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Hello intrepid travelers! I'm passionate about campervan adventures and a mother of two little explorers. This time, I want to take you on a tour of the enchanting Tarn-et-Garonne region, a campervan destination in the south of France that will leave you amazed.

This time we took this route as part of a larger Christmas motorhome trip through the South of France, a route that takes us away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities in the South of France and transports us to places full of peace and tranquility with a lot of charm.

Are you ready to discover the best of this region by motorhome ? Then get comfortable and join me on this exciting journey!

And if you don't have a motorhome and prefer to stay in apartments and hotels, here's where you can find your ideal accommodation:

About us

Before starting a Tip for traveling to France

A TIP : For health coverage while traveling, we used Iati Escapadas, which is the best travel insurance for motorhome trips around Europe . Besides medical coverage, it includes extras for the motorhome that other insurance policies don't, such as theft from inside the motorhome, which even the vehicle's own insurance doesn't cover. It even includes coverage for accidents involving your pet if you have a dog in your motorhome, like we did.

In this case, if you want to hire it, I leave you a 5% discount on the Iati Getaways that will be applied to you at the end by accessing the link below.

The Tarn-et-Garonne Department in France

The Tarn et Garonne is a magical corner in the Occitanie region, in the south of France. Known for its rich history, picturesque landscapes and charming towns, this destination has become one of my favorites to explore with the family, away from crowds and full of charm among alleys full of artisans. And believe me, I have traveled many places in a motorhome!

Where is it and how to get there

Before diving into the adventure, it is important to know how to get to this paradise on wheels.

Located in the southwestern region of France, the Tarn et Garonne is accessible from several major cities, such as Toulouse, Albi or Castres, depending on where you are coming from. The road network is excellent, making motorhome driving easy.

 If you come from Spain, you will most likely come along the AP 7 and detour through Carcassone, Toulouse until you get here, or you can go up to Béziers and then go to Mazamet, Castres and Albi to reach the Tarn et Garonne.

 Do you dare to plan your route through the Tarn et Garonne?

Why by motorhome in the Tarn et Garonne?

Why choose a motorhome to explore this jewel of the south of France?

The answer is simple: freedom and flexibility . Traveling by motorhome allows you to go at your own pace, stop in breathtaking places, and change your itinerary on the fly. Besides, who can resist the convenience of visiting a region where it's easy, and almost every town has a designated motorhome area or parking space?

TIP: If you don't have a motorhome or campervan but want to rent one and try this type of travel, remember that the cheapest option with the best experiences is to rent from private individuals through a platform like Airbnb, but for motorhomes and campers.

Route through the best of the Tarn and Garonne by motorhome

Now, what we have all been waiting for: the exciting route through the Tarn et Garonne. Get ready to discover impressive landscapes, charming towns and unforgettable experiences.

Videoblog of our route through the Tarn et Garonne in a motorhome

Discover our entire route and experience in the Tarn-et-Garonne region in our motorhome in the following video. A short video showcasing some of the things this French department has to offer.

Day 1: Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val-Caylus

Welcome to the Tarn et Garonne! We begin our adventure by arriving during the day, making sure not to miss a single detail of the beautiful landscape that surrounds us.

Discovery of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val

Our first stop is Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, a city that seems straight out of a fairy tale with a free motorhome area, although it is advertised as a parking lot but it has services.

With its winding streets and old houses, you will be transported to another time. Don't miss the Roc d'Anglars and the Roman House, the civil monument that is one of the oldest in France.

Place	Address	Contact Tourism
Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val	In the hollow of a valley between Aveyron and Bonnette	Tourist Office

And here's a fun anecdote: while we were strolling around, we discovered some lost crafts. Imagine stumbling upon a weaver spinning wool by hand with a spinning wheel! We bought some super soft alpaca wool skeins, and she explained to us step by step how she made them—more than 8 hours to make less than 100 grams of wool yarn! A unique souvenir from this charming town!

Visit and route around the lake in Caylus

After our time in Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, we headed to Caylus where the fun continues and settled into their free and fully serviced entrance motorhome area.

In Caylus we are about to visit the small town, there are restaurants and one of its streets is full of craft shops of all kinds, art, very cool ceramics and even a very special shop called the Maison du Loups, the house of the wolves. , where medieval pieces are painted and made that leaves us amazed.

