Well, if I may say so, I think what I write up in my next post will be enough to convince you to make the trip. I had only gone once, I think in 1991, with a friend and all I remember was having lunch in a dark restaurant and shopping for shoes! Otherwise, it’s just been a town we’ve driven past on our way further south.
As always, a joy to read. Brave you asking for an extension. Although I did say to my husband this morning there were many times I wished we didn’t have an itinerary when travelling in the past and perhaps next year when we go to the UK we can spend at least a month or more. We were supposed to be cruising but due to our age and the risk of Covid onboard and NOT being able to get travel insurance which included Covid, we have cancelled. Such a pity considering we still haven’t had “Covid”, not even a cold.
I did get the impression you were travelling on your own, I just thought it was brave to say I’m staying longer lol…
No, we live in Australia, but our eldest son and his daughters live in Surrey so we visit as often as we can, or at least we did until Covid, which is one reason I would like to spend a bit more time there on our next trip, there are still many more places I would like to visit, we are actually considering taking some train trips this time instead of driving. We have been lucky though that our son has been out a few times over the past couple of years and he and the girls came out the Christmas before last, so we are really looking forward to seeing them in person again, the girls that is.
I think you may have told me that. Australia-Europe is a huge distance, for sure. Our daughters live in Paris and NYC, and people from around here sometimes take pity on us for having them so far away…I find those distances doable.
It was fun! At the tourism office they told me, though, that they were having a lot of trouble finding the right schedules and making it cost-effective. An original hope had been for residents themselves to use it as a type of "water taxi," but that hasn't really panned out.
Making the square pedestrian only seems to have included cutting down all the trees and then replacing some of them with saplings. I wish they could have kept the originals I really like the French town squares that have big old plane trees around them.
Yes, I can understand your point. In my city, Rodez, two squares have been redone, and it included removing older trees -- in these cases they were linden trees (tilleuls), as in Castres. In Rodez there was some uproar and I imagine in Castres too, although I couldn't find any news articles that spoke to it. That said, we have a friend who was the hydrological engineer for the Rodez projects and he explained to us that it was not sustainable to keep those trees as the roots had become huge and unwieldy, buckling the concrete and actually threatening the buildings along the square. He went into further detail but I can't remember it all. It was fascinating though.
To go back to Castres, the entire square was resurfaced with local granite from the Sidobre area, as of course the street running around the square had to merge with the square. So there was more to it than just cutting down the trees. I liked it, but it's a matter of taste.
There may be plane trees on some squares. Plane trees are the ones that used to line so many of the roads all over the south of France. Many of them have been uprooted because of so many people dying in road accidents slamming up against them, or because they were ill.
Thanks for chiming in Glen! Yes, staying an extra night gave me time to do and see more as well as relax a bit. I certainly would have had to skip the Jean Jaures museum which I found very instructive. I'm not telling things chronologically, though.
Hi Betty, I have only ever driven through Castres, next time I will stop - I didn't even know it was nicknamed “La Petite Venise du Languedoc," quel horreur! How long have I lived here? I can quite see why though. I can't wait to learn more!
I think I'm going to have to start a new savings pot titled - Betty's overnight recommendations! Who needs a haircut anyway... 😆xx
Susie, I did not know about that nickname either, although I did know a bit about the houses along l’Agout. I’m glad I’ve inspired you to think about a few getaways. A lot could be done in Castres in one, activity-packed day trip, reducing expenses. Of course, there’s petrol money…
Yes, I used to travel to Paris for work often, plus have vacationed in Provence (we stayed in Eygalieres), plus did a separate trip to Cannes once. Would love to go back and do the Pyrenees next.
Well I’m here to tell you that you should consider Provence and Cannes checked off your list. The Pyrenées would be a great destination, as are many others in Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Glad to be in touch!
I love a boat trip, especially when it includes nature as well as architecture. Venice is quite close to Ljubljana so I've visited a few times. I've never been to Castres though.
