Albi discovery guide - Office de Tourisme d`Albi

2010
Discovery
Guide
www.albi-tourisme.fr
www.albi-reservation.com
Contents
Albi
Label vie
Discover Albi ...........p. 02
Visits .........................p. 08
Strolling ................... p. 16
Activities ................. p. 18
Going out ................. p. 20
Around Albi ............. p. 22
Albi Pass .................. p. 28
Destination Albi .... p. 29
Opening hours
of the tourist office
• From 01/09 to 30/06 : 9am/12.30am – 2pm/6pm*
(*6.30 pm in May,June and September)
Sunday and public holidays :10am/12.30am – 2.30pm/5pm
(closed the Sundays on January,the 7th of February,November,
December)
• From 01/07 to 31/08 : 9am/7pm
Sunday and public holidays :10am/12.30am – 2.30pm/6.30pm
• Closing days : 01/01 – 01/05 – 01/11 – 25/12
OFFICE DE TOURISME
Palais de la Berbie - Place Sainte-Cécile
81 000 ALBI
Tél : 33 (0)5 63 36 36 00
Fax : 33 (0)5 63 49 48 98
accueil@albitourisme.com
Discover Albi
1
Sainte-Cécile Cathedral
June to September: 9.00 am to 6 pm
October to May: 9.00 am to 12 am - 2 to 6 pm
CHANCEL
SALLES DU TRÉSOR (TREASURE)
+12 years: €2
+12 years: €2
audio guide included
The treasure is closed during the
European Heritage Days
School rate: €8
* 5 pm end of audio guide rental
CHANCEL + TREASURE : €3
5, boulevard Sibille - 81 000 Albi - Tel. 33 (0)5 63 43 23 43
Fax : 33 (0)5 63 43 23 44 - paroisse.ste-cecile@wanadoo.fr
2
Toulouse-LautrecMuseum/PalaisdelaBerbie
November to February: 10 am to 12 am - 2 to 5 pm
(closed on Tuesday)
March and October: 10 am to 12 am - 2 to 5.30 pm
(closed on Tuesday)
April and May: 10 am to 12 am - 2 to 6 pm
June and September: 9 am to 12 am - 2 to 6 pm
July and August: 9 am to 6 pm
Closed 01/01 - 01/05 - 01/11 - 25/12
Adults: €5,50
Students/groups: €2,50
Family: €13,50
-14 years: free
Audio guide : €3
Palais de la Berbie gardens
01/10>31/03 :8 am>6pm* (*7pm 01/04>30/09)
Palais de la Berbie - BP 100 - 81 003 Albi cedex - Tel. 33 (0)5 63 49 48 70
Fax : 33 (0)5 63 49 48 88 - conservation@museetoulouselautrec.com
www.musee-toulouse-lautrec.com
3
Maison du Vieil Alby
April to October : 10.30 am to12.30 pm / 2.30 pm
to 6.30 pm
November to March : 2.30 pm to 6 pm
Closed : Monday morning, Sunday and bank holidays.
Annual closure : 3 weeks on January
Adults: €2
-12 years: free
1, rue de la Croix Blanche - 81 000 Albi - Tél. 33 (0)5 63 54 96 38
4
Lapérouse Museum
March to June - September - October:
9 am to 12 am / 2 to 6 p.m (closed on Monday)
July and August:9 am to 12 am / 2 to 6 pm (from Monday to Friday)
10 am to 12 am / 2 to 7 pm (weekends)
NovembertoFebruary:10amto12am/2to5pm
(closedonMonday)
Closed:01/01-01/05-01/11-25/12
- 12 years:free
Adults: €3
Students/groups/job seekers: €2
41, rue Porta - Square Botany Bay - 81 000 Albi - Tel. 33 (0)5 63 46 01 87
musee-laperouse.albi@orange.fr - www.laperouse-france.fr
02
5
Saint-Salvi Collegiate Church
Closed for works until March 2010
September to June: 9 am to 12 am / 2 to 5 pm
(9amto10.30a.m ./ 2 to 5 pm on Sunday,8.30 am to 6 pm onTuesday)
July and August:9 am to 12 am / 2 to 6 pm
(9 am to 10.30 pm / 2 to 6 pm on Sunday)
January - February - March:closed on Sunday afternoon
Saint-Salvi cloister
7:00 am / 8:00 pm
Rue Mariès - 81 000 Albi
6
Gabarre (barge) rides
From 15 June to 15 September: 11 am to 6 pm
City-centre cruises
Adults: €6
3 to 12 years old: €4
Midi croisières
Adults: €12
Albi/Aiguelèze
Adults: €15
3 to 12 years old: €8
The "Berges du Tarn" landing stage – access via the Choiseul Quay
7
LAIT, (modern art centre/museum)
International Artistic Laboratory of the Tarn
Fromthe27thofMarchtothe31rdofOctober:
fromWednesdaytoSunday2to7pm (closedonbankholidays)
Adults: €2 Entry free in the evenings
-18 years / students / job seekers: free
Exhibition – Les Moulins – 41, rue Porta – 81 000 ALBI
Tel. 33 (0)5 63 38 35 91
centredart@leleait.net - www.centredartlelait.com
8
Little Tourist Train strolls
From January to March - November – December : week-ends bank holidays – holiday period
April – May – October : every day excepted on Monday in April
From June to September : every day
Departure : Sainte-Cécile square
Information / reservation : Office de tourisme place Sainte-Cécile
81 000 ALBI – tél : 33 (0)5 63 36 36 00
Albi Pass - €6,50
The smart visitor's passport to discovering Albi
Provides entry to theToulouse-Lautrec Museum and the cathedral
chancel (including audio guide rental),as well as numerous reductions
(museums,restaurants,shops,etc.).
