761 liO bus service

Castres
Revel

The 761 "Castres - Revel" liO bus heads south-west towards the Montagne Noire foothills. It's your ticket to the "Aux Sources du Canal du Midi" Grand Site Occitanie. The site includes Sorèze, Revel and Saint-Ferréol.

Period: all year round (except Saint-Ferréol Lake where the service only stops in summer).
Days: Monday to Saturday.
Start point from Castres: Gare Routière.
Folding bike accepted as luggage.

Recommended stops

Places to eat and sleep at each stop.

Dourgne

22 min from Castres. Get off at En Calcat to visit En Calcat Abbey or get off at Rond Point to explore the village.

En Calcat Abbey: 60 Benedictine monks live at the abbey. It was consecrated in 1890 and is a church music hotspot. Free admission to the abbey church and bookshop.
Dourgne: a bustling town full of shops and artisans. It's also the birthplace of "pumpet", a delicious puff pastry cake infused with orange blossom. Hit the La Capelette (8.5km) hiking trail and feast your eyes on the "Désert de Saint-Ferréol" vista. Stroll along the Laurou stream and wade in the pools that once supplied the village fountains with water.
For more information.

Sorèze

27 min from Castres. Stop: Eglise. Sorèze has a lot going for it, with its timber-framed houses, shops and St-Martin belltower which was shaken up by the Wars of Religion.

The village is famous for its abbey, which was founded by Pepin the Short and became a royal military school in the 18th century. Explore the huge complex which was an elite school until 1991, before becoming the cultural and artistic centre it is today. The abbey is home to a hotel and the stylish Dom Robert museum showcasing the En Calcat Abbey monk's contemporary creations. Simply unmissable!
Find out more.

Revel

32 min from Castres. Stop: Salle Nougaro. Revel was the last bastide to be founded in Occitanie in 1342. Its main square and fantastic market hall date back to that time.

They host one of the best markets in Occitanie on Saturdays. Revel is a "Ville et Métiers d'Art" whose cabinetry and marquetry legacy you can experience at the MUB. Then it's time for a stroll in the shade on the Rigole de la Plaine greenway. Find out more.

Saint-Ferréol Lake (open in summer)

Stop: Saint-Ferréol – Musée. Welcome to the Sources du Canal du Midi! Pierre-Paul Riquet had this 67ha lake built in the 17th century to collect water from the Montagne Noire and funnel it to the Canal du Midi using a system of channels.

The Réservoir museum about the Canal du Midi explains it all beautifully. Saint-Ferréol Lake is now a popular spot for water sports, swimming and relaxing. Find out more.