If you are wondering what to visit around Toulouse, here is the Bastides du Tarn tourist circuit in Occitanie which can be done in 2 days.

In this article, I'm going to share with you a fantastic itinerary that allows you to discover a magnificent part of my beautiful Occitanie region in the South of France . You'll find the stages of this Tarn Bastides or Albigensian Bastides circuit and a Google map to follow by car, van, or motorcycle!

---

What to visit around Toulouse in 2 days?

Perched villages, Cathar castles , medieval towns, but also the Tarn gorges and our beautiful hills colored with sunflowers – every landscape, every stone contributes to the beauty of the Occitanie region . It's difficult to select just a few places to visit in the very short time of a weekend!

So, for this short 2-day getaway around Toulouse , I only selected:

• a few Great sites of Occitania (for some classified as World Heritage by Unesco),
• the sites that are among the most beautiful villages of France,
• un unusual site in the South West : a Whiskey distillery,
• but also my hometown: Toulouse (starting point of the circuit).

Visit the Bastides of Tarn from Toulouse

My itinerary doesn't allow time to visit Albi or Gaillac, which are also must-see sites near Toulouse. In fact, I preferred to include a visit to the city of Toulouse, which serves as the starting point for my tour of the Bastides of the Tarn (perhaps I'm a little biased?).

Here is the ideal program for visiting the Bastides du Tarn from Toulouse:

• DAY 1 - Arrival and Toulouse visit + night in Toulouse

• DAY 2 Bastides du Tarn circuit :
  • Whiskey Distillery
  • Ropes on Sky
  • Saint Antonin Noble Val
  • Penne
  • Bruniquel
  • Castelnau-de-Montmiral
  • Return to Toulouse.

How to organize this weekend around Toulouse?

Nothing could be easier than organizing this weekend around Toulouse! Simply :

• Take a bus, flight or return train to Toulouse or carpool with blablacar to Toulouse;
• Book a hotel or Airbnb in Toulouse center;
• Rent a car to do the Bastides du Tarn circuit by following the itinerary and my advice below.

The Cathar Bastides around Toulouse

The word bastide comes from the Occitan bastida, which was the name given to new towns founded from the 13th century onwards in southwestern France during the period from the Albigensian Crusade to the Hundred Years' War.

In fact, they are linked to Catharism which developed mainly in the South-West of France. The Catholic Church quickly rejected this religious movement which they called “heresy”. To destroy all heretics, the Catholic Church will rely on the lords who organize in 1208 a great crusade which will ravage the South West of France for decades.

Cordes sur ciel or Castelnau de Montmiral represent the typical example of the bastides founded during the crusade against the Albigensians to protect the "good men" and "good women" of the villages that Simon de Montfort was destroying.

Nearly 500 bastides were built between 1222 and 1373 in the southwest of France. In addition to their incredible charm (because they are built high up in the middle of the sublime landscape), these bastides constitute an important historical heritage and a fundamental element of the identity of the Occitanie region!

Route map of the Bastides du Tarn circuit

This tourist circuit around the Bastides du Tarn or Albigensian Bastides makes a loop from Toulouse which is approximately 250 kilometers long. This route can easily be done in 1 day (by getting up early) or in 1 weekend (cooler).

---

Take the opportunity to visit Toulouse

Before discovering the sites on my tourist circuit around Toulouse, I advise you to take the opportunity to visit the pink city (see how to visit Toulouse on foot in 1 day ).

By following this walking tour, you can discover the most beautiful spots in the Pink City and enjoy its festive atmosphere. Did you know that the best wine bar in the world is in Toulouse?

---

Bastides du Tarn circuit around Toulouse

To start this tourist circuit from Toulouse, you will have to hit the road early for a 1h15 drive to reach the 1st stage in Villeneuve sur Vère.

Unusual visit in the South West

Indeed, for the first leg of my tour around Toulouse, I suggest a visit to a whisky distillery . In fact, the Castan distillery is the first whisky distillery in the Occitanie region . It produces VILANOVA whiskies, including limited editions with unique characteristics.

But the Castan family, owner of vines, also operates and vinifies the wines of Domaine La Gardelle, an organic vineyard, in the Gaillac appellation, located on the Cordais plateau.

To book your visit, please call 05.63.53.04.61 or email contact@distillerie-castan.com

---

Cordes sur Ciel - The most beautiful Bastide in the South West

For the 2nd stage of my tour (only 10 km from the distillery), I'm taking you to visit one of the most beautiful sites in the Occitanie region : Cordes sur Ciel!

This is one of the oldest Cathar bastides in the Southwest (founded in 1222 by the Count of Toulouse). Its narrow streets, stone houses and sculpted facades make this village a must-see for tourists in Occitanie.

Rolled up on the top of Puech de Morgagne, Cordes offers from the top of its ramparts breathtaking views over the Cérou Valley.

Saint Antonin Noble Val - Medieval city

For the 3rd stage of my Bastides du Tarn circuit, you will drive 30 minutes to reach a pretty medieval town in Tarn et Garonne.

Located in the heart of the Aveyron Gorges , dominated by the cliffs of Roc d'Anglars, Saint Antonin Noble Val attracts visitors with the charm of its medieval streets, its Romanesque House, its House of Love and its old tanneries.

Penne - Fortress on the Gorges de l'Aveyron

15 km from Saint Antonin Noble Val, there is a small village which is definitely my favorite: PENNE!

First of all, Penne is discovered by its pretty little medieval village where time has stood still ... Then you have to climb through the small winding streets to access the imposing medieval fortress. In the course of renovation, the entry is paying and intended to finance the work.

From the top of the fortress, the view is magnificent on the wild nature of the forest of Grésigne and on the Aveyron river which flows below.

Bruniquel - Most beautiful village in France

The next stage is located 15 km from Penne, in Bruniquel in the Tarn et Garonne.

Ranked among the most beautiful villages in France, Bruniquel is located in a magnificent landscape: on the border of Quercy and Rouergue, at the end of the Gorges de l'Aveyron.

This village is very touristy and of authentic beauty. It was not for nothing that it was chosen as the location for the filming of the Old Gun in 1975!

Castelnau de Montmiral - Cathar Bastide

Last bastide and last visit of my weekend in Occitania, Castelnau de Montmiral is a Cathar city from 1222. Half-timbered houses, medieval streets, splendid place with arcades… It would be a shame not to make a small tourist stopover!

Where to stay to do this tour around Toulouse?

As the Bastides du Tarn circuit leaves from Toulouse and returns to Toulouse, the ideal is to choose a hotel in the pink city (2 minutes walk from the Capitol).

To avoid choosing a hotel in a less desirable area of ​​Toulouse , here's a lovely hotel well-located in the city center: Le Grand Balcon

---

Want to discover other sites in my beautiful region of Occitanie?

Here is my route from Montpellier to Perpignan

my road trip in the Gard

my weekend around Carcassonne

or a short stay in Saint Guilhem le Désert

or the route of the most beautiful villages of the Lot and Aveyron