On sale at the tourist office.
03
Discover Albi
Albi: the city of red bricks
Palais de la Berbie
Sainte-Cécile Cathedral
The episcopal City
04
Inhabited since prehistoric times on a promontory overlooking the Tarn River and one of its tributaries, Albi
became an important city with the establishment of a
diocese in the 4th century. The oldest neighbourhoods
(Castelviel, Bourg Saint-Salvi, Combes-Berges du Tarn
and Castelnau) slowly developed around the seats of
power, namely the cathedral and the bishop's palace.
The construction of the Pont-vieux ("Old Bridge") in the
11th century allowed the city to rapidly develop its economy and extend its suburbs onto the right bank.Other
neighbourhoods later developed to the south and east
(Verdusse,Vigan).Finally, battlements were built in the
12th century,completely encircling the expanded city.
The 13th century:
an important century for Albi
Inthe13th century,adissidentreligiousmovementknown
asCatharismshookthesouthofFrance.SaintBernard,following his poor welcome to Albi where he had come to
preach, branded the city's inhabitants heretics. All of
EuropebegancallingtheCathars"Albigensians"andbaptizedSimondeMonfort'sexpeditionagainstthecityfrom
1208 to 1229 the Albigensian Crusade.Nevertheless,Albi
remained loyal to the Catholic Church and rallied to the
crusaders' cause, thereby preserving the city during this
campaign. Immediately following their successful crusade, the bishops, who now ruled the city, erected the
Palace de la Berbie,a fortified bishop's palace,as well as
an austere cathedral to stand as symbols of their power
and their victory over the Cathar heresy.
Two hypotheses concerning the origin of the
city's name
Alp is a Celtic prefix meaning
"steep site".
Albius was the name of a
Roman noble.
They were born in Albi:
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
(1864-1901), painter
Starting in the 15th century,Albi flourishedthankstothetradeinsafran and,
especially,pastel:theOccitanname for
a plant producing a blue dye. With
its new-found wealth,the city grew in
size and its inhabitants built themselves beautiful Renaissance-style
town houses.
In the XVIIIth century,
Albi changed faces
Beginning in the 18th century, Albi
entered a phase of extensive urban
planning, characterized by the demolition of its fortifications, the development of the Choiseul Quay, and the
breach through to the Rue Mariès,preserving the original appearance of the
Episcopal City. The engineer Mariès,
Haussmann's precursor, designed a
town plan that would eventually be
implemented during the second half
of the 19th century. During this period,
the Place duVigan became the centre of
city life and a popular place for strolling. Albi's prefecture,theatre and post
office,as well as numerous cafés can all
be found in the vicinity of the square...
Pierre Benoît
(1886-1962), writer
Henri Paschal de Rochegude
(1741-1834), naval captain under
King Louis XVI
The Albi Pass card
The smart visitor's passport
to discovering Albi
Price:€6,50 providing entry to
the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum
and the cathedral chancel (with
audio guide),as well as numerous
discounts (museums, restaurants,
shops, etc.).
On sale at the tourist office.
Destination: Albi
The best price for your stay
2-day/1-night package, hotel or
Bed and breackfast + visits,
starting at €61 for two.
