This is a 'Familiar Quotation' by Gustave Nadaud (French poet, writer, musician and singer). There must be a dozen different translations.

How old I am! I'm eighty years!
I've worked both hard and long,
Yet patient as my life has been
My dearest sight I have not seen.
It seems almost a wrong;
A dream I had when life was new
Alas our dreams! They come not true;
I thought to see fair Carcassonne,
That lovely city Carcassonne.

During one visit, French TV was filming a special about Joan d'Arc. Since Joan had never been to Carcassonne, they built a new castle entrance out of plywood and paper, so no one would recognize where the picture was being filmed. This restaurant entrance/patio is not a cardboard fake, but it sure was changed a lot in the '80s and '90s.

Books by Jim and Emmy Humberd:
Invitation to France
Invitation to Germany
Invitation to Italy

Related Links:
Castle of Carcassonne
City of Carcassonne