Castéra-Verduzan

1 - Adventure playground in Castéra-Verduzan - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

2 - Leisure Base - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

3 - The lake at Castéra-Verdezan - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

4 - Casino in Castéra-Verduzan - © Casino de Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

5 - Casino in Castéra-Verduzan - © Casino de Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

6 - View of the village - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

7 - Bird's eye view of Castéra-Verduzan - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

8 - Footpath in Castéra-Verduzan - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

9 - Horse race - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

10 - Welcome committee of Castéra-Verduzan - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

11 - Nursery school - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

12 - Nursery school - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

13 - Primary school - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

14 - Church of the "Vieux Castéra" - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

15 - Open space in Castéra-Verduzan - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

16 - Castéra-Verduzan Thermal Baths - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

17 - The Auloue river - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

18 - "Place de l'ancien Foirail" - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

19 - Jean-Michel Garcia, Mayor of Castéra-Verduzan - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

The Mayor : Jean-Michel Garcia, Mayor of Castéra-Verduzan

Mayor's speech

I am a Castéra native (my parents as well). I have always appreciated the natural vitality of this small spa town in the heart of the verdant valleys, halfway between the two largest cities of the department, Auch and Condom.
Our tourist industry has provided us with a strong element of attraction and a beautifully flourishing community.
As well, in Castéra there is a richness of sports and cultural associations available to newcomers.
Feel free to contact us at : mairie.castera@wanadoo.fr

Welcome committee of Castéra-Verduzan
Contact : Françoise KNEPPER

Shops and craftsmen

• - 1 bakery(s) - 1 slaughter(s) - 3 bar(s) - 1 grocery(s) - 1 press(s) - 3 restaurant(s) - 1 market place(s) - 8 skilled workmen - 6 bed and breakfast(s) - 17 gite(s) - 2 hotel(s) - 1 campsite(s) - 1 estate agent(s) - post - 16 km to a department store

Day care

• Child minding.
• Day-nursery

  -After-school child-minding facility from 7.30 am to 7 pm
  -Children's Community Centre - opening hours : 7.30 am to 7 pm on wednesdays and during school holidays (except in the on the second fortnight of August)

Schools

• Nursery school (sur place)
  3 class(es)
  20 élèves
  Transport
• Primary school (sur place)
  3 classes
  20 élèves
  Spécialité :

  -CP au CM2
  -Informatique et Initiation de l'anglais au CP

  
  Transport
• Comprehensive school
  • à Vic-Fezensac à 20 minutes

  Collège Gabriel Séailles
  6 Place Zacharie Baque
  Tél : 05 62 06 31 65
  Fax : 05 62 64 46 63
  Mail : 0320033m@ac-toulouse.fr
  Site Internet : http://clg-gseailles.ac-toulouse.fr/  

  •  à Condom à 20 minutes
    

  Collège Saint-Exupéry
  Chemin Bellefille 32100 CONDOM
  Tél : 05 62 28 04 31 Fax : 05 62 28 04 05
  Courriel : 0320010m@ac-toulouse.fr
  Site Internet : http://pedagogie.ac-toulouse.fr/col-saint-exupery-condom/

  •  à Auch à 30 minutes
  
  Transport
• Secondary school
  
  • à Condom à 20 minutes
  Lycée Bossuet
  42 Rue Jules Ferry
  Tél: 05 62 28 00 85 - fax: 05 62 28 46 08
  Mail : bossuet@ac-toulouse.fr
  Site Internet : http://www.bossuet.org/
  
  
  • à Auch à 30 minutes
    

  Lycée des Métiers Le Garros
  1 bis rue Darwin BP 529 32021 Auch
  Tél. : 05 62 60 15 30 Fax : 05 62 63 18 59 (Etablissement public - Internat)
  Site Internet : http://pedagogie.ac-toulouse.fr/lyc-le-garros-auch/

  Lycée Pardailhan
  Chemin de Baron BP 376 32008 Auch
  Tél. : 05 62 61 42 50 Fax : 05 62 61 42 51 (Etablissement public - Internat)
  Site internet : http://pedagogie.ac-toulouse.fr/lyc-pardailhan-auch/

  Lycée privé Oratoire
  50 bis rue Victor Hugo BP 61 32002 Auch Tél. : 05 62 05 03 25 Fax : 05 62 61 84 28 (Etablissement privé sous contrat - Internat filles)
  Site Internet : http://www.oratoire-auch.com/
  