After the visit through its alleys and a tea and cake, we went down to the motorhome area, but first we took the circular route to the lake that Caylus has, beautiful and with a play area for the little ones that they love.

And to top off this adventure-filled day, we spent the night in the motorhome area in Caylus! An area with all the services working and free that, despite being at the entrance to the town next to the road, when it gets dark, cars no longer pass by and we slept wonderfully.

With our hearts full of experiences and the motorhome ready for the next stop, we say goodbye for now. But don't worry, the route through the best of the Tarn and Garonne by motorhome has only just begun!

Day 2: Cycling to the Petrified Waterfall in Caylus and visiting one of the most beautiful towns in France, Bruniquel.

How about a bike ride around Caylus today ? Check out this itinerary , which is the one we took, for a unique experience. We did it and loved it! Just be aware that there's a stretch of paved road at the beginning; the rest is on a small rural backroad with hardly any traffic. It's generally very flat and easy, although the final section has a short climb.

And for little explorers, when you pass through Lacappelle-Livron on the route, the geocaching that you will find there is an activity that will keep you entertained.

Activity	Details
Bicycle route through Caylus	Itinerary
Geocaching in Lacapelle-Livron	Great activity for kids

Septfonds: a small town with a great history that touches our hearts

After the bike route, we have lunch in Caylus and back to our motorhome, we head to MOUNIÈRE, the house of memories in Septfonds. There is no motorhome area but in front of the civic center of the municipality we can park to visit this town. This place, former residence of the communist resistance of Raymond Peyrières, is now an emblem of the history of Septfonds and a museum that keeps the 3 great memories of this small town:

• The memory of the concentration camp of 6000 Spanish refugee men who entered the border during the Withdrawal in 1936 and who were deported here, crammed into 42 barracks without a bed or absolutely anything for 6 years.
• The memory of the 29 straw hat industries at the beginning of the century. Where Septfons produced more than 100.000 straw hats a day for the whole world.
• And the memory of one of the sons of the hat industry who was the first aviator to cross the Atlantic from Paris to New York non-stop.

Place	Address	Contact
MOUNIÈRE	15 Rue des Déportés, 82240 Septfonds	Website

The visit immerses us in the history of Septfonds, from its role in the Second World War to the hat-making activity of the XNUMXth century. It's fascinating how historical events have shaped this small town!

We left with our hearts full of history and very touched by the story of the Spanish refugees who suffered so much there.

Now where the concentration camp used to be there is a memorial and a reconstruction of one of the barracks full of photographs; you can find it 2 kilometers from the center of Sepfonds here.

After Septfons we headed to Bruniquel.

Bruniquel, one of the most beautiful villages in France in the Tarn and Garonne

We arrived in Bruniquel, a town with a history dating back to the Paleolithic era . Who would guess that a small cave, the Pouxet Cave , hides vestiges of that time?

Place	Address	Contact
Bruniquel	2 rue de la Fraternité – 82800 Bruniquel	Phone: 05 63 67 29 84

But what truly makes Bruniquel stand out are its two castles, both listed as historical monuments: the 13th-century Old Castle and the 15th-century Young Castle. Imagine stepping back into the Middle Ages as you stroll through these architectural gems!

You will really fall in love with Bruniquel.

Randones: routes for children in France

For the little ones, Bruniquel offers a visiting route designed especially for them, a randoné they call it in France. So make sure you wear comfortable shoes and explore this charming town in a unique way!

The only thing you have to do to do this route with games for children is to first go to the tourist office and ask them for the booklet.

La Bioule to sleep on the banks of the Aveyron river

With the afternoon drawing to a close, we headed towards the free Bioule motorhome area, ready to rest and recharge for the next day full of exciting discoveries. Some cars pass during the day on the road in front, but the place with a large sports playground for children and natural surroundings is worth it. At night you can't even hear a car.

And here comes day 2 of our adventure in the Tarn et Garonne! But don't worry, there is still much to explore in this wonderful region!

Day 3: Visit to the capital of the Tarn et Garonne, Montauban.

