News: So, who are Castres?


By Jonathan Stockham
June 27 2010

They're the one side in our Heineken Cup Pool for 2010/11 that we haven't bumped into before, Edinburgh and Cardiff being the others. Castres Olympique finished the Top 14 in a creditable 5th place, just 1 point behind this year's European Champions, Toulouse and 7 points below league leaders Perpignan and Toulon.

Castres Olympique
 

However, they fared less well in the Amlin Challenge Cup last season, finishing 3rd in a pool dominated by Toulon and Saracens .

 

The club is based at Stade Pierre Antoine on Rue de Bisséous - 81100 CASTRES although memorabilia collectors will want to head for the boutique at 205, Avenue Charles de Gaulle. The club's web site is at www.castres-olympique.com

 

Castres have 2 players in the current French squad touring South Africa and Argentina, namely Luc Ducalcon and Marc Andreu.

 

The town of Castres is located in the Tarn departement of France and in fact sits astride the River Tarn itself. It lies some 40 miles east of Toulouse and just under 30 miles north of Carcassonne, both of whose airports will be well known to travelling Saints fans. Castres has an airport of its own but only has connections to Paris Orly and Lyon, with 2 flights per day to each destination.

 

The ever wondrous French railway system will deliver you from Paris in a little over 7 hours but a change at Toulouse (if you can persuade the TGV to slow down) seems inevitable.

 

The local tourist office web site with maps of the town etc is at www.ville-castres.fr

 

From that site on Castres today:

 

"With 46,000 inhabitants, Castres is today the central city of the Castres-Mazamet urban area which includes sixteen communes and 85,000 inhabitants. The traditional know-how of the textile, granite and wood craftsmanship runs alongside more recent activities such as mechanical engineering, pharmacology and cosmetology.


The Castres-Mazamet airport offers links to Paris and Lyon.

 

A rugby city,with the Castres Olympique(CO), Castres also has a garrison force represented by the 8th Marine Infantry Paratrooper Regiment.  (Calm down girls! - Ed)


For several years now Castres has been developing a veritable centre for academic education, especially university education, by multiplying the post-Baccalaureate study opportunities. Begun in 2003 and to be continued over several years yet, important urban planning and restoration works will allow for an enhancement of the architectural and urban heritage: restoration of Our Lady of La Platé, of the Goya Museum and of the Belfry, re-structuring of the place Jean Jaurès and of the city centre."

 

No mention of hats on wheels but we live in hope!

 

More details will follow nearer the date the fixture, including the location of " The Irish Bar." They're bound to have one!

 

ed - widdling on Stockers chips:

Pubs
The Quay, an Irish pub with live music and TV screens for taking in some of the other Heineken Cup rugby over the weekend that is open until 2am is located at                    23 rue Frederic Thomas.

 

 

                                                          

 

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News: So, who are Castres?
Discussion started by ComeOnYouSaints.com , 27/06/2010 21:15
ComeOnYouSaints.com
27/06/2010 21:15
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Little saint
27/06/2010 22:07
i think we should easily beat them at home, but away to a french side is always tough



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:06:27:22:55:58 by Little saint.

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Mark H
28/06/2010 06:46
They're also moving two league matches away from home due to capacity issues - they only can fit 10,000 in, so are going down to Beziers which has a capacity of 17,000.

It's a very quiet town, particularly on Sundays when pretty much everything is closed.

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ChrisG
28/06/2010 08:02
Would be good if they moved our game to Beziers

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Flyhooker
28/06/2010 09:17
I am pretty sure we played Castres at home one year long ago in some European lesser tournament as they score two tries agianst us from there scrum on the 25 meter line in an impressive move that was breathtakingly quick.

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balders
28/06/2010 11:32
I think that might have been Narbonne Mr Fly but happy to stand corrected. Seem to recall they played in Orange.

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St Marlowe
28/06/2010 11:53
No Balders - They play in the South of France - not The Netherlands

David L

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

- Live wrong and preposterously

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Rich.
28/06/2010 11:54
Probably was Narbonne if in Orange. Surprising about the Beziers thing - I know that area pretty well and it's a good 50 miles from Casters to Beziers on a not that quick a road. Wherever it is go if you can -= great area and people

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balders
28/06/2010 12:32
This article is a nice appetite wetter and at this stage of summer tedium I'm reallylooking forward to the trip to Castres. Eeven if they don't play in Orange (as do Narbonne). Thought you knew nearly everything St M. (Sm108)

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Flyhooker
28/06/2010 13:17
You could be right Balders old chap as once you get past 50 the mind plays tricks on you.
I distinctly remember us being undone by the speed of there attack from their scrum on our 25 they were over before we could blink.

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Stockers
28/06/2010 15:58
Hang on....Orange IS in the South of France! Near Avignon init?

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Saint Kris
28/06/2010 16:56
The future's bright?

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Darraghgirl
28/06/2010 20:42
We played Castres last december. It's a very pretty little town, well worth a weekend away. They had a nice Christmas market there if I remember correctly. Their ground is decidedly lacking in ladies loos though so beware - you are spoiled for choice at the Gardens! They were also quite tough to beat on home soil - we definitely were lucky to come away with a win.

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Mark H
29/06/2010 00:12
Midi Olympique has a feature on Castres this week. I'll put the edited highlights up once the paper arrives tomorrow or Wednesday.

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Sterops
03/07/2010 10:39
Saints en France during the Summer can get a look at Castres during the following advertised T14 preseason fixtures:

30/07 Castres Olympique v Pau (Hagetnau)
04/08 Castres Olympique v Glasgow (Laucune)
07/08 Castres Olympique v Colomiers (Lavaur)

Top Quartorze itself starts the weekend of 13/08.

http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/nosferatu-2.jpg

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