Cf. p. 28.29
Fontaine du Vigan
The Renaissance:
the golden age of pastel
Jean-François Galaup
de Lapérouse (1741-1788),
Pacific explorer
05
Discover Albi
Industrialization
and the modern era
During the 19th and 20th centuries,Albi
industrialized its economy (flourmilling,vermicelli-making,metallurgy,
hat-making).TheAlbiminingcompany
was an especially important player
during this period, processing and
exporting coal from Cagnac-Carmaux.
Also, the city's worker-owned glassworks were built in 1895 by striking
glass-makers supportedbyJeanJaurès.
With its major advantages, Albi
demonstrates its capacity to innovate. The historian Jean Roques describes his native Albi: "An administrative and tertiary-based city that
remains in step with the times,
without abandoning its soul along
the way."
Albi tourism
650,000 visitors
1,800 shops and services
530,000 visitors to the
cathedral
135,000 visitors to the
Toulouse-Lautrec Museum
More than 120 restaurants
and brasseries
Southern Albi
Delicious cuisine
Gaillac wines
A mild climate
Remarkable landscapes
Walking and riding
along the Tarn
06
Pont neuf
VOA Verrerie d’Albi
(Albi's worker-owned glassworks)
In the footsteps of a guide or on your
own, set off to discover Albi's rich
historical heritage.
Hôtel de Gorsse
Albi: Label Vie*
recipient!
Albi is one of the most important tourist sites in
the Midi-Pyrénées region.Famous around the world
for its architectural and cultural treasures,Albi,with
a population of 82,181 inhabitants,happily marries
an exceptional living environment,a southern-style
art de vivre and modernity.
Place Sainte-Cécile
Covered market
No one is impervious to the charm
of Albi, a UNESCO World Heritage
candidate city.
Fontaine du Vigan
You'll probably come for the city's rich cultural and
historical heritage. You'll leave enchanted by its
culturalandathleticevents,theeleganceofitsgardens,
and the quality of its layout and amenities.You're
sure to be seduced as much by the warm welcome of
the Albigensians, tourist professionals and shopkeepers, as by Albi's special savoir faire appreciated
by more than half a million visitors each year.
07
Visits
Historical Albi
Sainte-Cécile Cathedral (13 -16
th
th
centuries)
This one-of-a-kind monument, the world's largest brick
cathedral, was built by Bishop Bernard de Castanet.
Sainte-Cécile is a masterpiece of southern-French Gothic
art,amilitant-styleofarchitecturemeanttounderlinethe
strength of the Catholic Church against the Cathar heresy.
The interior, entirely painted, boasts an exceptional
décor, the legacy of the city's Renaissance bishops:
Louis I and Louis II of Amboise.
08
The nave
Judgment Day (1474-1484)
The largest medieval representation of Judgment Day,
this painting is stylistically similar to Flemish works of
the same period.The painting consists of three levels:
thesky,theearthandHell,wherethedamnedarepunishedfortheircrimesaccordingtothesevendeadlysins.
The chancel screen (1477-1484)
Thislarge,flamboyantroodscreenincorporatesstatuary
of astonishing quality and abundance. In addition
to numerous polychromatic statues, it includes
countless carved motifs making up a veritable
stone filigree.
The chancel screen
Céc
ile
Judgment Day
A detail of the vault
TheSalleduTrésor ("TreasureRooms")
Located in the high chapel, those
rooms house sacred works of art of
great quality, dating from the 13th
to 19th centuries (the legend of Saint
Ursula, a 14th century polyptych
from Siena,cult objects,and more).
The chancel interior
The organs (18th century)
Designed by the organ-maker
Christophe Moucherel, the cathedral's organs are famous for both
the quality of their case's décor
and their excellent sonority.
Sainte-Cécile Cathedral
te
Sain
The vault frescoes
(1509-1512)
Set on an azure-blue background,
passages from the Old and New
Testaments intermingle among the
foliage,putti and other Renaissancestyle motifs,making up France's largest grouping of Italian paintings.
The organ case
09
10
Palais de la Berbie
(the "Ambroise Wing")
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Jardin de la Berbie
Visits
Palais de la Berbie
Toulouse-Lautrec Museum
The name of the former bishop's palace, built during
the 13th and 14th centuries,is derived from the Occitan
word for bishop, "bisbia". Its militaristic layout is
based upon a passive defence via its extraordinarily
high and thick walls.The Palais de la Berbie symbolized
the power of the bishops during a tense period with
the Albigensians.
It was reorganized for the first time during the
Renaissance by Bishop Louis d'Amboise,before being
turned into a comfortable palace by the following
centuries' prelates.
The many ogival-vaulted rooms,drawing rooms,terraces
and classical gardens today serve as a majestic backdrop
for works by the Albigensian painter, Henri de
Toulouse-Lautrec.
Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri deToulouse-Lautrec was born at Albi's Hôtel du
Bosc in 1864, into a family of the high nobility. A
congenital bone disease prevented him from living
out the life of a provincial squire,instead pushing
him towards drawing.Set up in the Montmartre
neighbourhood of Paris, he painted local
dances, prostitutes and cabaret artists. But he
was first and foremost a remarkably gifted portraitist
and a keen, faithful recorder of human nature.A few
years after his death in 1901,his mother bequeathed
the works of her son to the city of Albi - after they had
been refused by the Louvre!
The museum
Boasting a remarkable collection of works by Henri de ToulouseLautrec,as well as a modern art collection with works from the late
19th to the mid-20th centuries, the Albi art museum is currently
undergoing an ambitious restructuration and extension.
Divan japonais
Salon de la rue des moulins
The Toulouse-Lautrec collections are redisplayed as the various
stages of the museum's restructuration are completed. In that
part of the collection housed in the recently reconverted medieval
rooms with their ogival vaults will be open to visitors you can discover Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec through portraits of the artist
painted by his friends (Vuillard, Anquetin, and others), as well as
early works and studies and a thematic approach to the artist's
oeuvre in two rooms dedicated to portraits of his friends and
family and to his brothel paintings.
Newly created areas will eventually house the museum's temporary exhibitions. In the meantime, however, they will be used to
exhibit an exceptional collection of major works by the artist:brilliant,
incisive portraits of important Parisian personalities of the late
19th century, such as Yvette Guilbert and Jane Avril, Montmartre's
musical cafés and Paris's street theatres, as well as the poster art
that made Lautrec famous.
11
The Saint-Salvi chevet
The bell tower of the collegiate church
Visits
Saint-Salvi collegiate church
and its cloister
Dedicated to Saint-Salvi, the city's first bishop (574584), the collegiate church (presided over by a college of canons and their abbot,second in power to the
bishop) has a complex architecture, whose different
styles betray a construction in stages.The oldest part of
the church was built in stone in the earliest
Romanesque style, while two centuries later, bricks
were used during the Gothic period.
The different materials used can be seen in the bell
tower, which has a Romanesque base (11th century)
surmounted by a level of Gothic, stone arches (13th
century),which in turn supports the top level consisting
of red bricks. The adjoining watchtower, or gachole,
was the city's highest edifice before the completion
of the cathedral.
Inside the church,visitors can admire the chapels' interesting furnishings,as well as a remarkable collection
of late-medieval statuary:six persons in polychromatic
wood surrounding a bound Christ.
12
Hôtel de Gorsse tower
The cloister
Begun in 1270,the southern gallery,which survived
thedestructionsoftheFrenchRevolution,alsocombines
Romanesque forms (cambered arches) and Gothic
elements (the capitals and décor of the pillars).The
Saint-Salvi cloister and its white garden offer a cool
haven of peace and quiet.
The historic city centre
The right bank of the Tarn affords a magnificent view of Albi overlookingtheriver.TheepiscopalCityhasmanagedtopreserveitsoriginal,
age-old layout, marked by the Pont-Vieux, the riverfront fortifications, the palace keep, the flowered terraces and the imposing
cathedral.
The episcopal edifices fit snugly into the various picturesque neighbourhoodswiththeirmansionsandmoremodesthomes,theirchurches
and other old buildings, from which emerge, as in the villages of
Tuscany,towers,steeples and spires.The exclusive use of baked brick
renders these old neighbourhoods particularly warm and inviting
for strollers.
The medieval districts of Castelviel,Vieil Alby, Combes, the banks of
the Tarn and Bourg Saint-Salvi are explored via a maze of alleyways
bordered by half-timbered, often corbelled houses which often
boast open lofts, or soleilhous.
La Maison du Vieil Alby
AtthecornerofRuedelaCroixBlancheandRue
Puech Bérenguier, La Maison du Vieil Alby
("Old Alby House") is a renovated medieval residence. It today serves as the
offices for the association for the preservation of Old Alby,and houses exhibitions and slide shows on the local
heritage.
Maison du Vieil Alby
Only a stone's throw away,beautiful Renaissance-era mansions with
interior courtyards testify to the city's pastel history. Admire their
subtle blend of brick and stone,reserved for the framing of windows
and doors, a regional particularity.
