Commerce

The newer part (Ville Basse) of the city on the other side of the Aude river (which dates back from the Middle Ages, created after the crusade) manufactures shoes, rubber and textiles.

It is also the centre of an important AOC wine-growing region. A major part of its income, however, comes from the tourism connected to the fortifications (Cité) and from boat cruising on the Canal du Midi. Carcassonne receives about four million visitors annually.

Additional commercial activity is strong in the upper valley of the Aude. It has been especially prominent around Limoux since the late nineteenth century; and the Lafarge brick plant there is still booming. Since the 1970′s, however, the Aude has seen a rapid decline in its traditional industries such as shoe and hat making. More recent activity, which is mostly around Narbonne, includes dock facilities and oil depots in Port-la-Nouvelle.

From 1889, the high valley of Aude became increasingly important in generating hydroelectric power. Indeed, Aude was the first department in France to transmit such power, from its plants at Alet-les-Bains and Quillan. Joachim Estrade established the first electricity company in France, the Southern Power Transmission Company, in 1901. Its plant at Axat-Saint-Georges supplied the cities of Carcassonne and Narbonne with 20 kilovolts.

Today, Aude is the first department in France for the number of wind turbines installed. There are currently 113 in operation. They produce some 91 megawatts which is the domestic electricity consumption of about 100,000 people.