Should you visit Carcassonne or Auxerre?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Carcassonne and Auxerre. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a hilltop town in southern France. Inhabited since the Neolithic period, Carcassonne is located in the Aude plain between historic trade routes, linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean sea and the Massif Central to the Pyrenees. The Romans recognized its strategic importance and occupied its hilltop until the demise of the Western Roman Empire and was later taken over in the fifth century by the Visigoths who founded the city. Its desirable location led successive rulers to expand its fortifications until the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. It is famous for its medieval citadel, La Cite, which has numerous watchtowers and double-walled fortifications. The first walls were built in Gallo-Roman times, with major additions made in the 13th and 14th centuries. With its position on a rocky hilltop, zigzag battlements, stout walls and spiky turrets, the fortified city of Carcassonne looks like something out of a children's storybook when it's seen from afar. A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997, it's most people's idea of the perfect medieval castle. It attracts over four million visitors every year, peaking in high summer. Time your visit for late in the day (or even better in spring or fall) to truly appreciate the old town's medieval charm.
Auxerre
Auxerre is a town in France on the Yonne River and in the Yonne department of the Burgundy region. Historically, the town owes its importance to its important position on the river, and also to the once important trade route between the Mediterranean and the North Sea. Auxerre has received the classification of a protected Historic Town in France as well as being one of the French towns of art and history. Auxerre is an interesting place to visit, with the town center towered over by the cathedral and by several churches. The part of the town of most interest to visitors occupies the hill that runs up from the west bank of the river, and includes the major churches and the historical old town.
Which city is cheaper, Auxerre or Carcassonne?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Carcassonne is €85, while the average daily cost in Auxerre is €90. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Carcassonne and Auxerre in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Carcassonne, €98 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Carcassonne, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is €49, such as in a hostel.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around €82 in Auxerre For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
While meal prices in Carcassonne can vary, the average travelers spends about €31 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Carcassonne should cost around €12 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Carcassonne is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
On average, meal and food prices in Auxerre cost around €27 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around €11.
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Food
Meals for one day
Carcassonne €31
Auxerre €27
Local Transportation
To get around in Carcassonne, the average visitor spends €5.71 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Auxerre's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend €37 per person, per day on transportation in Auxerre.
Entertainment
In Carcassonne, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €11 per person, per day.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Auxerre can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around €14 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in Carcassonne
For Carcassonne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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2 Hour Private Guided Tour Carcassonne Medieval:
$101
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Carcassonne Sightseeing Tour:
$202
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Carcassonne walking tour:
$292
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2-Hour Private Walking Tour:
$35
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2-Hour Private Walking Tour:
$285
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Castle and Ramparts Skip-the-Line Ticket:
$11
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Cité de Private Guided Tour:
$24
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Cité de Carcassonne Guided Walking tour. Private tour.:
$168
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Day tour : Lastours Castles & Cité de Carcassonne. Shared tour from Carcassonne.:
$184
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Day tour to Albi & Cordes sur Ciel. Shared tour from Carcassonne.:
$299
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Day tour to Mirepoix, Montségur, Foix. Shared tour from Carcassonne.:
$246
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Day tour to Narbonne, Gruissan, Lagrasse. Shared tour from Carcassonne.:
$246
Tours and Activities in Auxerre
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Auxerre.
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Private Half-Day Cruise Tour on the Canal-du-Nivernais:
$1,555
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Touristic highlights of Auxerre a Private half day tour (4 Hours) with a local:
$124
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Carcassonne spend on average €10 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Auxerre, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €4.91.
Sample the Local Flavors in Carcassonne
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Carcassonne:
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Half day wine tour. Shared tour from Carcassonne.:
$102
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Day to the Cité de Carcassonne and wine tasting. Shared tour from Carcassonne:
$184
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Wine Tours and Vineyard Adventures In The Languedoc:
$211
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Shared tour to Lastours, wine tasting, Minerve, Canal du Midi. From Carcassonne:
$246
Sample the Local Flavors in Auxerre
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Auxerre:
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Organic, biodynamic and natural wine tours in Burgundy (Chablis & Beaune):
$199
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Chablis & Northern Burgundy Wine Tour:
$205
When comparing the travel costs between Carcassonne and Auxerre, we can see that Auxerre is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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