A 63-kilometre section of the Véloroute des Deux Mers, two distinct market offerings and several cultural and historical themes give you a range of ways to shape a stay in Castelsarrasin. The route runs through the town along the Canal Latéral à la Garonne. Other highlights include the large weekly market, the seasonal Marché au gras, changing exhibitions, the Église Saint-Jean and the port. Depending on your travel dates, you can focus on cycling, Thursday morning, or art and history, and search for a hotel accordingly.
Cycling along the canal
The Véloroute des Deux Mers runs through Castelsarrasin along the Canal Latéral à la Garonne. Its 63-kilometre section connects Lamagistère and Pompignan. The route is suitable for both long bike rides and short family outings, making it a shared starting point for different plans. If you want cycling to be the main focus of the day, plan a longer ride. For a shorter family outing, the same route can be your reference point without making the entire section your destination. Which option suits you depends on how much of your stay you want to devote to cycling.
Thursday: weekly market and Marché au gras
The large weekly market takes place in the town centre every Thursday morning and offers local, fresh and seasonal produce. From November to March, the traditional Marché au gras is also held on Thursday mornings in the Halle Occitane. Producers from Quercy, Gascony and Lomagne gather there. So on Thursday, you can choose between two different market offerings: the large market in the town centre and the seasonal Marché au gras in the hall. If visiting a market is part of your travel plans, you can schedule your stay for a Thursday; to visit the Marché au gras, your stay should also fall between November and March. As regular market schedules can change, check the latest dates before travelling.
Changing exhibitions at the Maison d’Espagne
On the ground floor of the Maison d’Espagne, the Espace Antonin Delzers hosts temporary exhibitions that change approximately every two months. They are open to everyone and free of charge. Because the exhibitions change regularly, your travel dates matter if you have a particular exhibition in mind: the display changes over the course of the year. If you plan to visit, check the latest information about the programme and access in advance. This lets you combine a visit to the exhibition with your other interests without assuming a particular theme.
Church history and painting
The Église Saint-Jean has more than eight centuries of history, linked to the Hospitallers of Jerusalem and the Order of Malta. Its artistic features include murals by René Gaillard-Lala, painted in 1924. They depict biblical scenes and figures connected with the order and local history. The church thus brings together a long history associated with two orders and a specifically dated work of 20th-century art. The murals combine religious imagery with references to the history of the town, giving the building a distinctive artistic focus alongside its long past.
The port and its metal footbridge
The Port Jacques-Yves Cousteau opened in 1846 and was developed into a marina in 1998. The port is also home to a metal footbridge built by the Eiffel company in 1889. The dates place the footbridge between the opening of the port and its later development into a marina. The port therefore brings together two distinct historical themes: the development of the site as a port and the history of a metal structure. Together with the Église Saint-Jean, these sites offer several perspectives on Castelsarrasin—from the history of religious orders and painting to the development of the port and engineering.
Discover more destinations: Lauzerte, Saint-Projet, Loze, Saint-Amans-Du-Pech, RĂ©alville, Mirabel, Auvillar, Montricoux
For the full travel guide: Tarn-Et-Garonne.
