Castelsarrasin is situated on the left bank of the lateral canal of the Garonne and is surrounded by promenades. Its chief building is the brick-built church of St Sauveur, which dates from the 13th century. A lively town, particularly in the summer when the holiday barges and cruises arrive, there are numerous shops and restaurants, a daily market popular for its fresh meat and clubs for tennis, golf, hiking, rafting, fishing and sailing.
Access
Castelsarrasin is situated in the Tarn-et-Garonne department of the Occitanie in Southwest France. The Med ( Narbonne Beach), the Atlantic coast ( Biarritz) and the Pyrenees can be reached in 2 hours and Spain is 3 hours away. Toulouse airport can be reached in 50mins.
History
961 was the beginning of the town’s history and the years that followed were marked by wars; against the English until the C12th and then others, including the 100 year war and the wars of religion. The impact of religion had a great effect in fact because Castelsarrasin was notably Catholic in a predominantly Protestant area (remarkably however, the wonderful Saint-Saveur church survived this). Floods and diseases also played a role in the town’s history. Then eventually events calmed down and from 1850 onwards, Castelsarassin really begun to develop through the arrival of the railway and factory. And, despite the terrible two world wars, the town has carried on developing throughout the C20th, making it the second biggest economic area in the Tarn-et-Garonne.
Activities
The Saint-Saveur church has beautiful Baroque furniture and is one of the longest standing buildings in the town. In February, there is an antiques fair, in April there is a regional wine competition, in May there is a flower show and a children’s festival full of fun and games: ‘Fête Enfance et Jeunesse,’ in July there is a music festival: ‘Marches Nocturnes,’ in August there is a jazz festival and in November there is an art exhibition. Water sports enthusiasts meanwhile, can make the most of the three rivers in the area: the Tarn, the Aveyron and the Garonne, the latter being the closest to the town. And hikers can enjoy t he rolling countryside with its patchwork of woods and fields, rivers and lakes, sunflowers fields, vineyards and orchards.
Food & Drink
Locals are known for having the healthiest diet in the whole of France with typical meals including: cassoulet (bean and meat stew), duck, foie gras and Roquefort cheese. Le Cabécou, one of the smallest cheeses in France is also popular, as is l’Alosse, a large fish fresh from the sea and served with red wine.
Restaurants
- Côté Canal, Jacques Yves Costeau Port, tel no: 05 63 32 86 80, menus 15-30€
- L’Auberge du Moulin, route de Toulouse, tel no : 05 63 32 20 37, menus 15-20€
Our team of sale advisers at Sextant Properties will be happy to help you to find a property near Castelsarrasin. We have a large network of partners in Occitanie. All of them are registered French real estate agents and speak both French and English. Whatever kind of property you are looking for: farmhouse, longere, barn, gite, B&B, country house, mill, castle or chateau, we will do our best to find a property near Castelsarrasin matching your requirements.