I take you back to a memorable town, as you read my blog, this is the native town of my dear late wife Martine’s late father Pierre. Of course, we have been here several times and plenty of posts in my blog, However, I like to update this off the beaten path part even if it is the tourist office of Lavaur !! Let me tell you a bit about the Round Tower or Tour des Rondes of Lavaur. The Tour des Rondes remains the only vestige still visible from the fortifications of the old town.
It is circular brick tower built before the 12C, it constituted a rampart ensuring, on the south side, the defense of the ditches which led to the Naridelle stream. This deep ravine forced people moving between Toulouse and Castres to cross Lavaur, it was only partially leveled at the end of the 18C, and today is the road to Castres. This tower was thus part of the protective walls during the siege of Lavaur by Simon IV de Montfort and the Albigensian Crusade against Catharism.
Very damaged, the Tour des Rondes was completely renovated in 1627, giving it its contemporary structure, notably the openings for musketry. It was baptized “Executioner’s Tower” in the 19C as it is under this name that it appears in an alignment plan of the city of 1809, undoubtedly in reference to the guillotine which was preserved in Lavaur during the French revolution, before being moved to Castres.
It became property of the town of Lavaur in 1826 and served from the 1830s as a public slaughter of pigs, after the withdrawal of authorization for individual slaughter in the city, and until a municipal slaughterhouse was built in 1871 in the Saint-Roch district. Other works were carried out in June 1879, when it contained utensils of public weight, and the Round Tower was entrusted to the Philharmonic Society. New repairs were carried out between 1986 and 1988. The Tour des Rondes currently houses the Lavaur Tourist Office (since April 1, 1992) and an art exhibition hall.
It is about 5 minutes walking from the traffic circle at the end of allée Jean Jaurés towards the Tour des Rondes along Quai la Tour des Rondes street. And what webpage to give you for it? Well you know it is the tourist office of Lavaur!
The Lavaur tourist office on its heritage : https://www.tourisme-tarnagout.com/d%C3%A9couvrir-et-visiter/cath%C3%A9drale-lavaur/
The city of Lavaur on its heritage : https://www.ville-lavaur.fr/votre-ville/visiter-lavaur/patrimoine/#.XiBg_v5KjIU
There you go folks, a nice walk down away from the off the beaten path even if it is the tourist office , its not in the city center but in the ramparts not far from the halle aux grains(see post), Hope you enjoy the post on the tour des rondes of Lavaur, and do stop by !
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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