Colourful and exuberant Albi is a busy commercial centre that has a marvellous quality of life with an almost Italian feel. Listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in July 2010, the Cité Épiscopale has retained its appearance of old, characterised by the Pont Vieux, the fortifications along the River Tarn, the Palais de la Berbie and the mighty Cathedral of Sainte Cécile, its huge brick nave rising majestically above the Tarn.
Clad in orange-coloured brick and auburn roof tiles, Albi will bowl you over with its Tuscan air, its love of art and its elegance which shines through the everyday.
The historical centre, laid out around the Cathedral of Sainte Cécile is worth exploring in detail. The buzzing 'Vieil Alby' takes centre stage in this busy city of 53,000 inhabitants. Dating back to the Middle Ages, it consists of a vast maze of pretty streets perfect for exploring. The streets are lined with half-timbered houses, smart boutiques, fine town houses built during the Renaissance with money from the woad trade and other treasures that are part of the city's heritage.
The Cathedral of Sainte Cécile, which inevitably draws the visitor's gaze, dominates the city magnificently. Surrounded by shops and restaurants, it is a masterpiece of Southern Gothic art. You'll be impressed by its brick structures and bell tower-cum-keep that soars high into the sky. Inside the atmosphere is charged with quiet spirituality, featuring remarkable decoration including the largest medieval Judgment Day fresco and the most extensive collection of Early Renaissance Italian paintings completed in France.
Adjoining the cathedral, and almost as imposing, the Palais de la Berbie was once the residence of the powerful bishops of Albi. Today it is home to the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, dedicated to the famous artists who was born in Albi in 1864. Here you'll learn all about the singular personality of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and discover the cabarets, brothels, circuses and racecourses he liked to frequent. With a wide variety of collections, pictures painted in his youth, major portraits, drawings, posters and lithographs, the Albi museum is custodian of the world's largest collection of works by this artist unlike any other.
The Musée Toulouse-Lautrec has been completely refurbished and restructured and is one of France's great contemporary museums. It opens on to the formal French-style Jardins de la Berbie, created in the 17th century. Strolling around these gardens adorned with boxwood topiary is a pure pleasure. Laid out on terraces above the Tarn, they offer the visitor an unforgettable viewpoint of the river and city.
Sightseeing tips
>> Get under the skin of Albi by following one of the heritage circuits on offer from the Tourist Office. This is the perfect way to soak up the history of the old quarters, get the most out of the fascinating works on show in the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec and experience the surprising wealth of hidden gardens, staircases, fountains and more around the city.
>> The Musée Lapérouse, on the right bank of the Tarn, pays tribute to the explorer born in Albi, leading the visitor through the epic story of his expeditions.
>> Discover the Musée de la Mode. This museum of fashion in a former convent is the only one of its kind, presenting an exhibition of costumes, engravings, drawings and accessories that changes every year. Each exhibit is a rare gem, telling the story of the people who wore it.
>> Taking a trip on the Tarn in a gabarre is an original way to see the sights of Albi. A gabarre is a flat-bottomed barge once used to transport local goods such as wine and woad along the river. Various options are available, including a 30-minute mini-cruise, a lunchtime picnic cruise and a longer evening cruise.
>> While you're staying in Albi, take the opportunity to browse around the city's many markets: the farm produce market on Place Lapérouse (on Saturday mornings), the organic goods market on Place Fernand Pelloutier (Tuesdays), the arts & crafts and booksellers' market in Rue Mariès (Wednesdays and Saturdays), and not forgetting the indoor market with around thirty stallholders on two levels in a completely refurbished 19th-century-style market hall.
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