaurant Gils if you like seafood. They also do a good steak. Staff are very friendly - wine list is a bit limited but overall very good value for money.

[quote user="Richard"]The restaurant in the Hotel de la Cité is excellent, we've eaten in there a good few times over the years and never been let down. [/quote]

The hotel restaurant "la Barbicane" is very good but  pricey.  As Richard says the wine list is seriously impressive. That said their top chef , Franck Putelat, left recently to set up his own restaurant (le Parc) and I haven't been since then so don't know if or how it has changed.

The bistro at the hotel "Saskia" serves good food and wine at prices somewhat lower than "la Barbicane" - as Richard says good for lunch. In the evening the staff in both places can be a little on the formal side. 

My own favourite , by a long way, is Compte Roger - just a few yards from the hotel. Run by the chef Pierre Mesa and his wife it is a family friendly restaurant with an inventive cuisine using very many local ingredients. Excellent wine list concentrating on local Minervois and Corbieres. Pricing is about the same as "Saskia" - wines are probably better value. More space between the tables than Saskia and a much friendlier atmosphere. Best to book ahead - even if only on the same day.

Edited - just noticed that there are twelve of you ! You will almost certainly need to book ahead at any of the places recommended here.

rgds

Hagar

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[quote user="Polly"]  La Grande Bouffe (spelling?) Just the other side of the bridge that crosses the railway track over the road ((Route Minervoise) they cook on an open wood fire.  [/quote]

Polly, do you mean L'Opera Bouffe?  I adore their name!

PG

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The 12 people are aged in 30- 40's. I don't their interests as they are a group of work colleagues of my husband. We are taking them away for a celebration and we thought that eating in the la Cite might be a bit different. However now I have all the other suggestions  for restaurants I will probably think again!

Thanks for all your help

Eillen

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If the bowling alley is the one by Intermarché, Pont Rouge then there is also a disco next door called Le Living Room. No idea what it's like, I gave up on discos in the early 70s, but I love the name!! Pont Rouge is on the Mazamet road North of the city.

John.

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[quote user="Jonzjob"]

If the bowling alley is the one by Intermarché, Pont Rouge then there is also a disco next door called Le Living Room. No idea what it's like,[/quote]

John,

the Living Room is a veritable Tardis!. Looks a bit like a large garden shed from the outside with some grand pillars on the front door. inside it is absolutely huge with a massive dance floor and bar area with seating round the edges . They also have a couple of VIP rooms which you can hire privately but also seem open to the public. It is very popular with the locals but dosent really get going until after midnight. Around 2 am there can be hundreds of people queueing to get in. Good for spotting some local celebs.

rgds

Hagar

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