Castres

Visit Castres, Midi-Pyrenees

Castres is a large town in the Tarn department of the Midi-Pyrenees, east of Toulouse. The town deserves a visit, both for the sights and for the important Goya Museum.

Exploring Castres

The highlight of a visit to castres  is undoubtedly the view of the houses along the River Agout - a very pretty stretch of houses which were once home to leather tanneries and cloth dying industries. The houses and their balconies positively overhang the river while direct access to the river is provided by exits at the lower level.

Note that the houses look even more impressive at night when they are lit up than they do during the day.

The main religious monument here is the Church of Saint-Benoit. built in the 17th century and originally a cathedral (it is still frequently referred to as Castres cathedral).

One other place of particular interest is the Bishop's Palace (now the town hall) and the associated immaculately laid out gardens (of box and yew hedges). The Bishops Palace was designed by Mansart (the architect of the Palace of Versailles) while the gardens were laid out by Le Notre (very famous 17th century landscape gardener in France who also laid out the gardens at Versailles).

Elsewhere in Castres you can see some other grand 17th century renaissance style houses such as the Hotel Jean Leroy and the Hotel Nayrac featurin ornate decoration and entrances. The town also has some narrow streets to explore.

The Goya Museum and the Jaures Museum

This interesting museum in Castres is dedicated to Spanish artists and contains three works by Goya himself, and many by other important Spanish artists such as Velasquez.

A second museum examines the life of Jean Jaures, born here in 1859. Jaures was an important French politician best known as a pacifist who was opposed to the First World War.

To visit near Castres

From the town centre you can take a ride on a traditional boat that heads a couple of kilometres along the river to an extensive park area called Gourjade Park, ideal for a picnic or a stroll in a peaceful setting.

After seeing Castres, head a little way east towards the granite plateau region around Le Sidobre where woodlands and rivers, interspersed with streams of large boulders and other rocks that are precariously balanced create a magical world and plenty of amusement for the children as they argue about what animals the rock shapes resemble.

Tourist classifications for Castres: Village in bloom (ville fleurie) 3*;

Suggested places to visit near Castres, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Castelnaudary 39km; Gaillac 44km; Carcassonne 44km; Minerve 49km; Brousse-le-Chateau 54km; Olargues 54km; Aigne 55km; Cordes-sur-Ciel 57km; Bize-Minervois 59km;

See these places and more on a map at places near Castres

Castres tourism: sights and attractions nearby

Jardin de l'Évêché - remarkable garden (1km) : Gouffre de Cabrespine - site of natural beauty (32km) : Haut-Languedoc - regional natural parc (33km) : Jardin et parc du château de Loubens - remarkable garden (37km) : Parc Rochegude - remarkable garden (38km) : Jardin du palais de la Berbie - remarkable garden (38km) : Jardin des Martels - remarkable garden (42km) : Fraisse-sur-Agout - ville fleurie 4* (44km) :

French version: see Castres (Francais)