Castelsarrasin (; oc, Los Sarrasins) is a commune in the
Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne (; oc, Tarn e Garona ) is a department in the Occitania region in Southern France. It is traversed by the rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name. The area was originally part of the former provinces of Quercy and ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...
of France. The inhabitants are called ''Castelsarrasinois''. It is the second most populous commune in Tarn-et-Garonne after
Montauban
Montauban (, ; oc, Montalban ) is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department, region of Occitania, Southern France. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse. Montauban is the most populated town in Tarn-et-Garonne, ...
The first certain evidence of the town dates from 961. The name, ''Castel Sarracenum'', would indicate that the castle was built in the
Saracen
upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens
Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia ...
era. The early history of the city is marked by wars; against the English until the end of the 12th century, then the
Albigensian Crusade
The Albigensian Crusade or the Cathar Crusade (; 1209–1229) was a military and ideological campaign initiated by Pope Innocent III to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc, southern France. The Crusade was prosecuted primarily by the French crow ...
during the first part of the 13th century, and then the Shepherd's Crusade of 1320 that resulted in the deaths of many Jews in the city. The region was much affected by the Hundred Years' War, and again, during the wars of religion of the 16th century, the city's largely Catholic population was in frequent conflict with the generally Protestant surrounding region.
The region is calmer during the following centuries, up to the time of the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
.
Castelsarrasin was the finish of Stage 17 in the
2007 Tour de France
The 2007 Tour de France the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 to 29 July. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain. It was ...
Charles de Mazade
Louis Charles Jean Robert de Mazade (19 March 1820, to Castelsarrasin, Tarn-et-Garonne – 27 April 1893, Paris) was a French historian, journalist
A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pict ...
, born in 1820.
*
Pierre Perret
Pierre Perret (born 9 July 1934 in Castelsarrasin, Tarn-et-Garonne) is a French singer and composer. Pierre Perret resides in the city of Nangis.
Biography
He spent a long part of his childhood in the café which his parents owned, where he le ...
, singer born on 9 July 1934.
* Caroline Costa, singer born in 1996
Monuments
* Église Saint-Sauveur, dating from the 13th century.
Administration
Castelsarrasin is the sub-prefecture of the department.
Bernard Dagen, pharmacist by profession, was mayor between 1989 and 2014.