13
Visits
The Lapérouse Museum
Lapérouse explaining his voyage
to King Louis XVI
Lapérouse
14
Jean-François de Galaup de Lapérouse
Jean-François de Galaup de Lapérouse was born in Albi on 23
August 1741. Admitted into the navy at the age of 15, he
foughtontheFrenchcoastsandstayedawhileonÎledeFrance
(today's Mauritius), before winning considerable fame
during the American War of Independence. King Louis XVI,
who appreciated Lapérouse's qualities as both a sailor and a
humanist, sent the newly-promoted captain on a great circumnavigation, by way of Cape Horn, Chile, Easter Island,
Alaska, California, Far East Coasts, Kamchatka and Australia.
Theimmensescientific-researchprojectcarriedoutunderthe
aegis of Lapérouse came to an end
after three years in 1788, with the
wrecking of the expedition's two frigates, La Boussole and L'Astrolabe,
on reefs off the Vanikoro Islands in
the Salomon Islands.
Over the past two centuries,the two
wrecks - which remained lost until
1827 - have been periodically explored : to discover the
Astrolabeandin1962theBoussole,andstudiedandthesurvivors' camp excavated, to discover any trace of what
amounted to one of the most important expeditions of the
18th century.Indeed,theSalomonAssociation(Nouméa,N-C)
- with the support of the French Ministry of Culture, the
French Navy and the City of Albi - has carried out archaeological missions for over thirty years in order to try to answer
the many questions which remain regarding Lapérouse's
disappearance.
The Lapérouse Museum
The museum presents the great
expeditions of the late 18th century
and plunges visitors into the heart
of Lapérouse's family and sea life,
describes his voyage, and exhibits
numerous objects found at the site
of the shipwreck. It also describes
the various expeditions carried
out over the years to unravel the
Lapérouse mystery.
Le LAIT ("International Artistic
Laboratory of the Tarn")
Located in a former 17th-century
watermill, the LAIT is Albi's modern
art centre and museum.A laboratory
of ideas, productions, exchanges
and experiments, it also serves as a
research centre on the forms,trends
and themes of art and society.
Le Crépuscule du Jaguar,
Claude Levêque
The Ac.C Modern Art Cluster, in the
Bellevue school complex, welcomes
each year a residential artistandorganizes various exhibits.
Albi's heritage
in figures
78m: the height of the cathedral's bell tower
1900m2: the vault surface
300m2: surface area of the
Judgment Day mural
37 x 22 x 5,5cm: dimensions
of the Albigensian or "carnival"
brick
More than 1,000 works of art
exhibited at theToulouse-Lautrec
Museum
1 035: construction date of the
Pont-vieux,one of the oldest
bridges in France
Works by a dozen artists,
on permanent exhibition and
scattered about Albi (Toutain,
Casimir Ferrer, Jean-Marc, Abel
Reïss, Marie-Madeleine
Gauthier, Martha Solsonna
Bellera, Louis Derbré, Jean-Paul
Moscovino, Dominique
Coutelle)
The Petit Albigeois
Guide to Albi for children and
families. A fun, original way to
discover the city's treasures.
Available at the tourist office
15
Strolling Albi
Daydreaming and walking in Albi
Albi: "town in bloom"
Ahh, Albi:its natural and semi-natural areas, its river and landscaped
parks, its fountains and small squares... During your strolls, discover
the beautiful,natural universe that has obtained for Albi a "4-flower"
rating in the national urban-landscaping competition since 2002.The
classical garden of the Palais de la Berbie, the English garden of
Rochegude Park, the white garden of Saint-Salvi... Enjoy a sweet
digression in any one of the city's serene green spaces, which together add even more splendour to this one-of-a-kind city.
Albi on the Tarn
Take advantage of summer,learn the river's history,and enjoy magnificent, panoramic views on board a gabarre, a flat-bottomed barge
once used for transporting merchandise. An easy, unique way to discover the majestic Tarn River, during a 30-minute outing beneath
the fortifications of the Palais de la Berbie, or a 2-hour cruise to
Aiguelèze.
After your scenic boat ride, set off from the riverbank this time to
discover the authentic, preserved nature in the very heart of the
city, via the four-kilometre-long "Echappée Verte" hiking trail.
16
Albi: urban pleasures
While away your time on a café terrace,savour a fine Gaillac wine,
enjoy our traditional terroir cuisine,stroll about the market and among
the antique stalls... It's all part of southern France's very special
art de vivre! Relax and recharge your batteries, while discovering
at your own easy pace the city's arts and crafts, its shops and
restaurants.
Gourmet Albi
You'llbeseducedbytheAlbigensians'
warm welcome and probably surprised by the variety of the city's
urban pleasures:lounge cafés and
wine cellars, local shops and large
chain stores, tearooms and specialized restaurants...
