Rabastens is a commune located in the west of the Tarn department, in the Occitania region (foothills of the Massif Central, France).
Historically and culturally, the town is in Gaillac, a country that owes its notoriety to the quality of its wines.
Exposed to an altered oceanic climate, it is drained by the Tarn River and the Passe, the Avignon, the Grouse, the Saudrone, the Marguestal and various other small streams. The commune has a remarkable natural heritage: a Natura 2000 site (the “valleys of Tarn, Aveyron, Viaur, Agout and Gijou”) and a natural area of ecological, fauna and flora interest.
Rabastens is an urban commune that has 5,775 inhabitants as of 2021. It is in the agglomeration of Rabastens and is part of the Toulouse catchment area. Its inhabitants are called Rabastinois or Rabastinoises.
Main attractions
Civil objects
Town hall, former priory. 16th century turret. The building is listed as a historic monument.
Hôtel de Lafite: 17th century mansion of the La Fite de Pelleporc de Gourdas family. The building is listed as a historic monument. In 2021, the Pays Rabastinois museum.
Hôtel de Rolland: crenellated fort with a tower, enlarged in 1575, then in the 17th and 18th centuries. The building is listed as a historic monument.
House on Place Mont-del-Pa (16th century). The building is listed as a historic monument.
The war memorial. The bronze statue, the work of Toulouse sculptor Henri-Raphaël Moncassin, was inaugurated on May 6, 1923.
Hôtel de la Castagne (current Puységur free school): former private mansion of Count Louis Pierre de Chastenet de Puységur.
La Halle: former covered market in a 19th century building converted into a performance and exhibition hall managed by the Association 7e art pour tous.
The dovecote, located on the outskirts of the town, along the Saurs road. Surrounded by a park, the place is locally called Pigo.
Toulza building, town hall annex.
The “Unemployed Bench”: historic bench located in the park of Place du Pont du Murel, between Promenade de Constance and Place du Pont du Murel.
Motte of Saint-Genest. The parish is mentioned in 1120.
The Rabastens bridge, The current bridge connects the town to the neighboring town of Coufouleux. Arch bridge with upper deck, built from 1922 to 1924, in masonry and reinforced concrete. Width of 7.20 m, for a span length of 2 × 55 m and an arch height of 26 m.
Religious objects
Notre-Dame-du-Bourg Church, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, a stopover on the pilgrimage routes of the Camino de Santiago to Santiago de Compostela. A major site of Jacquesan heritage, the church contains frescoes which illustrate different episodes from the life, real or legendary, of James the Greater. The building was classified as a historic monument in 1899.
Saint-Pierre-des-Blancs Church (or des Pénitent-blancs), church built from 1893 to 1896 on the site of a 17th century chapel, belonging before the Revolution to the Brotherhood of White Penitents. The church is deconsecrated and is now used as a place for exhibitions. The western portal was registered as a historic monument in 1960.
Others:
- The Saint-Jean de Puycheval church.
- Saint-Georges Church of Saint-Géry.
- Saint-André de Mareux Church – les Massiers.
- Chapel of the Sainte-Anne de Saint-Géry school.
- Saint-Médard Chapel in Saint-Médard.
How to get to?
From Paris: 7 hr 33 min (658 km) via A20
From Toulouse: 39 min (38.0 km) via A68
From Andorra: 2 hr 55 min (218 km) via N20
From Barcelona: 4 hr 31 min (428 km) via AP-7 and A61
From Madrid: 8 hr 41 min (846 km) via A-1 and A64
From Monaco: 1 hr 35 min (135 km) via N124
From Moscow: 37 hr (3,440 km) via E30/M1
From Belgrade: 18 hr 12 min (1,921 km) via E70
From Istanbul: 28 hr (2,870 km) via E70
From Bern: 8 hr 7 min (876 km) via A9
Main information
Area: 66 km2
Population: 5775
Coordinates: 43°49′23″N 1°43′33″E
Language: French
Currency: Euro
Visa: Schengen
Time: Central European UTC +1
See here Pyrenees travel guide
See here France travel guide
See here Spain travel guide