Yes, the boat was fun! Several cities in France lay claim to a “petite Venise” nickname: not only Castres, but Sète and Annecy, just off the top of my head. I think it’s a little silly to have to lean on a big-name destination like that. These places are worth it in and of themselves!
I only live one department and a 90 minute drive away, and I never hear any buzz about it, except for their rugby team and a semi-violent ongoing battle over whether a freeway/motorway should be built between it and Toulouse. I was amazed at how lovely it was, but the city has obviously invested A LOT in sprucing it up. As I said, the best is yet to come!
Je vois que tu écris en français, tu habites en France? Où ça?
- The 1970s were brutal to historical sites. I remember going on a tour of the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, given by my old school friend Dominique Vincent, who has been a Paris tour guide for over 40 years, and she told us that Pompidou had it in mind to drain the canal and build a highway over its course. This nearly happened!!!
- The boat ride looks delightful!
- The square is very cool.
- I did not know that Jean Jaurès was from Castres. The museum must be awesome!
Well you’ll have to add it to your grand tour of southern France…!
Not only were the 70s brutal but the buildings put up at that time are horrifying in most cases. We have plenty of eyesores in Rodez, fortunately not right in the town center, and some of them replaced historical buildings that I wish we still had.
I wouldn’t quite use the word “awesome” for the museum; it’s kind of a basic informational panels/extracts from newspapers/portraits type of place. But it’s well done and traces his life in an interesting way. I definitely enjoyed learning more about him.
Looking forward to your next chapter! Castres looks lovely, and bizarrely I have never been there although it’s not that far from us.
Well, if I may say so, I think what I write up in my next post will be enough to convince you to make the trip. I had only gone once, I think in 1991, with a friend and all I remember was having lunch in a dark restaurant and shopping for shoes! Otherwise, it’s just been a town we’ve driven past on our way further south.
As always, a joy to read. Brave you asking for an extension. Although I did say to my husband this morning there were many times I wished we didn’t have an itinerary when travelling in the past and perhaps next year when we go to the UK we can spend at least a month or more. We were supposed to be cruising but due to our age and the risk of Covid onboard and NOT being able to get travel insurance which included Covid, we have cancelled. Such a pity considering we still haven’t had “Covid”, not even a cold.
My husband wasn't with me, and he rarely is on these trips. He's busy with other stuff.
As for your trip, it really is great to have a long period to visit a country or even an area, although not everyone has that luxury.
Are you from the UK?
I did get the impression you were travelling on your own, I just thought it was brave to say I’m staying longer lol…
No, we live in Australia, but our eldest son and his daughters live in Surrey so we visit as often as we can, or at least we did until Covid, which is one reason I would like to spend a bit more time there on our next trip, there are still many more places I would like to visit, we are actually considering taking some train trips this time instead of driving. We have been lucky though that our son has been out a few times over the past couple of years and he and the girls came out the Christmas before last, so we are really looking forward to seeing them in person again, the girls that is.
I think you may have told me that. Australia-Europe is a huge distance, for sure. Our daughters live in Paris and NYC, and people from around here sometimes take pity on us for having them so far away…I find those distances doable.
Loved reading this! Thanks for sharing. That little boat tour looks lovely to me.
It was fun! At the tourism office they told me, though, that they were having a lot of trouble finding the right schedules and making it cost-effective. An original hope had been for residents themselves to use it as a type of "water taxi," but that hasn't really panned out.
Another place for me to visit.
It's truly worth it. I went once in the early nineties when I lived in Albi but only have the vaguest memories. Apparently it has changed a lot since.
Making the square pedestrian only seems to have included cutting down all the trees and then replacing some of them with saplings. I wish they could have kept the originals I really like the French town squares that have big old plane trees around them.
Yes, I can understand your point. In my city, Rodez, two squares have been redone, and it included removing older trees -- in these cases they were linden trees (tilleuls), as in Castres. In Rodez there was some uproar and I imagine in Castres too, although I couldn't find any news articles that spoke to it. That said, we have a friend who was the hydrological engineer for the Rodez projects and he explained to us that it was not sustainable to keep those trees as the roots had become huge and unwieldy, buckling the concrete and actually threatening the buildings along the square. He went into further detail but I can't remember it all. It was fascinating though.
