Top 7 costumed tours
In the Tarn, we love customs and also costumes! In the heart of the Gaillac region towns and bastides, follow costumed characters. They will guide you along the path of the region's architectural treasures and reveal the secrets of these multifaceted Tarn lands. Here is a small selection of the best costumed tours to take, wandering through the narrow streets of the villages, by day and by night!
Play the detective at Castelnau-de-Montmiral
In the year of our Lord 1355, the fabulous treasure of the bastide disappeared! You are the only ones able to find it. To do this, you will have to work with the guide as a family, collecting clues scattered throughout the heart of Castelnau-de-Montmiral, one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France. And because they are essential to the treasure hunt, the guide will reveal anecdotes and valuable secrets for your detective work. Sharpen your senses and keep your eyes peeled to unravel this intrigue and get to the reliquary cross that has been desecrated. Who among you will be the first to find it?
Practical information:
- Duration: 1 hr 30
- "Avant-premiere" : sunday 21st mai at 2:30pm
- From 11th July to 22nd August
- Every Tuesday at 10:30am (+ Thursday 3rd and 11th August)
- Departs from: Castelnau Office de Tourisme, Place aux Arcades
- Special highlight: the treasure room in the church of Notre-Dame, open especially for the occasion
Go back in time in Puycelsi
Summer is here, children have deserted the school and Mademoiselle Augustine, their tireless teacher, is bored... To provide herself with some entertainment, she invites you to follow her through Puycelsi in the 1920s, where she takes you on a journey back in time! Punctuated with anecdotes, the visit will lead you accross the narrow streets of this unique place planted on its rocky spur. Overlooking the valley of the Vère, you will take the old covered way which offers one of the most beautiful views of the region from this Most Beautiful Village in France.
Practical information
- Duration: 1 hr 30
- Departs from: Puycelsi Office de Tourisme, Chapelle Saint-Roch
- From 12th July to 23rd August
- Every Wednesday at 10:30am (except on wednesday 26th July and 9th August)
- Wednesday 26th July and 9th August: evening session at 8:45pm
Wondering and tasting in Lisle-sur-Tarn
There are so many beautiful things to discover among these red brick walls with their arcades and little bridges that give this fortified village all its charm. With your family or friends, follow Monsieur de Boisset, your host for the day, and you will learn all about what a bastide is! He will tell you about the flourishing era of Lisle-sur-Tarn, while sharing with you a few anecdotes and customs that have survived the centuries. To finish the visit in style, share a little chocolate tasting together for a convivial and gourmet moment, as we like to do in the Tarn!
Practical information:
- Duration: 1 hr 30
- Departs from: Lisle-sur-Tarn Office de Tourisme, Place Paul Saissac
- From 13th July to 24th August
- Every Thursday at 10:30am (except on thursday 27th July and 24th August)
- Thursday 27th July and 24th August: evening sessions at 8:45pm
Discover the secrets of the wine-growing town of Gaillac
As you stroll through the narrow streets of Gaillac and along the quays of the commercial port, from which the barges filled with barrels once left, you will be drawn to the majestic Abbaye Saint-Michel, steeped in history! From the Middle Ages until the 19th century, it was here, within the city walls, that wine was made, preserved and sold. During the visit, the architectural particularities linked to these activities will be revealed to you... Before finishing with a tasting at the Maison des Vins.
Practical information:
- Duration: 1 hr 30
- Departs from: Saint-Michel Abbey
- From 25th July to 15th August
- Every Tuesday at 10am
- This tour is proposed by Gaillac Ville d'Art & d'Histoire
Have a drink with a leatherworker in Graulhet
Known as being the capital of leathermaking, go on a tour to discover more about these skills on the banks of the Dadou in Graulhet. At the end of the day, the leatherworker will tell you about the history of this industry and the reign of the leatherworker from the beginning of the 20th century until today. And yes, these bags and jackets made of animal skins that we love so much have a lot to tell. To finish off, you can have a drink at the Brasserie des Vignes!
Practical information:
- Duration: 1 hr 45
- Departs from: Maison des Métiers du Cuir, 33 Rue St Jean
- Mondays 24th July and 7th August at 5pm
- A drink at the Brasserie des Vignes
Go on an adventure in the mysterious medieval town of Cordes
Like an explorer, set out to discover the city of Cordes, but don't go alone! Pétronille, the weaver, loves to wander through the streets of her beautiful city to tell all its secrets. At every corner, your curiosity will be piqued by a door, a window, or a sculpture revealing the imprint of the Middle Ages. After all, it is 1340, isn't it?
Practical information:
- Duration: 1 hr 30
- Departs from: Place de la Halle
- "Avant-première": Sunday 7th May
- From 17th July to 25th August: Every Monday and Friday at 5pm
Cordes defies the skies and the centuries! From the sumptuous Gothic mansions to the mighty fortified gates, come and discover the unique heritage of this illustrious city in a fun and family-friendly way. Here you are in the year of our Lord 1321, the inhabitants of Cordes sur Ciel are being closely watched by the Inquisition, which is trying to get its hands on a mysterious parchment. Can you find it before they do?
Practical information
> Duration: 1 hr 30
> Departs from: Place de la Halle
> From 19th July to 23th August
> Every wednsday at 10:30 am
Enjoy the "joie de vivre" of Rabastens
The colours and the typical and cheerful streets of Rabastens invite you to take your time, to taste the softness of the banks of the Tarn, and the timeless charm of the old quarters shaped by the magnificent town houses. To spice up this sweet picture, follow Papi Ernest. By turns grumpy and nostalgic, he knows everything about the village where he grew up... a long time ago!
Practical information:
- Duration: 1 hr 30
- Departs from: Rabastens Office de Tourisme, Place Centrale
- From 14th July to 26th August (except the 28th July, 11th August and 18th August): every Friday at 10:30am
- Friday 28th July and 18th August: evening sessions at 8:45pm
When the sun slowly disappears below the horizon, a curious character appears... Follow him to the village of your choice! Through his many anecdotes, you will discover Gaillac or Lisle-sur-Tarn in its soft summer atmosphere at sunset. Stroll through the narrow streets of Castelnau-de-Montmiral and the brick towns of Rabastens or Puycelsi to discover all the wonders of the Tarn's heritage. In the twilight, with your senses alert, you will experience the Tarn in a different way... like children!
