The 11 things to do in Castres

Take a walk in the streets of the one called the "Little Venice of the Languedoc", and discover the 11 essential things to visit in Castres!

Between Toulouse and Albi Castres is a land of traditions and passion. Known as “The Little Venice of the Languedoc” because of its houses suspended on the Agout, it has many assets for whom it is ready to visit.

Natural spaces, museums, parks, monuments, and of course, rugby, this city of art and history has what to treat all travelers, from the smallest to the largest.

Take a cultural and gastronomic stop in the underprefecture of the tarn during a weekend or longer stay, and discover the 11 must-sees to visit in Castres.

1. Special hotels

Vestiges of a prosperous era, the Renaissance, the special hotels of Castres have a remarkable architecture. Headquarters of the Tribunal de l’Edit sous Henri IV , the city sees the magistrates flock, marking the beginning of a period of wealth.

Sometimes flamboyant, these special hotels enjoy an obvious aesthetic, and even hide some unusual details. Have fun finding them while walking around the streets during your visit to Castres.

2. Museums

Visiting Castres is also plunging into a rich culture and past. Thus, many museums are disseminated throughout the city, testimony of a strong history and identity.

The Goya Museum

The Goya Museum, located in the former episcopal palace, houses the largest collection of Hispanic art in France, after the Louvre Museum. Picasso, Murillo, Velasquez, and of course, Goya, all the greatest artists are represented in this museum from a private collection, then a deposit of the famous Parisian museum.

The Jean Jaurès Museum

It is impossible to visit Castres without evokeing the most famous country child: Jean Jaurès. Panels, films, press clippings, photographs, personal objects, retrace the life and fighting of one of the greatest French politicians.

The museum dedicated to him is dedicated to respecting and disseminating his deeply humanist ideas.

The Catharism Museum

Dive into the troubled history of the Cathars, these dissident and persecuted members of the Catholic Church. Crossed on the Tarne slope of the Black Mountain, they upset the medieval local society.

The Museum of Catharism in Castres has an impressive number of resources and support that will allow you to lift the mystery of the rites, mysteries and legends surrounding this singular order.

3. Rugby

Terre de rugby, Castres has a mythical club, major competitor of the Top 14: the Olympic Castres. For more than 100 years, blue and white have been working to convey the strong values of this sport, so dear to Pierre Fabre.

Authenticity, mutual help, strength, courage, team spirit, they allowed the club to win the Brennus shield 5 times! During your visit to Castres, don’t miss out on the colors of the Olympic Castres if you have the opportunity.

4. The garden of the bishopric

Like his famous cousin in Versailles, the garden of Evêché was designed by André Le Nôtre. This French garden, with a view of the magnificent façade of the Theatre, enjoys a precise design, all in finesse, but also in fantasy.

Walk in the middle of the perfectly carved bushes, rest on the benches or at the feet of the fountain, and hum the scent of the colorful flowers that brighten up this park.

Ranked Historic Monument and remarkable garden, it offers its visitors a very pleasant walking place, summer and winter.

5. A trip in fluvial care

Embark on the "Le Miredames" water pole for a visit of original and peaceful Castres over the water. Inspired by the old river coaches, this boat takes you from the city centre to Gourjade Park by sailing on the Agout, in the middle of its typical houses.

6. A stage of the path of Santiago de Compostela

Located on the track Arles , Castres is both a starting point and the arrival of two sections of the path of Santiago de Compostela . Indeed, the city marks the end of the Boissezon-Castres stage, and the beginning of that of Castres-Dourgne and its magnificent abbeys.

Only, with family or friends, on foot, by bike or with animals, pilgrims are many each year to be guided by the yellow shells that mark the way.

Castres houses several of these shells: fountains in the form of shells, statue of the Autan pilgrim, Saint-Jacques church, etc. Have fun spotting them during your visit to the city.

7. Gourjade Park

A true green lung, Gourjade Park is an ideal stop during your visit to Castres. This oasis of freshness is entirely dedicated to relaxation, leisure and outdoor activities. For children, it houses many playgrounds, but above all, a mini-ferme. Enjoy your stay in Castres to come picnic, and why not, make a part of golf in this park of 56 hectares.

Also discover in the heart of Gourjade, the CERAC, archaeological center of Castres. The youngsters will enjoy playing archaeologist apprentices, and the greatest will admire the prehistoric vestiges, testifying to the human presence in the tarn, from the neolithic.

8. The houses on the Agout

The pastel-colored dove houses are a real postcard landscape. Perched above the Agout, these former workshops of wool, leather or paper craftsmen are an invitation to strolling on the banks of the river.

But they are also a testimony of the Castres industry: textile. Indeed, weavers, tanners and parchiers benefited from these houses from the Middle Ages. Several times restored, they bring the city a disappointing charm, and a nickname "the Venice of the Languedoc".

9. The theatre of Castres

In front of the garden of the bishopric and the Goya Museum is a unique monument in Castres: a theatre in the purest ruco style. Built by Joseph Galinier, a student of the famous Nicolas Garnier, he has an original and imposing exterior architecture.

The interior of the building is not left with its domes and paintings that adorn the red velvet walls of the show room. Its superb acoustics and high-end equipment make Castres theatre, an essential cultural place.

10. Culinary specialties

Castres has several culinary specialties not to be missed during your stay. Let yourself be tempted by the swans, these pork balls, bread and egg, ideal for a typical tart entrance. Then taste the Frésinat, pork stew and particularly seasoned potatoes.

If you are rather a sweet beak, the castraise nougatine and the pumpet are made for you! Crescent or melting, almonds or lemon, these delicious pastries taste both dessert and taste.

11. The Sidobre

A unique geological formation in Europe, Sidobre is a plateau that stretches north of Castres. This granite land is a great place of discoveries for small and large, between local legends and outdoor sports.

Accessible on foot, by bike, or even on horseback, the rocks of Sidobre do not easily deliver all their secrets, whether it is these mysterious granite blocks placed in balance, or its beautiful landscapes.

You can try to pierce some of these secrets at the house of Sidobre, in the heart of the site, and dedicated to granite and its ancestral human exploitation.

How do I come to Castres?

For a long time, it is now easier to come to Castres, whether by car, by train or by plane. Indeed, many infrastructure has been developed to enable the city to open up to the world.

It has a ter station, which connects the city to the main French cities in a few hours: Paris and Lyon in six hours, Bordeaux in 4 hours and Lille in 8 hours, with correspondence Toulouse every time.

By car, Castres takes advantage of its proximity to several highways: the A10 , the A20 , the A7 and l’A61 . Paris is about 700 km away, Lyon 500 km, Lille, Strasbourg and Brest, about 950 km away.

Besides the car, the easiest way to visit Castres is certainly the plane. In fact, Castres-Mazamet Airport is just 1h15 away. To get your ticket at the best price, do not hesitate to use a flight comparison as Ulysses .

Where to sleep in Castres?

Tourist city, Castres has many hotels, lodgings and guest rooms to welcome its visitors. From the sumptuous Renaissance building, to charming or family accommodations, all the scholarships find their account. To find the right offer, use a hotel comparison .

Located for the most part in the center, they offer starting points to visit Castres without needing to take the car.

Campsites and hostels also allow holidaymakers to sleep at a low price in the heart of the city of Tarnese. Similarly, housing rentals Airbnb in Castres are relatively numerous.