Discover Castelsarrasin: cycling routes, markets and history

Castelsarrasin combines a strong connection to cycling trips with regular market days and historical themes. This raises several questions as you plan your trip: would you like to plan a longer bike ride or a short outing, set aside a Thursday morning for the market, or discover art and architectural history? The options differ in route, day of the week, season and historical period. You can tailor your trip to the topics that matter to you.

Cycling along the lateral canal

The Véloroute des Deux Mers runs through Castelsarrasin along the Canal latéral à la Garonne. A 63-kilometre section connects Lamagistère with Pompignan. The route is suitable both for long bike rides and for short family outings. This gives you two different ways to plan: a longer ride or a shorter outing with the family. If cycling is part of your trip, this distinction can provide a starting point when choosing where to stay. Castelsarrasin lies along the route, making it a destination to consider in connection with cycling.

Market days and seasonal produce

The large weekly market takes place every Thursday morning in the town centre and offers local, fresh and seasonal produce. There is also the traditional Marché au gras in the Halle Occitane. It takes place on Thursday mornings from November to March, with producers from Quercy, Gascony and Lomagne in attendance. The two markets are easy to distinguish by timing: the weekly market is held on Thursday mornings, while the Marché au gras is also limited to the months of November to March. Both the day of the week and the season therefore matter when planning.

Changing exhibitions at the Maison d’Espagne

The Espace Antonin Delzers is located on the ground floor of the Maison d’Espagne. Exhibitions there change about every two months. The temporary exhibitions are free and open to everyone. Unlike the market’s fixed day of the week, a changing programme shapes the possible reason to visit here. For a specific visit, please check the current market dates and exhibition conditions.

Church, harbour and architectural history

The Église Saint-Jean offers a glimpse into a long historical period. Its history stretches back more than eight centuries and is linked to the Knights Hospitaller of Jerusalem and the Order of Malta. Inside, murals by René Gaillard-Lala from 1924 adorn the space. They depict biblical scenes and figures connected with the order and local history. Sacred imagery thus meets the history of the town and the order; at the same time, the murals provide a clearly dated focal point within the church’s long history.

The history of Port Jacques-Yves Cousteau can also be traced through specific dates: the harbour opened in 1846 and was developed into a marina in 1998. There is also a metal footbridge at the harbour, built by the Eiffel company in 1889. Its construction falls between the harbour’s opening and its later development. The harbour and footbridge therefore point to different periods: the beginning of harbour operations, a structure from 1889 and the conversion into a marina in 1998.

Discover more destinations: Lafrançaise, Nègrepelisse, Molières, Septfonds, Saint-Urcisse, Saint-Projet, Réalville, Durfort-Lacapelette

For the overview of the wider area: Tarn-Et-Garonne.