he Upper Lists surround the Cité on its southern side. The space between the two ramparts is very broad, and the row of enormous towers is impressive.

Hundreds of houses were stuck there until the beginning of the 20th century. They were all destroyed during the restorations.

Immediately after the Narbonne's Gate you see a tower which looks very different from all others : no roof and a large Gothic window in the middle of it. This wide opening on a tower dedicated to defence is amazing, isn't it ?

Carcassonne > Visit > Higher Lists

This tower was in fact the choir of Saint Sernin church, which doesn't exist anymore. The neighbouring tower is even more stranger. It is a big stone block without any window stuck to the wall. The Tour du Trauquet (trauquet is an occitan word meaning small hole) once served as a secret entrance of an underground way ending up outside of the Cité.

A little bit further, you won't miss the Vade Tower, a fortress in itself.

But let's go on along the walls... The lists bend to the south west and we discover a group of gigantic towers all dating back from the 13th century.

Go to the top of St Martin Tower ! There is a little bookshop, but even if you don't want to buy anything at all, it is really the effort worth (stairs are steep !) because the extraordinary panorama stretching over the countryside, the surronding vineyards, the Corbières and the Pyrenees is unforgettable. Unforgettable, that's what it is !

Finally we arrive just in front of St Nazaire Tower. This one is a square tower unlike its neighbours, which are cylindrical. It is moreover one of the four main entrances of the Cité.

A few metres behind St Nazaire Tower the Lists suddenly change direction and become very narrow.

We are now in the last part of the Higher Lists, and another square tower stands in front of us blocking our way. The Lists are so narrow at this place that the Bishop's Tower is built on both walls. You can touch them stretching out your arms !!!

 

The last tower before the Aude Gate is the Tower of the Inquisition, which belonged to the Bishops, too. From there you have a nice view over the Lower Town. There are nice views everywhere in the Cité, anyway !!!