  Transport

Association

• Amicale Sapeurs-Pompiers
  Mlle GABOULOFF Sandrine
  
• Association Parents d'Elèves (APE)
  Mme MASCARENC Véronique
  Mr ZUMALACARREGUI J-F
• Club Beau Soleil (3ème Age)
  Mme SAUTON Annette
  
• Commerçants et Artisans
  Mr ZADRO Jean-Claude
  
• Festif' Pompier Castéra
  Mr RINALDI Jean-Jacques
  
• FNACA
  Mr LAPEYRE Jean-Claude
  
• Football Club Castéra
  Mme BONNET Chantal
  
• Foyer des Jeunes
  Mr BORIE Nicolas
  
• IDEAL 32
  Mr AGRAS Pierre
  
• La Petite Pierre
  Mr VOTANO Dimitri petitepierre@free.fr
  
• Les Amis du Vieux Castéra
  Mme MAZA Danièle
  
• Les Cavaliers de l'Armagnac
  Mr SAUTON Michel
  
• Musicoli (école musique)
  Mme VOTANO Sylvie
  
• Saint-Hubert Castéroise
  Mr AGRAS Pierre
  
• Société de Pêche
  Mr PALLARES Gontran
  
• V.C.C.R.G.Basket
  Mr COMINOTTI Jacques
  

Health

• Nurse : sur place, 3 infirmière(s).
• Doctor : ( sur place)
  2 medecin(s)
  
• Dentist : ( sur place)
  1 dentiste(s)
  
• Physiotherapist : ( sur place)
  1 kiné(s)
  
• Hospital : Auch (à 25 min)
  
• Chemist's : ( sur place)
  
• Veterinary : Vic-Fezensac (à 18 min) Auch (à 25 min)
  
• Other :
  -Orthophoniste
  -Service d'Aide et d'Accompagnement à Domicile

• The completion of renovation of the village crossings (i.e. sidewalks, lighting, floral arrangements, etc..), complementing the work of the southern and northern entrances already carried out in late 2008
• The launching of a development program (PAE) to create new prospects for urbanisation to accommodate newcomers
• Action in the context of environmental and sustainable development: modernization of water supply and sanitation (2009/2010)
• The development of the recreation area near the swimming lake, and the creation of a fishing lake (2010/2011)
• New nursery school
• The creation of a multimedia library
• The installation of a local radio station : DFM 930
• The opening of a retirement home with an occupancy of 84 people by 2009

20 - Church of the "Vieux Castéra" - © CLA Castéra-Verduzan/CEEI Gers Gascogne

Castéra-Verduzan is a relatively young town, created in 1821 from the merging of 3 villages: Verduzan, la Cavalerie, and Castéra-Vivent. However, the hot springs located in the village had been identified very early on. It is certain that at one point the Romans installed a camp on site taking full advantage of these springs. The etymology of Castéra can be traced back to the Latin word “castelare” meaning "camp".
Castéra and the surrounding area were under the possession of the Templiers in the 12th century and then under the reign of the counts of Armagnac up until the rule of King Henry IV.
Beginning from the 18th century onwards, through the actions of several people (notably the Intendant of Etigny, the Marquis de Pins, and the Baron de Lascours), Castéra's reputation grew. The famous doctor Raulin, physician to King Louis XV, at one point was responsible for analysing the thermal waters. Doctor Raulin attested to the curative virtues of the hot springs in his "Treaty of Castéravivant mineral water." The king donated 60,000 'livres' for the drilling of the sulphurous source of “Grande Fontaine.” These waters, along with that of “Petit Fontaine” (discovered in 1771), are quite similar to those of Vichy. Raulin wrote that these sources were the most useful and valuable to the kingdom, notably for the treatment of oral mucosal-lingual.
The old part of the spa was rebuilt by the Marquis de Pins in 1817. The peristyle colonnade and the staircase are quite impressive. Charles X contributed to this work with a donation of 10,000 francs.
On December 4, 1840 Odilon-Marc Lannelongue was born in Castéra-Verduzan. President of the Academy of Medicine, he worked in Poincaré, Fallières, and even operated on Sarah Bernhardt. Until his death in 1911, he ardently supported the community.
The village of Castéra is not "very old," and while it may not be the home of any major sites, the facade of its thermal baths is by far noteworthy. As well, Castéra is the birthplace of the Professor Lannelongue, was once the site of the National Museum (until 1952), and is now host to a casino. Admirable are the beautiful mosaics and reproductions of works auctioned in 1986, especially with 6 Gobelins tapestries repurchased by the State for 1,500,000 francs.
The church of Old Castéra (18th century), with its characteristic steeple, is included in the Inventory of Historic Monuments. Currently, a restoration project is underway with the support of the Heritage Foundation.