Saint-Alain Cathedral

LAVAUR , Tarn – Cultural heritage

About

It’s impossible to remain indifferent to the majesty of Saint-Alain Cathedral, its Renaissance organ case, and its famous Jacquemart! As you step inside, you’ll discover the beauty of the restorations of its 19th-century painted decorations.

This beautiful brick building in the Toulouse Gothic style was constructed in 1255. The structure, which overlooks the Agout River, features a single nave flanked by chapels, and to the west, a massive bell tower with a monumental portal. Its polychrome carved wooden organ case (1523) is a masterpiece of Renaissance art in the Midi region. The Cavaillé-Coll Great Organ was installed in 1876.
The restoration of all the 19th-century painted decorations was completed in 2016. Be sure to come and admire the results!

The town of Lavaur is the only one in southwestern France to have a Jacquemart, a wooden automaton hoisted into the cathedral tower in the early 17th century.

Legend has it that during the Wars of Religion, a Protestant prisoner locked in the cathedral tower was forced to ring the bells every hour. He devised a plan, building an automated mechanism to do it for him… …and was thus able to escape right under his jailers’ noses!

Open year-round.
Free admission.
Guided tours in the summer: contact the Lavaur tourist information office for details.

Accueil : Guided tours by reservation: Lavaur Tourist Information Office, 05 63 58 02 00.

Spoken languages : English French


Services

Facilities

  • Parking

Services

  • Educational visits
  • Guided tours

Allez-y en liO

Occitanie Rail Tour

En train : A moins de 20 mn à pied de la gare de Lavaur ! (environ 12 min et 1027 m).

En car : A moins de 10 mn à pied de l’arrêt LAVAUR – Gare Routière !
Cet arrêt est situé sur les lignes : CASTRES – LAVAUR
ALBI – LAVAUR
TEX (ALBI – ST SULPICE / LAVAUR)
GAILLAC – LAVAUR
Lavaur -Verfeil – Balma (M)

Environ 6 min (578 m).

Calculez votre itinéraire pour votre voyage en Occitanie avec les trains ou les cars LiO
Calcul itinéraires et recherche horaires

Bon plan

Pass Occitanie Rail Tour​
Choisissez le pass Occitanie Rail Tour et son tarif préférentiel pour voyager avec liO à travers la région.
www.occitanie-rail-tour.com

Groups

  • Maximal number of persons 100

Location