"The opportunity to discover the medieval city": the "Carcassonne" game, the perfect choice for the medieval city

When Julien Aliaga arrived in Carcassonne (Aude) three years ago, he couldn't suppress a smile. "Obviously, there's something a little special about coming here to play in such a tournament," says the 39-year-old computer scientist. Because the tournament in question was none other than the French Championships in... Carcassonne. This is where a detailed explanation is needed.

There is Carcassonne, the city, famous beyond the French borders for its fortified city, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1997. And then there is Carcassonne. The game, created by German Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, was released in 2000 by Munich-based publisher Hans im Glück. It is an absolute reference in board games: 7 million boxes sold (and 6 million various expansions) over the past half century.

A game that is "both family-friendly and highly technical," according to Julien Aliaga, in which players take turns placing tiles and pawns to draw a medieval landscape made up of roads, abbeys, and fortified towns—hence its name. It attracts a global community of players, some of whom meet every year in Carcassonne (the city) to compete for the title of French champion.

There will be 64 of them doing this on September 13 and 14. The gathering goes well beyond the geek tournament: it is a complete festival dedicated to gaming that will take place within the fortress, with a giant board, a