Saint-Alain Cathedral

It’s impossible to remain indifferent to the majesty of Saint-Alain Cathedral, its Renaissance organ case, and its famous Jacquemart! As you step inside, you’ll discover the beauty of the restorations of its 19th-century painted decorations.
This beautiful brick building in the Toulouse Gothic style was constructed in 1255. The structure, which overlooks the Agout River, features a single nave flanked by chapels, and to the west, a massive bell tower with a monumental portal. Its polychrome carved wooden organ case (1523) is a masterpiece of Renaissance art in the Midi region. The Cavaillé-Coll Great Organ was installed in 1876.
The restoration of all the 19th-century painted decorations was completed in 2016. Be sure to come and admire the results!

The town of Lavaur is the only one in southwestern France to have a Jacquemart, a wooden automaton hoisted into the cathedral tower in the early 17th century.

Legend has it that during the Wars of Religion, a Protestant prisoner locked in the cathedral tower was forced to ring the bells every hour. He devised a plan, building an automated mechanism to do it for him... ...and was thus able to escape right under his jailers’ noses!

Open year-round.
Free admission.
Guided tours in the summer: contact the Lavaur tourist information office for details.