Description:

Geography

Revel is located about 50 km east of Toulouse in the Haute-Garonne department.  It is on the border with the neighbouring region of Languedoc-Roussillion and very close to the imposing fortifications of Carcassonne.  The layout of Revel is typical of the bastide towns of the medieval age, with die straight roads laid out in a grid pattern around a central square.

Tourism

Revel is almost unique in France with its perfect bastide layout dating from 1342 and is an interesting place to visit, with its central square, medieval houses and arcades.  The central square which is partially covered by a 14^th century roof supported on wooden pillars is the town's most notable feature.  The roof is topped by a distinctive bell-tower that was added in the 19^th century.  A market is held in the square every Saturday with local produce, food and clothing, the stalls spilling out from the market square into the surrounding streets. 

The tourist office, located on Place Philippe VI de Valois, provide a guided tour of the town, which lasts about one and a half hours and ends with a visit to the belfry and its terrace to take in the views of the town, surrounding countryside and the Black Mountain.  A minimum of 15 people are required for the tour, so it would be worth contacting the tourist office in advance.  Also worth a visit is the Gothic-style town church of Notre-Dame, just south of the central square.

Cabinet making is a speciality of the area and the town has a Museum of Wood and Marquetry dedicated to wood crafts located on Rue Jean Moulin.  With this tradition, you will find many furniture shops and warehouses in the town and surrounding area.

Museum opening hours : All year, Monday to Friday 0900 - 1200 and 1400 - 1800

A little way south is the Montagne Noir and Lac Saint Ferreol.  The man made lake was created to feed the Canal du Midi and now provides plenty of watersports and walks.  See our separate information page for more details.

Economy

Agriculture and pharmaceuticals play a major role n the economy, alongside the cabinet and furniture making that the town has become known for.  There are also a number of high tech businesses in the area, ranging from laser cutting to mini-helicopters.

Transport

In common with many areas of the region away from large towns, public transport is extremely sparse.  The town used to have a rail link with Toulouse but now the nearest train station is Castelnaudary about 19 km south.  A bus service does run to Toulouse but is very infrequent.  If you are driving to the area, then the A61 autoroute is about 25 minutes away, giving easy access to the whole region and particularly the airports of Toulouse and Carcassonne.

Toulouse offers International flights and also Easyjet flights to Luton, while Ryanair connect Stansted to Carcassonne.

Our travel pages provide more detailed information and links.

Check with the Revel tourist offce for more detailed information.

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