Lisle-sur-Tarn · 5 km
Château Lastours
In Lisle-sur-Tarn, one of the oldest and largest estates in the Gaillac country: the de Faramond family has farmed fifty-two hectares here for four centuries, between château, French gardens and vaulted cellars.
Château Lastours is one of those estates that merge with their family. The de Faramond family has been here for more than four centuries — the archives go back to the 16th century — and it is now Louis de Faramond who runs the house, since 2013, continuing his father Hubert’s work. That continuity shows everywhere: in the château, the formal French gardens, the dovecote, the vaulted cellars where the wines age.
The vineyard covers fifty-two hectares on the slopes of Lisle-sur-Tarn, two-thirds red, one-third white, on vines averaging around thirty years. You’ll find the emblematic Gaillac grapes — Braucol and Duras for the reds, Mauzac and Loin de l’Œil for the whites — alongside a few varieties from elsewhere, Syrah or Sauvignon, planted over the decades. Enough for a broad range, from characterful Gaillac to more immediate cuvées.
Worth knowing before you come: the estate can be visited on weekdays without an appointment (on Sundays, call ahead), and it’s a chance to see a real wine château, gardens and all. And on several Sundays a year, Lastours turns festive for a musical brunch — buffet, concert and open air. To discover the grapes the Gaillac country champions, it’s also a fine place to start.
Where to find the estate
5 km from Gaillac, on the heights of Lisle-sur-Tarn.
- 1 Château Lastours — Allée de Lastours, 81310 Lisle-sur-Tarn
Good to know
- Can you visit the estate?
- Yes, Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6.30pm, and Sunday by appointment. The tour takes in the vaulted cellars, the French gardens and the dovecote, before a guided tasting. For groups, it's best to call ahead.
- What are the musical brunches?
- On several Sundays through the year, the château hosts a brunch with live music: a generous buffet, a band and the estate setting, from 11am to 4pm. It has become one of the most popular fixtures in Lisle. The programme and bookings are on the event page.
- What do you taste here?
- Gaillac reds and whites, on the local grapes — Braucol, Duras, Mauzac, Loin de l'Œil — rounded out by a few international varieties planted over the years. The estate plays both Gaillac tradition and more approachable blends.
- Why 'château'?
- Because it is one, and has been for a long time: the de Faramond family has held the place since the 16th century, and the site was lived in well before. French gardens, a dovecote, old cellars — it's as much a heritage ensemble as a wine estate.
Visit the estate
Come taste on site
Monday to Saturday, 9am–6.30pm; Sunday by appointment. A tour of the vaulted cellars, the French gardens and the dovecote, followed by a guided tasting.
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health. Drink responsibly.