Geographical setting
The historic village of Ricaud originally developed on a south-facing hilltop above a marshland fed by the Naube stream.
History
In the 1st century AD, a station named Fines was established at Les Pesquies in Ricaud on the Via Aquitania, which connects Toulouse with Narbonne. Fines was a Gallo-Roman settlement serving trade and a staging post on an important transport route between the cities of Carcassonne and Toulouse; as far as Castelnaudary, its route corresponded to that of today's RN 113. The Fines station did not survive beyond the 3rd century AD.
Gypsum and stone were extracted at the Chantiers site in the 18th and 19th centuries. Saint Sulpice Church was consecrated in 1702. On the morning of 1 October 1846, it burned down after a bell and subsequently the bell tower collapsed.
Today's Château de Ricaud stands on the site of a former fort covering approximately twelve hectares. From 1550 to 1559, Lavailh leased the seigneurial estate of Ricaud held by the Bernuy family.
Accommodation
Le Rastel is a two-hundred-year-old manor house in Ricaud that is offered for seasonal rental. It has a one-hectare park with terraces and a heated swimming pool.
Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Ricaud can include the village in their travel plans.
Connections
LiO bus route 350 connects Castelnaudary, Villefranche-de-Lauragais and Toulouse.