In the centre of town,you'll also find
an organic market and two open-air
markets,for a complete immersion
in the local gastronomy.
From wine bars to Michelinstarred restaurants: 60 restaurants welcome you to their tables
Covered market
Albi's markets
Built in 1905,the Baltard-style covered market reopened its doors in
October 2007 following its extensive renovation.The market is now
host almost 30 shopkeepers, an
open-air market on Saturdays, a
restaurant and a 250-space car
park. Discover the local producers
and admire their colourful stalls,
share their passion for quality terroir products,and enjoy their sense
of hospitality. Go on a veritable
gourmet treasure hunt and
unearth our specialities, wines,
cheeses and charcuterie.
Foie gras, duck breast,
radishes with salted pork
liver, and tripe with saffron: more Albigensian specialities
Discover
The Echappée Verte: its
bamboo grove, river ford,
and more.
"AlbiShopWindows":135shops
and a Pleisure Card… to make
yourwelcomeaswarmaspossible.
Rochegude Park
Janots, gimblettes and
navettes: the ancestral specialities of Albi's pastry chefs
17
Albi: the other discovery
package
18
The Atlantis water park
Swimming against the tide,"breaker shower",hydro
massage, water cannon, waterslide, diving pool,
and more.Atlantis is the perfect place for the entire
family. Here, summer means sunbathing, beach
volleyball,watersliding and swimming.With its fitness centre and balneotherapy,this 18 000m2 aquatic
centre is a veritable passport to well-being.
Albi golf course
Practice your swing at Lasbordes,one of France's ten
most beautiful golf courses.This famously-technical,
18-hole course covers 60 hectares in a lovely setting
on the Tarn River below Sainte-Cécile Cathedral.
Only a few minutes from the city centre,remarkable
Château de Lasbordes boasts a driving range,a proshop,a clubhouse,a restaurant and a shady terrace.
Hiking and biking around Albi
Albi, Rouffiac, Saliès, Fréjairolles, Cunac, SaintJuéry... By bike or by foot, set off to discover the
natural and cultural treasures of the Albigeois district. Farms, woods, undergrowth, deep valleys,
panoramic plateaus, sloping vineyards.....
The Atlantis water park
Activities
The Lasbordes golf course
Athletic Albi
AttheAlbistadium,sharethepassion
of the southern French supporters.
Rugby, athletics, football... this
sports complex welcomes up to
10,000 spectators, in particular
for TOP 14 matches, which pit the
Sporting Club Albigeois against
the elite of French rugby.
Head to the Albi race course to enjoy
a spectacular grand prix or French
motorcycle championship event.
By attending a local athletic competition during your stay, you'll
immerse yourself in a truly unique
atmosphere.
Albi is also...
a skate park,
a riding school,
a parachuting school,
a bowling alley,
tennis courts,
rock climbing,
go-karting,
rowing on the Tarn...
Each year,
30,000 spectators
attend Albi's grand prix events
(Formule Renault, GT, Carrera
Cup, Diester Racing Cup, Clio
Cup, 206 CC, Atygo Celebrity
Tour) and the French motorcycle championship races (superbike, super-sport, side-car).
The Albi Grand Prix
Follow marked trails and discover
the superb landscapes that are the
pride of our département.The city's
"Balades en Albigeois" ("Outings
in Albigeois") guide provides hikers
and bikers with all the information
theyneedtoexplorethesurrounding
countryside.
19
Going out
Albi: fun and emotion all
year long
Thrill-seekers, art, music, theatre and dance
lovers,sports buffs,urban-culture enthusiasts:
there’s a lot to see and do in Albi, all year long!
February
June
• Carnival
• Funfair
• Gabarre rides
• "Fête de la Musique"
March
• "Feu de la Saint-Jean"
(French music festival)
• Horse show
• Big trade and secondhands sales
April
• Acthéa: European
student theatre
• The Albi Marathon
May
• "Albi fleuri,
Albi gourmand" - for
flower and food lovers
(bonfires to celebrate the summer
solstice)
• Giant flea market
July
• "Pause Guitare"
music festival
• Bastille Day (14 July)
• Bastille Day flea market
• Summer street market
• French motorcycleracing championships
• National Athletics
Championships
• French Cycling Schools
Championship
July/August
• Gabarre rides
• Organ-music concerts
• Street festivities
20
The "Pause Guitare"
festival
August/September
• Urban Festival
• Gabarre rides
September
• The Albi Grand Prix
• European Heritage Days
October
• Antique show and flea market
• EKIDEN relay race
• "Habitarn" home show
November
• "Les Œillades" film festival
• Saint Cecilia Festival
• Art and crafts show
December
• Christmas fair
• Christmas market
• Christmas concert
Four days of exceptional,
open-air concerts performed
by more than 40 artists.
