In a recent development, the medieval city of Carcassonne in Occitanie has been officially twinned with Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. The agreement was officially formalised on 30 August 2025 and is a result of the relationships forged between the French commune and its Indian counterparts over the past four and a half years. Both cities have an imposing medieval fortress overlooking the town, a resemblance that has earned Jaisalmer the affectionate nickname “Carcassonne du désert” (Carcassonne of the desert).
The origins of this initiative can be traced back to a news report broadcast on the France 2 Channel in February 2021. During a report filmed in India by a team of French journalists, the Maharaja of Jaisalmer expressed his fondness for Carcassonne and his desire to forge closer ties with the city. Building on the Maharaja’s desire, the city’s representative in Rajasthan highlighted the similarities between the two municipalities.
The initiative grew through numerous exchanges and visits by representatives from both cities before culminating in August this year. This agreement strengthens cooperation and mutual assistance between the two cities in key areas such as tourism, culture, arts, sports and heritage preservation, amongst others, and enables coordinated initiatives through joint committees and working groups comprising representatives from both cities.
This new alliance joins Carcassonne’s existing ties with Eggenfelden (Germany, 1973), Baeza (Spain, 2012), and Tallinn (Estonia, 2013). To mark this fourth partnership, Carcassonne will soon install new signs at all city entrances listing its twin cities and the official dates of each union.
This agreement also marks the second such collaboration for Rajasthan, with the City Palace of Udaipur twinned with the stately Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley.