From the Place de la République ❶, go up to the right along the Place de la Liberté. Cross over to take the rue de l’Arcade opposite. Walk along Place Saint-Louis and pass under a gate of the old ramparts. About opposite, continue along rue des Moulins to reach the top of the hill and the Cugarel mill ❷ (evidence of the 32 mills mentioned in the 17th century. Viewpoint over the Fresquel plain and the Montagne Noire).

 

Cross the Place du Cugarel to go down to the right, rue de la Comédie. Turn left into rue de l’Horloge and rue Grand-rue. After the Latapie hotel, turn right into rue de la Terrasse to pass by the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church ❸ (former Cordeliers convent). At the end of the street, fork left, and pass under the bell tower which spans, on a broken archway, the rue des Quatre-Vents.

 

At the collegiate church of Saint-Michel ❹, (built in the 13th century, became a collegiate church in 1318, it has one of the most beautiful carillons of the Midi. In the vicinity, winding streets lined with old mansions; Hôtel de Gauzy, Hôtel de Bataille…), follow the Rue du Collège and continue straight on to reach the Musée du Lauragais ❺ (built in the 16th century, on the ruins of the castle which gave its name to the town, this civil and military court, also serving as a prison, was created in 1554 by Catherine de Médicis, Queen of France and Countess of Lauragais).

 

Walk along the building. At the crossroads, continue to the right (on the left, Notre-Dame-De-Pitié: Italian-style sculpted woodwork, 16th century pedestal). Go down the rue des Batailleries then through the Porte-Vieille. At the stop sign, turn right and cross the pedestrian crossing. Take the stairs on the left, then on the right, walk along the Grand Bassin ❻ (the only body of water on the Canal du Midi, harbour and water reservoir for the 4 locks of Saint-Roch). Pass the bridge and turn left (cross) to go around the basin.