Exploring the Treasures of Tarn Department: A Comprehensive Guide, Episode 494

Categories: French Departments, Occitanie, Toulouse Area

This episode features our frequent and very popular guest Elyse Rivin. If you enjoy her episodes, please consider supporting her on Patreon.

In this episode, Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin explore the treasures of the Tarn department. This is a comprehensive review of all the attractions you can find in this area. Located northeast of Toulouse, Tarn boasts a variety of attractions, from medieval villages and chateaus to picturesque hikes and renowned wine regions.

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Exploring the Treasures of the Tarn Department: A Comprehensive Guide

Albi

A UNESCO World Heritage site, featuring the stunning Sainte-Cécile Cathedral, the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, and a beautifully preserved old city center with narrow streets and French gardens.

Castres

Known for the Jean Jaurès Museum and the Goya Art Museum, Castres' charming old city center is bisected by the Agout River, adorned with picturesque, colorful houses.

Gaillac

At the heart of the wine region, this small town is known for its old brick buildings and vibrant festivals like the Light Festival.

Rabastens

A gateway to the Gaillac vineyards, this town boasts an ancient cathedral and a charming medieval city center on the Tarn River.

Lavaur

Famous for the St. Alain Cathedral and its connection to Cathar history, Lavaur hosts a fabulous Saturday market.

Sorèze

Home to the Dom Robert Museum and an ancient Royal College, Sorèze also features a small glass-making museum.

Mazamet

Once a major wool center, Mazamet now serves as a quaint town at the entrance to the Black Mountains. The Passerelle de Mazamet is great for families and people who are not afraid of heights!

Cordes-sur-Ciel

The oldest of the medieval bastides, perched on a rocky promontory, with five ramparts and exceptional Gothic architecture.

Lautrec

A Most Beautiful Village, surrounded by garlic fields, featuring gorgeous old houses and a working windmill.

Lisle-sur-Tarn

A bastide with a famous open square and brick arcades from the early 1300s.

Ambialet

A tiny village on the Tarn River with an old monastery and various hiking and biking trails.

Castelnau-de-Montmiral

A medieval village with a stunning old center and breathtaking views over the Gaillac valleys.

Lacaune

Known for its charcuterie, this small town is a gateway to the Black Mountains.

Wine Country

The region between Rabastens and Gaillac features several chateaux open for wine tasting. Gaillac wines, among the oldest in France, have recently regained their reputation for quality.

Forests

Forest of Grésigné: A magnificent mixed forest with ancient oak trees and numerous trails for hiking and biking.
The Sidobre: A large granite forest with over 60 trails showcasing natural rock sculptures, one of the most significant granite deposits in Western Europe.

Gardens and Nature

- Jardin des Martels: A remarkable garden worth exploring.
- Jardin de l’Ange à Verdalle: Another beautiful garden.
- The Cascades at Arifat: Stunning waterfalls with surrounding nature trails.
- Mount Lacaune and Peak of Montalet: Dense forests, river trails, and renowned charcuterie.

Historical Sites

Mine Museum in Cagnac-les-Mines: Offers a 300-meter gallery that illustrates the region's mining history.
Les Cammazes: Important for its role in the distribution of water for the Canal du Midi, as figured out by Pierre-Paul Riquet.

Crafts Villages

Giroussens: Famous for its ceramics, with a flourishing art center and exhibits year-round, plus a viewpoint over the Tarn valley.
Graulhet: Known for its leather work since the Middle Ages, featuring exhibits, a small museum, and a medieval center with half-timbered houses.

More episodes about the Occitanie region

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Discussed in this Episode

• Tarn
• Albi
• Cordes-sur-Ciel
• Lautrec
• Castres
• Gaillac
• Mazamet
• Pont Suspendu
• Gorges du Tarn
• Les Gorges du Tarn
• Massif Central
• Black Mountains
• Gaillac Wine Country
• Carmaux
• Cagnac des Mines
• Saint-Sulpice-la-Pointe
• Saint-Juéry
• La Bruguière
• Rabastens
• Lisle-sur-Tarn
• Ocillon
• Giroussens
• Jardin des Martels
• Soreze
• Dom Robert Museum of Tapestry
• Ambialet
• Castelnau de Montmiral
• Lacaune
• Forest of Grésigné
• Sidobre Forest
• waterfalls of Arifat
• Passerelle de Mazamet

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If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s):

• Lavaur in Occitanie, Episode 419
• A visit to Lautrec in the Tarn, Episode 417
• Penne in the Tarn, Episode 336
• Gaillac Wine Country, Episode 315
• Lautrec and Castres in the Tarn, Episode 241
• Cordes-sur-Ciel, Episode 88
• Albi and Toulouse-Lautrec, Episode 20

Read more about this episode

Categories: French Departments, Occitanie, Toulouse Area