Castres, in all its surprising splendor

I wouldn’t call it a “little Venice”, but the city shines on its own merits

It started as a quick, somewhat improvised overnighter to the nearby sous-préfecture of the Tarn department, home to 43,315 Castrais and Castraises.

I was truly enchanted by… No, let’s be honest, I simply had a grand old time poking around and goofing off in this decidedly impressive city.

Here’s Chapter One of why:

1. Les Maisons sur l’Agout (pronounced « la goutte »)

The city is nicknamed “La Petite Venise du Languedoc, » apparently because a river runs through it and is lined with pretty buildings.

I’ve never been to Venice, yet I’m quite sure most of us can tell the difference. But you never know, so let’s make this the opportunity for my very first poll!

Venice photo credit: Jacob Morch via Pexels

All joking aside, the area has become THE postcard-perfect emblem of Castres, and for good reason.

It almost didn’t turn out that way. By the 1970s, this neighborhood had become unsavory; its buildings, some dating back to medieval times, were falling into decay. Some Castrais powers-that-be argued for tearing them all down and starting over from scratch.

Fortunately, Castres’s officials came to their senses and decided to purchase and renovate them. The elaborate undertaking, complete with deep-sea divers, started in 1974 and wasn’t completed until 1992.

The edifices bear witness, more than any monument or museum, to the city’s history.

Former tanneries, weaving workshops, or fabric makers, their water-level cellars were used for washing the wares; the street-level floors were storefronts; above were the living quarters, and at the top, covered porches to dry the products. The city, as well as nearby Mazamet, benefited from this industry well into the 19th century.

This renovation is just one of the city’s myriad urban renewal projects.

2. Le Miredames

You won’t find gondolas on the Agout, but you can take a funky wooden boat, “Le Miredames,” from the town center to the sprawling Parc de Gourjade. That sounded like a lark, so of course I was first in line for it.

Once the boat sets sail, there’s not much time to admire tiny Venice, as the city quickly but gently gives way to lush greenery, making for a peaceful, relaxing ride.

Le Miredames runs infrequently and the schedule is a tad confusing, which was a source of some anxiety for my fellow “silver tourists.” But if you somehow get stuck at the park, you can catch a free city bus back to the town center.

3.      La Place Jean Jaurès – my favorite « place » in town

Nearly half the size of the Place du Capitole in Toulouse, this imposing square features a beautifully-balanced ensemble of sandstone buildings.

I wanted to have the time to sit around sipping stuff on it, which likely had something to do with my extending my stay for a second night — although I told my husband, who is also technically my boss, that “I really needed more time here for my articles.”

In another brilliant stroke of urban renewal, the city made the square pedestrian-only in 2005. What an improvement!

As for its namesake, the well-known French statesman Jean Jaurès was born in Castres in 1859, and assassinated on July 31st, 1914 in front of the Café du Croissant in Paris. Instrumental in founding the French Socialist party, he’s especially remembered in Occitanie for his defense of workers’ rights during the arduous miners’ strike in Carmaux. The “enfant du pays” graces the Arcades side of the square.

Sculpture of Jean Jaurès by Gabriel Pech

• FUN FACT: Jean Jaurès is 4th on the list of French personalities with the most streets named after them, trailing only Charles de Gaulle, Louis Pasteur, and Victor Hugo.

Castres is home to Le Centre National et Musée Jean Jaurès, which I highly recommend if you are interested in political history and can read French.

This was my favorite “France in Between” destination so far — and the biggest reasons are yet to come.

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