The magical village of Castelnau-de-Montmiral is perched on the top of a hill in the Tarn countryside (Midi-Pyrenees region). It is perfectly situated to the west of Albi and north-west of Gaillac.
A Bit of History
Built in around 1222, Castelnau (meaning New Fortress), was attacked by the English. This was led by The Black Prince in the 100 year war.
The villagers bravely defended themselves, and the assailants finally retreated.
Experiencing this, the villagers protected their bastide during the French Religious Wars. By doing so helped preserve what is now recognised as one of the ‘Plus Beaux Villages de France’ .
Place des Arcades
At the centre of Castelnau-de-Montmiral you’ll find the pretty square, The Place des Arcades. This really is the heartbeat of the village.
Medieval houses with original arcades at ground level largely surround the square. It is now home to a couple of well known restaurants and a hotel. The Tourist Office in Castelnau is also located on this square.
The bustling market is held here every Tuesday morning and throughout the year, there are free music concerts hosted here.
In August, you can visit the ‘Foire au Miel’ which is the traditional honey fair. This spectacle offers local products and crafts, medieval atmosphere and musical entertainment.
Ancient Gateways
The town ramparts of Castelnau-de-Montmiral still have two original 13th century gateways visible.
The most impressive being the Porte des Garrics. This is a wonderful example of military architecture dating from the 13th century, and has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1927.
The tangle of streets and alleyways takes you back in time and leads you to The Church of the Assumption (Église Notre Dame de l’Assomption) which dates from the 15th century.
The church preserves two parts from the 15th and 16th centuries. The vaults are decorated with 19th century frescoes, representing scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary.
The Area
Castelanu has immediate access to the Grésigne Forest, the Gaillac vineyard and Le Valee de Vere (The Green Valley), which covers nearly 330,000 hectares and is the 3rd biggest natural regional park in France.
The rich, unspoiled environment of the Grands Causses offers a wide variety of activities to outdoor enthusiasts.
What To DO
Travel on horseback, on foot or by bicycle. There is fishing, water activities, paragliding, bird watching, the choice is yours!
There are more than 200 species of birds here with Tawny, Black and very rarely, Egyptian vultures seen flying high above us!
Gaillac Wine
The Gaillac Vineyard displays no less than 400 wine properties and private cellars.
Gaillac owes its fame to its millennial wine production as well as to a riverside location on the banks of the Tarn conducive to the trade and transport of wine by barge.
Visitors can find the House of Wines next to the Abbey of Saint Michel de Gaillac, where they can explore the Gaillacois vineyard with 7 grape varieties.
Since 1938, the Gaillac vineyard is a bastion of ancient grape varieties. The winegrowers find and nurture the old local variety of grapes which have sometimes been left aside, forgotten or lost.
This vineyard is one of those which has never parted with its history. These variety of grapes give the Gaillac vineyard its identity and produce red, white and rose along with sparkling and sweet wines all united by the same base of grape variety.
Access
Once you have made it to the top of Castelnau, the road will take you anticlockwise and there is parking off to the right or if you continue on the road, more parking is available. Here you will find a panoramic view and a seating area to take it all in!
Surrounded by vineyards, forest, and wonderful architecture, Castelnau-de-Montmiral will enchant you with its uniqueness and beauty.
