: Castres

Castres is a city in the Tarn department of Occitanie, situated on the Agout River. It was a major centre of the Protestant Reformation in France and the birthplace of the explorer La Pérouse and statesman Jean Jaurès. The city is charming for its riverfront houses with overhanging gardens (barbacans).

Castres has a railway station with TER trains from Toulouse (about 1 hour 15 minutes). By car, the N126 connects Castres to Toulouse. The nearest airport is Toulouse-Blagnac.

The city centre around the Place Jean-Jaurès and the riverbanks is walkable. A local bus network covers the suburbs.

The Musée Goya with Spanish art including works by Goya. The Jardin de l'Évêché. The riverfront houses with suspended gardens (barbacans). The Centre National et Musée Jean Jaurès.

Stroll along the Agout River. The Saturday market. Hiking in the Sidobre granite region. The Festival de la Danse.

Tarn cuisine: cassoulet, confit de canard, aligot, Roquefort. Market-fresh menus in several restaurants.

Gaillac wines (one of France's oldest wine regions). Pastis and craft beer.

Several hotels in the town centre. Chambres d'hôtes and gîtes in the Tarn countryside.

The market: Tarn cheeses, charcuterie, honey, macarons de Castres. Woodwork from the Sidobre region.

Albi (45 km). The Sidobre granite region. The Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park. Carcassonne and Toulouse.