Theatre, concerts,
live shows...
A passion shared by
110,000 spectators each year.
Rugby,cycling,motor
racing,motorcycling...
more than 200,000 persons
are thrilled each year by the
city's sporting events.
Looking for something to read?
Visit the Pierre Amalric
multimedia library!
For complete, up-to-theminute information, visit
www.mairie-albi.fr
21
Albi at the heart of your stay
Popular sites
Millau (110 km)
The Millau Viaduct: the tallest cable-stayed road
bridge in the world.
The Gorges du Tarn ("Tarn Gorges")
Toulouse (76 km)
Airbus: visit the production line for the new A380.
La Cité de l'Espace: the space-adventure theme park
The Canal du Midi: a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Around Albi
An urban area consisting of 17 districts
Lisle-sur-Tarn
boasting an exceptional cultural and natural heritage.
To see and do: water mills, pigeon houses, wash
houses, medieval towers, churches, the "Balades en
Albigeois" network of hiking trails, bike paths...
For more information, visit: www.grand-albigeois.fr
Along the Tarn River
Notre-Dame de la Drêche (4 km towards Cagnac-les-Mines)
Vignoble
12th-centuryshrineandpilgrimagesite,reworkedduring
the 19th century.
To see: the interior paintings dating from 1894,
the bells...
Lescure (3 km towards Rodez)
Medieval village.
To see: the Saint-Michel church and its sculpted,
Romanesque gate (12th century), the bell tower...
22
Viaduc de Millau
Around Albi
Cité de l’espace
Saut-du-Tarn
Natural waterfalls on the Tarn;
19th-century industrial site.
Tosee:the place known as the Saut-duSabo, the Saut du Tarn cultural centre,
the water and steel museum...
Romanesque priory overlooking an isthmus of the Tarn. To see: the panoramic
view of the meandering Tarn, the priory
and the "Chemin de Croix"...
Gaillac (25 km towards Toulouse)
Capital of a thousand-year-oldwineregion.
To see: the Saint-Michel abbey (10th to
15th centuries),the museum of fine arts,
nearby Château de Mauriac....
Lisle-sur-Tarn (30kmtothewest,towardsToulouse)
13th-century fortified town surrounding
a central, covered square. To see: the
half-timbered houses, the Raymond
Lafage Museum, the Art du Chocolat
("Art of Chocolate") museum...
Rabastens (39 km towards Toulouse)
Stop along the Saint Jame's Way, listed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
To see: the Notre-Dame-du-Bourg
church, the local museum...
La Drêche
Saint-Michel de Lescure
Ambialet (25 km towards the Valley of the Tarn)
Gaillac
Ambialet
(3 km towards Saint-Juéry)
23
Castelnau de Montmiral
Cordes-sur-ciel
Around Albi
The fortified towns and villages
Cordes-sur-Ciel (25 km to the north)
Discover a rich cultural and natural heritage.
To see: the fortifications; the Saint-Michel church; the sculpted,
Gothic, 13th and 14th-century façades ("Great Horseman's House",
"Great Huntsman's House","Great Falconer's House",etc.);the Jardin
des Paradis ("Heavenly Garden"); the numerous museums: Charles
Portal,Yves Brayer, Modern Art Museum, Art and History Museum,
Yves Thuriès Sugar Museum,La Gaudane (embroidery),and more.
Castelnau-de-Montmiral (30 km towards Gaillac)
13th-century fortified village, listed one of "France's Most
Beautiful Villages". To see: the fortified gate, the square with its
arcades,the reliquary cross decorated with precious stones...
Penne (60 km towards Gaillac)
Castle ruins atop a rocky spur.
To see: the castle ruins, the church, the medieval village...
Puycelsi (45 km towards Gaillac)
Important medieval village,listed one of "France's Most Beautiful
Villages". Tosee:the 14th and 15th-century houses,the Gothic church,
the fortifications...
Bruniquel (56 km towards Gaillac)
Medieval castle on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Aveyron Gorges.
To see: the castles, the Payrol House...
Castelnau-de-Lévis (3 km towards Cordes-sur-Ciel)
13th-century fortified village dominated by the ruins of a feudal castle.
To see: the panoramic view, the castle tower...
