Why go?

Its fortress-like, 13th-century Sainte-Cécile cathedral overlooking the Tarn river is worth a visit alone. Standing proud like a menacing brickwork guardian of the southern French city, it’s thought to be the largest of its kind in the world and forms part of the Episcopal City – a collection of buildings and old quarters listed by Unesco. But the streets over which it surveys are a labyrinth full of French history, with every twist and turn of time reflected in its buildings, people and culture.

What to do

The 78m-high Sainte-Cécile cathedral is your first stop. Built by the Catholic church as a warning to anyone daring to question their absolute power following the bloody defeat of the Cathars, its imposing gothic nature is by no means an accident. Inside a softer beauty resides: intricately decorated chapels, giant frescos depicting heaven and hell, and an organ among the finest in France. It’s in good company though, as in every corner of this small city – population around the 50,000 mark – there’s another slice of France from times long forgotten. The 13th-century Palais de la Berbie, an episcopal residence is given considerable extra weight by the virtue of it now being home to the largest collection of work from the city’s most famous son, Toulouse-Lautrec (museetoulouselautrec.net). Wandering around the medieval streets of Albi, you’ll soon come across the distinct district with half-timbered houses, taking in Romanesque and gothic architecture at every twist and turn of every narrow alley. The red clay bricks – sourced from the banks of the Tarn river – give the city a palette of ever-changing hues from pink to purple as the sun goes to work shading as it sees fit from sunrise to sunset. Even as you leave Albi in order to capture its beauty from afar, you’ll cross another piece of history – the eight-arch Pont Vieux, built in 1040. As with much in this part of the country, the bridge was made from those famed Languedoc-style bricks. Collégiale Saint-Salvi, a church with cloisters dating back to the 13th-century, is another in a lengthy list of Albi must-sees.

Where to stay

Albi may be beautiful, but so too is the surrounding countryside. So a quaint bed and breakfast set amid the rolling hills and wheat and sunflower fields could be just the ticket. Step forward, La Bastide (00 33 7 81 00 16 73, labastidetarn.com), an 18th-century white-stone farmhouse, right on Albi’s doorstep and famed for its homemade croissants and breads. At the other end of the scale is five-star, 22-room La Réserve (00 33 5 63 60 80 80, lareservealbi.com), on the banks of the Tarn and with all the luxury trimmings. If you want to stay in what was once an 18th-century mill right on the river’s edge, then Mercure Albi Bastides (00 33 5 63 47 66 66, mercure.com) in the city centre has everything you’d expect of the chain, but the location and historic property makes it unique.

Where to eat and drink

You can rarely go wrong on the food and wine front, as everything that’s good about French cuisine is right on your doorstep. Not only is Restaurant Le Lautrec within the house where the artist was born, but its traditional French fare is a favourite among the locals too (00 33 5 63 54 86 55, restaurantlelautrec.com). Near the famed bridge of the same name, the cute Auberge du Pont-Vieux (00 33 5 63 77 61 73, aubergedupontvieux.com) has become renowned for its fantastic wine list and modern take on classics that doesn’t lose the brilliance of the originals.

Time running out?

Take a whistle-stop tour of Albi’s large covered market to stock up before you move on. The triangular edifice dates back to 1905 and is home to the best produce from around the region from meats and cheeses to fish, fruit and veg.

Travel Information

Travel Information

Currency is the euro. Albi is an hour ahead of the UK. Travel time is about five hours, including flight to Toulouse.

Getting There

British Airways (ba.com) flies daily from London Heathrow to Toulouse.
EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies daily from London Gatwick to Toulouse.

Resources

Atout France (uk.rendezvousenfrance.com) is the official France Tourism Development Agency.
Albi (albitourisme.fr) is the city’s own tourist office.