To go back to Castres, the entire square was resurfaced with local granite from the Sidobre area, as of course the street running around the square had to merge with the square. So there was more to it than just cutting down the trees. I liked it, but it's a matter of taste.
Yes I can see that the roots are an issue. I've tripped on disrupted paving stones a few times.
And yes I probably meant tilleul/linden not plane trees I get them confused
There may be plane trees on some squares. Plane trees are the ones that used to line so many of the roads all over the south of France. Many of them have been uprooted because of so many people dying in road accidents slamming up against them, or because they were ill.
I always learn something new! Thank you!
Thanks Betty - look forward to tales from your "trip extension".
Thanks for chiming in Glen! Yes, staying an extra night gave me time to do and see more as well as relax a bit. I certainly would have had to skip the Jean Jaures museum which I found very instructive. I'm not telling things chronologically, though.
Hi Betty, I have only ever driven through Castres, next time I will stop - I didn't even know it was nicknamed “La Petite Venise du Languedoc," quel horreur! How long have I lived here? I can quite see why though. I can't wait to learn more!
I think I'm going to have to start a new savings pot titled - Betty's overnight recommendations! Who needs a haircut anyway... 😆xx
Susie, I did not know about that nickname either, although I did know a bit about the houses along l’Agout. I’m glad I’ve inspired you to think about a few getaways. A lot could be done in Castres in one, activity-packed day trip, reducing expenses. Of course, there’s petrol money…
Looking forward to another day in Castres!
Fantastic post thank you! It’s great hearing about the places you might not normally put on an itinerary!
That’s what my Stack is all about…specifically small to medium-sized towns in France. Have you travelled to France?
Yes, I used to travel to Paris for work often, plus have vacationed in Provence (we stayed in Eygalieres), plus did a separate trip to Cannes once. Would love to go back and do the Pyrenees next.
Well I’m here to tell you that you should consider Provence and Cannes checked off your list. The Pyrenées would be a great destination, as are many others in Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Glad to be in touch!
I love a boat trip, especially when it includes nature as well as architecture. Venice is quite close to Ljubljana so I've visited a few times. I've never been to Castres though.
Yes, the boat was fun! Several cities in France lay claim to a “petite Venise” nickname: not only Castres, but Sète and Annecy, just off the top of my head. I think it’s a little silly to have to lean on a big-name destination like that. These places are worth it in and of themselves!
Agree!
I don't think I'd ever heard of Castres but it looks so pretty
I only live one department and a 90 minute drive away, and I never hear any buzz about it, except for their rugby team and a semi-violent ongoing battle over whether a freeway/motorway should be built between it and Toulouse. I was amazed at how lovely it was, but the city has obviously invested A LOT in sprucing it up. As I said, the best is yet to come!
Je vois que tu écris en français, tu habites en France? Où ça?
And now, I want to go there too!
- The 1970s were brutal to historical sites. I remember going on a tour of the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, given by my old school friend Dominique Vincent, who has been a Paris tour guide for over 40 years, and she told us that Pompidou had it in mind to drain the canal and build a highway over its course. This nearly happened!!!
- The boat ride looks delightful!
- The square is very cool.
- I did not know that Jean Jaurès was from Castres. The museum must be awesome!
Well you’ll have to add it to your grand tour of southern France…!
Not only were the 70s brutal but the buildings put up at that time are horrifying in most cases. We have plenty of eyesores in Rodez, fortunately not right in the town center, and some of them replaced historical buildings that I wish we still had.
I wouldn’t quite use the word “awesome” for the museum; it’s kind of a basic informational panels/extracts from newspapers/portraits type of place. But it’s well done and traces his life in an interesting way. I definitely enjoyed learning more about him.
As I said, the best of Castres is yet to come!