The crisis in the leather/wool business once again pushed the Mazamétains to react. Forgetting about the old antagonisms, Mazamet and Castres first created the Castres-Mazamet District, which recently became the Community of Urban centers, gathering about 20 cities in Tarn, and giving back a new economical dynamism to the region, making it the second employment basin of the area after Toulouse. The Community of Urban Centers is endowed with outstanding means to attract new companies, such as: an airport (2 round trips to Paris a day, 2 round trips to Lyon a day); several "Pépinières d'Entreprises" (company "training grounds" - 5 at all), among which the "Espace ressources" (seat of the Community of Urban Centers), which shelters high-tech companies, such as CGx, Media-Castres,... and is connected to a high speed network. 

NOTE: these pictures do not belong to me.

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Mazamet is a charming little city, which despite its size, has got such dynamic structures, as an up to date cultural center, the "Espace Apollo" (Movie theater/regular theater/exhibition hall, a Media library/Library,... ); National sports events (cycle race of the Black Mountain, Car rally of the black mountain, "Laurent Jalabert" race,...); the "Fanfares sans frontières" festival, which draws a huge crowd every July; an important market twice a week on the central square (next to the Town Hall); ...

The look of the city has changed greatly in the past 15 years:

"Allées Rouvière"

The Apollo Center - Cultural Center-

The Gambetta Square

"cours René Reille"

Finally, "green tourism" has taken a more and more important part in the economy of the place, the Black Mountain offering many possibilities in hiking, discovering the Historical past, or simply resting next to beautiful sites.

(Office of Tourism: tel.: +33.563.61.27.07 / fax: +33.563.98.24.16)