After a quiet night in the Bioule area, we woke up with the excitement of exploring a city full of history and art such as Montauban, the capital of the department.

Montauban: City of Art and History

Montauban, classified as City of Art and History, is much more than a stop on our trip. Founded in 1144, this city has the title of being the prototype of the bastides of the southwest, built according to a geometric plan that reveals perpendicular streets that isolate the blocks.

Destination	Attractions
Montauban	Place Nationale, Old Bridge, Street Art, Saint-Jacques Church, Ingres Bourdelle Museum

The first thing we did when we arrived in Montauban was pick up the street art brochure, Street art, at the Tourist Office and we ventured through the pedestrian streets of the historic center and surrounding areas discovering its street murals. What a surprise to discover the wonders that local artists have left on the walls! From vibrant graffiti to unique installations, every corner is a work of art waiting to be discovered.

Ingres Bourdelle Museum, art is always a good choice

Before getting completely lost in the street art, we decided to explore the Ingres Bourdelle Museum . This museum houses an impressive collection of works by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and Antoine Bourdelle, two artists who left an indelible mark on the history of European art. A truly professional museum that we loved visiting.

Montauban at Christmas: Mapping of the Cathedral Facade, Christmas Lights and the Lantern Festival

We visited Montauban at Christmas, so as evening approached, we headed towards the imposing cathedral. But a surprise awaited us! A projection of the cathedral's facade and the city's Christmas lights created a magical spectacle that left us in awe. The illuminated streets and festive atmosphere created the perfect ambiance for an evening stroll!

The Christmas market also just started yesterday, December 7th, so we can visit it too.

What we can't visit is the Lantern Festival , which starts on December 15th and runs for two months until February 11th. We visited it before and it's something we consider both essential and beautiful.

Night at the Port Canal Motorhome Area in Montauban

After a day full of discoveries and excitement, we returned to the Port Canal campervan area for a peaceful night. With the gentle murmur of the rain as our only comfort and the city lights as a backdrop, we rested, ready for the next stage of our adventure.

The area has a fee of 10 euros 24 hours and belongs to the Montech Canal port, so you must pay to access beforehand at the Port Captain's Office or if it is closed in the first motorhome in the area that belongs to the port captain. From the area to the center of Montauban it is almost 30 minutes on foot or 10 by bike along the bike path next to the area.

Day 4: Cycling along the Montech canal and visiting the Pente d'aux museum

We start our day from the Port Canal motorhome area in Montauban, ready to enjoy a 10km bike ride that will take us along a wonderful greenway to Montech in approximately 45 minutes, a municipality worth visiting for being the center of the meeting of two important canals.

GPS Itinerary: Vélo from Montauban to Montech

Imagine the wind on your face as we pedal along the Montech Canal! This peaceful tour offers us not only healthy exercise, but also the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the nature and history that line this canal.

Bike route through the Montech Canal	Distance	Estimated duration
Montauban to Montech	20 km go and return	2 hours by bike

Discovering the Pente d'eau de Montech, an essential museum

Our first stop in Montech is the fascinating Pente d'eau, an engineering marvel worth discovering as a family in its free museum where the tourist office is also located.

Maison de Site de la Pente d'eau de Montech – Office de tourisme Grand Sud Tarn et Garonne:
21 rue de l'usine – 82700 Montech
www.pentedeaudemontech.fr

We explore this unique site that combines history and nature, learning about its importance in the canal and navigation system. Children will love discovering the secrets of this pente d'eau!

A meal worth recommending at Montech: Bistrot Constant

After an exhilarating bike ride and a dose of history at the Pente d'eau, it's time to recharge at Bistrot Constant . This cozy restaurant is perfect for a delicious and relaxing lunch on the canal banks, featuring amazing French cuisine. They have a daily set menu that offers fantastic value for money (€20).

Restaurant	Website
Constant Bistro	Enlace

Bike ride to Montauban

With satisfied stomachs and smiles on our faces, we begin the bike ride back to Montauban. The return allows us to enjoy again the beautiful landscapes that the Montech Canal offers us.

And so concludes our day of cycling exploration and our route through the Tarn and Garonne.

 With our hearts full of memories, we say goodbye until the next route.

Until next time, friends!

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