Castres Destination Guide

Castres, a large town in the region of Occitanie, and is located in southern France, 25 miles east of the city of Toulouse.

• Population: 41k
• Currency: Euro
• Local Language: Occitan
• Closest International Airport: Carcassonne (64km) / Toulouse (87km)

We’ve put together a destination guide to help make the most out of your next trip…

Sport experiences in Castres

Castres has a number of sports teams in the local area, Rugby being the main attraction. Local teams include Castres Olympique (rugby union), Castres XIII Rugby League Knights and Castres Volley-Ball.

The main stadium in the town, which is used by Castres Olympique, is Stade Pierre-Fabre, a multi-use stadium opened in 1907 with a capacity of 12,300. Located on Rue de Bisseous, close to the Agout river and a short drive from the main centre of Castres.

Stade Pierre-Fabre, formerly Stade Pierre-Antoine, received the updated name in 2017 to reflect the late club’s owner, pharmaceutical giant, Pierre Fabre. Fabre owned Castres Olympique from 1988 until his passing in 2013.

Castres destination guide: Top things to do

There are a number of things to see and do while visiting Castres:

Agout River

Take a stroll along the Agout River which separates the east and west of Castres. Along the river, you will find rows of colourful houses known as Les Maisons sur l’Agout (The houses on the Agout). Originally occupied by the textile workers of the town, the buildings distinctive structures made completing their work possible, with basement doors that lead directly onto the Agout river.

Goya Museum

Next on the list is The Goya Museum, temporarily closed due to renovations, the second largest collection of Spanish art in France, only falling short to the Louvre. The art museum is located on 1 Rue de l’Hôtel de ville and was founded in 1840. The museum houses pieces from numerous Spanish artists including three from its namesake, Francisco Goya. Outside of renovations, the public are able to visit for a small entrance fee of 5€.

Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Platé

A hidden gem in Castres is the Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Platé, located on Rue de la Plate, 81100 Castres. A Roman Catholic Parish Church, which was rebuilt in 1607 and has been renovated over the previous centuries to be brought back to life. Church of Our Lady of Platé is a listed and protected building as of 1987.

Place Jean Jaurès

Another place to visit during your stay is Place Jean Jaurès, the main square of the Castres. The Place is an open rectangular space surrounded by historical buildings. The square contains a statue of Jean Jaurès, a French politician and a fountain which was donated by Eugène Pereire. The square was developed between 1833 and 1872, over this time numerous rulers lead the country causing the space to have a number of names including: Royal Square, Imperial Square, National Square and finally Jean Jaurès Square. The space plays host to weekly local markets and Christmas markets during the season.

What cuisine is Castres known for?

Castres is located in the Occitanie region of France. This region of the country is best known for Cassoulet, a white bean and meat stew which is typically cooked by simmering on a stove. This is different to the similarly named Casserole, which is cooked using different pots and methods. Castres falls into the Tarn Department of the Occitanie region. Specialities of the Tarn Department include Pink Garlic, Cepes (mushrooms), and Melsat, a speciality sausage, made from pork and bread in a u-shaped form.