MONTEGUT-LAURAGAIS PICNIC AREA

The name of Montégut appears in 1271; it is only a castle with its outbuildings (Castrum) whose seigneurial residence (present school) was occupied for a very long time by the D'Arbousier family. It successively bears the name Les Mazières. (name of the old village situated 800 metres south-west of the present village). Montégut-les-Mazières, then Montégut-de-Revel, and finally Montégut-Lauragais. Its church is named after St-Martin-les-Mazières de Montégut, then Saint-Martin de Montégut, the name of the Saint-Patron who protects it. It is celebrated on November 11th. The building was rebuilt in 1869 on the site of a modest church and consecrated the same year by Mgr DESPREZ. The murals are the work of Bernard Bénazet who decorated many religious buildings in Toulouse area. In the porch is a plaque commemorating the citizens of Montégut who fell in the conflicts of the 19th century (Crimean War and 1870, Colonial Wars) as well as those of the wars of 14-18 and 39-45. In 1854 a statue of the Virgin Mary was set at the intersection of the road to Roumens and Revel to protect the population from the cholera epidemic. It was raging in the area and had already carried more than 50 people into the commune. The history of Montégut is probably not very different from that of the other villages in the region. With the religious wars, famine, epidemics, etc... Of the old village of Las Mazières only an iron calvary remains on the site of its cemetery. The aerial views show very well traces of walls on the small plateau which dominates the calvary. It was probably ravaged by Simon de Montfort in 1211 after the capture of Lavaur in revenge for the massacre of Montgey during the Albigensian crusade. The population certainly came to take refuge in the present village. There are two hiking trails in the commune of Montégut-Lauragais, one of which passes through the village : A 1 the hike of bell-towers (it leads to the villages of Nogaret, Montgey, St-Julia and Montégut Duration: 4h30 16.2 km Difference in altitude: 365 m Difficulty: medium). B and Le Chemin de la Lande passes 800m south of the village. Duration: 2h30 9,8 km (+ 0h30 return and + 1,5km if starting from Montégut, + 0h30 and + 1 km return to reach St-Félix Difficulty: medium). Hiking circuits (cycling, mountain biking and horse riding variants) on sale at Revel, Sorèze or Saint-Félix-Lauragais Tourist Informtion Centres.