The tendancy is for flights to increase in price as time goes by so if anyone wants to join the tour later they are more than welcome but we can't rely on costs given now. 

Hotel rooms booked are around £1400 for 10 people in 4 doubles & 2no singles for 3 nights - singles cost more of course pro rata. Flights are going to come in at £205 - £230, transfers to and from Bristol around £35-£40 per head each way & something similar Toulouse Airport to Castres Hotel. 

6 large cabin bags, 1 23 kg hold baggage & 13 carry on cabin bags are booked. With regard to seats - on booking certain requested seats I was not allowed to mix and match so I took the executive decision and confirmed all seats so we have 13 together in three rows on both flights. Cost is £6.99 each way per person. 

I now would like to turn to transfers. I have a confirmed cost for a bus ( max 14 people + luggage) from PYS to Bristol at £750.00 return. Spreading that cost over the 12 travelling it would work out at a little over £30 each way. In my opinion that is cost effective when compared with the cost of travelling to Bristol by car sharing when you add in parking costs. If anyone disagrees please PM. I hope to confirm this booking by the end of the week. 

I am still working on bus transfers the other end but it will be something similar. A bus transfer from Toulouse airport direct to the hotel for me is worth paying a little extra as opposed to the train journey which involves 2 changes and takes around an hour longer each way. I will report back on costs.

For anyone who is still considering the trip & for whatever reason cannot commit now please do not feel you have missed the chance. PM me if you would like updated costs etc and we can see what we can do. Future confirmations will of course have to take into account flight & hotel availability. 

  Brilliant work Gareth! and a huge thanks! Cant wait !

Can't wait!

Like everyone else, so grateful  for your efforts,  and looking forward with great anticipation. 

See what I did there. 

Collecting mini bus transfer prices at the moment - will report back soon. 

Working on the French transfers at the moment. 

Sorry I didn't answer this question Rob - I am hoping to get the tickets sorted in the next couple of weeks. Will post where once I know. 

Vehicle/s have capacity for 16no with luggage. Cost is 898 Euros which is £780 roughly. As for tickets I am planning on purchasing direct from the Castres site as we will get batter options. There is an outside chance that we may have some complimentary tickets.

Once the tickets are resolved I will then contact all travellers with a final account made up of the French transfer above, the balance of the Bristol transfer & any cost associated with the tickets.

   Fantastic work 👏 Gareth!

There is also a Sports Bar nearer the ground - probably 1km from the hotel which appear to be open all day. If anyone has any useful info please share. 

   I have heard the Irish bar is a cracking pub Gareth , spoke to a fellow Scarlet who has visited Castres previously. 

Thanks Mark - think it only right that once we reach the hotel you & I, in the interest of the tour party of course, have a little stroll to check it out. 

   Spot on Gareth! Got to sample there Guinness ,be rude not too .

My thoughts exactly - closing time is 0200 every night - little harsh I think but when in France & all that!!!!

Our hotel is well situated close to the river Agout with Castres famous for the Goya Museum (close by); cuisine wise the area is famou for roasted camambert & 5 week aged charolaise beef. My personal plan will be to have a walk along the river on Saturday morning to get some coffee/croissants on my way to the Sports Bar for pre game drinks/snack. Probably make my way back to Irish Bar post game for more of the same.

Sunday is similar with further walks along the river but I intend to book a table for lunch at Amelio Melo ( 1200-1330 hours). Rated No 3 restaurant from 127 by Tripadvisor. That should set me up nicely for an afternoon of rugby at the Sports Bar & a final visit to the Irish Bar. One of those two mornings I hope to pay a visit to the Goya Museum. If anyone is interested in joining me for the lunch on Sunday let me know & I will make the booking. 

Thats a table for two so far. 

I have booked flights and hotel for my wife and I some time ago. This is our first away trip and I was unaware of this forum or the organised trip. I think we are on the same flights, and possibly the same hotel! (Renaissance???)

Would it be possible for us to share your transfer to and from Toulouse Airport and Castres? Gordon Lewis  gordonhlewis@yahoo.co.uk

You’re in good hands with Gareth and the centre of Castres is lovely. 

Once I get the tickets I will pot the location & cost on this topic.

For those who wanted a booking for lunch on Sunday - the Amelie Melo has been closed for the past two weeks so unable to make the booking yet. Will give them another week, if still closed I will book an alternative. I will assume everyone (7) still want the booking unless I hear to the contrary. 

Just booked 15 tickets in Block RUI P rows 20 (15-18), 21 (13-18) & 22 (14-18). Look decent seats around 10m line cost 35 euros each.

That just about concludes preparations with balance of payment now due for the journey to/from Bristol. I will send everyone a final account over the next couple of days. 

  Hi Gareth what hotel are we staying in please ?

Renaissance Mark. 

Now there's an idea. Perhaps everyone could be issued with a tracker on the bus journey to Bristol airport. As the organiser I, of course, have total access to the data generated. Where did I put the number for the editor of the Sun.............