Taxi Toulouse → Revel

Revel is a magnificent medieval bastide founded in 1342 by Philippe VI de Valois, on the edge of the Montagne Noire and the Lauragais. Its historic centre revolves around a central arcaded square — one of the finest in France — with its 14th-century covered market hall supported by massive stone and brick pillars, topped by an octagonal belfry. This hall has hosted a market for 700 years, the pride of the region. Revel is the French capital of art furniture: since the 18th century, dozens of cabinetmakers, marquetry artists, gilders and lacquerers have perpetuated a craft of excellence, labelled 'Ville et Metiers d'Art' (City of Art and Crafts). The Wood and Marquetry Museum presents pieces of extraordinary virtuosity. A few kilometres away, Lake Saint-Ferreol, a reservoir built by Pierre-Paul Riquet in the 17th century to feed the Canal du Midi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (as part of the Canal du Midi). The lake offers supervised swimming in summer, hiking trails and a museum dedicated to Riquet. The nearby Montagne Noire, with its beech forests, waterfalls and stone villages, is a wonderful playground for nature lovers. Revel combines medieval heritage, craft excellence and preserved nature just 45 minutes from Toulouse.