A Travel Price Comparison for France Chartres vs. Carcassonne for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Chartres or Carcassonne?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Chartres or Carcassonne? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Chartres

Chartres is a city in north-central France southwest of Paris. It is famed for its massive Cathedrale Notre-Dame. The well-preserved Gothic cathedral, completed in 1220, features 2 towering spires, Romanesque sculptures and elaborate rose windows. The cathedral is unique in that it has two very different steeples – one Gothic, the other Romanesque. Follow them to check out the cathedral's dazzling blue stained-glass windows and its collection of relics, including the Sainte Voile (Holy Veil) said to have been worn by the Virgin Mary when she gave birth to Jesus, which have lured pilgrims since the Middle Ages. The nearby Centre International du Vitrail has workshops and exhibits on stained-glass art. Chartres also had a carefully preserved old city, which is adjacent to the cathedral with staircases and steep streets lined with half-timbered medieval houses leading downhill to the narrow western channel of the Eure River, romantically spanned by footbridges.

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.

Which city is cheaper, Carcassonne or Chartres?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Chartres is €93, while the average daily cost in Carcassonne is €85. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Chartres and Carcassonne in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Chartres €47
    Carcassonne €49
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Chartres €94
    Carcassonne €98

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Chartres €21
    Carcassonne €5.71

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chartres

Also for Chartres, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer: Chartres to Paris-Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG): $355
  • Private Transfer from Chartres Cathedral to Paris City Center: $138

Is it cheaper to fly into Chartres or Carcassonne?

Prices for flights to both Carcassonne and Chartres change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Chartres €31
    Carcassonne €31

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Chartres €18
    Carcassonne €11

Tours and Activities in Carcassonne

For Carcassonne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 2 Hour Private Guided Tour Carcassonne Medieval: $101
  • Carcassonne Sightseeing Tour: $202
  • Carcassonne walking tour: $292
  • 2-Hour Private Walking Tour: $285
  • Cité de Carcassonne Guided Walking tour. Private tour.: $168
  • Day tour : Lastours Castles & Cité de Carcassonne. Shared tour from Carcassonne.: $184
  • Day tour to Albi & Cordes sur Ciel. Shared tour from Carcassonne.: $299
  • Day tour to Mirepoix, Montségur, Foix. Shared tour from Carcassonne.: $246
  • Day tour to Narbonne, Gruissan, Lagrasse. Shared tour from Carcassonne.: $246
  • Day tour:Cucugnan, Quéribus & Peyrepertuse castles. Shared tour from Carcassonne: $246
  • From Sète: Private Tour of the Fortifications at Carcassonne: $1,021
  • Half day tour to Lastours. Shared tour from Carcassonne.: $116

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Chartres €9.67
    Carcassonne €10

Sample the Local Flavors in Carcassonne

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Carcassonne:

  • Half day wine tour. Shared tour from Carcassonne.: $102
  • Day to the Cité de Carcassonne and wine tasting. Shared tour from Carcassonne: $184
  • Wine Tours and Vineyard Adventures In The Languedoc: $211
  • Shared tour to Lastours, wine tasting, Minerve, Canal du Midi. From Carcassonne: $246

About these numbers

When comparing the travel costs between Chartres and Carcassonne, we can see that Chartres 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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Chartres vs. Carcassonne Travel Comparison

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