The land of plenty
Dénat (8 km towards Castres)
Old,fortifiedvillage.Tosee:theRomanesquechurchanditsfurnishings...
24
Penne
Bastide
Réalmont (10 km towards Castres)
Old,fortifiedvillage.To see: the central square,the
church,Fréjaire Fountain...
Graulhet (21 km towards Castres)
Hide-tawing and leather-working capital.
To see: the leather-working house...
Lautrec (30 km towards Castres)
Monestiés
Medieval village listed one of "France's Most
Beautiful Villages". To see: the windmill, the
clog-maker's workshop,the view,the alleyways...
The Ségala Tarnais
Cagnac-les-Mines 6 km towards Carmaux)
Carmaux (18 km towards Rodez)
Old working-class,mining town.To see: the glass
museum at the Château de la Verrerie...
Monestiés (20 km towards Carmaux)
Medieval village listed one of "France's Most
Beautiful Villages". To see: the church and the
famous "entombment", the permanent BajènVega exhibitions...
Tanus (35 km towards Rodez)
Former lookout with an eagle's eye view of the
Viaur Gorges. To see: the Viaur Viaduct, the
Romanesque church of Las Planques, the Viaur
Gorges...
Puycelsi
Castelnau-de-Lévis
Lautrec
Former coal mine. To see: the mine museum,
Cap Découverte (leisure-activity centre)...
25
26
Practical
information
Altitude: 174 metres
Surface area: 4,527 hectares
Population: 51,199 residents
Average temperatures
Low: - 6,1° C
High: 38,4° C
Average yearly temperature: 13,5° C
Hours of sunshine: 2,125 per year
Rainfall: 101 days (67.8 cm)
Better-than-average air quality
27
A GOOD DEAL
A great city pass
ALBI CITY
PASS
6,50€
Entrance fee for Sainte-Cécile Cathedral
and Toulouse-Lautrec Museum
+
1 bouquet de réductions
LEISURE
EXCURSIONS
VISITS
Ste-Cécile Cathedral - Choir and audio-guide
Musée Toulouse-Lautrec
Ste-Cécile Cathedral - Treasury
Lapérouse Museum
LAIT Centre for Contempory Art
Old Alby House
Guided Heritage Tour : Cathedral
+Toulouse-Lautrec Museum+Old Town Centre
Centre of Albi - 30mn
Cruises in Gabarre barges Midday cruise - 1h45
Albi / Aiguelèze - 2h
Little tourist train stroll
•GaillacWines - BaronThomières
Covered market hall
Wine and Fine
Delicacies - Prince de
Food Tasting • Duck
Cocagne - Covered market hall
• Chocolates and other treats
Michel Belin
Atlantis Fitness Club
Atlantis water sports centre
Spa Centre (1h30)
Cinema
SPECTACLES
Bowling
28
Go-Karting
Horse-riding - Horse Show
Superbike - Albi Motorbike Circuit
Arpeggios and Tremolos - Annual programming
Guitare Festival
68th Grand Prix
Scène Nationale - Annual programming
Normal fee
€2
€5,50
ALBI PASS
Included
Included
€2
€3
€2
€2
€1
€2
€1
€1,50
-
€10
€6
€12
€15
€6
€5
€10
€12
€5
Free
Free
Free
€8
Special
rate
-10%
€6,20
-
Bowling shoes
provided free of charge
€13
Full rate
Full rate
Full rate
Full rate
Full rate
Full rate
€11
Reduced rate
Reduced rate
Reduced rate
Reduced rate
Reduced rate
Reduced rate
Partners are indicated by this logo 1 Albi Pass / adult
FOR VISITING ALBI
A great package for stay of
week-end all year round!
« Destination Albi » all-inclusive package deals to visit, enjoy, and
stay… at preferential prices.
»
of the 2nd night
s
a
s
te
ra
d
ce
u
d
e
«R
• « Discovery
Formula »
A free visit of Albi
From €61 for 2 people
accommodation + breakfast
+ an“Albi City Pass”
+ a welcome gift
• « Greedy flavours
Formula »
Mix patrimony
and flavours
From €146 for 2 people
accommodation + breakfast
an“Albi City Pass”+ a gourmet dinner +
fine food tasting in the Covered
Marketplace + a welcome gift
But also…
• Relax and romanticism formula:
Spa in the heart of Old Alby (lasts approximately 1h), a dinner
of local produce, and fine food tasting in the Covered Marketplace
• Culture and Heritage formula:
a visit to Sainte-Cécile cathedral and the Toulouse-Lautrec
museum with audio-guides, the "Albi, City of Art" guidebook
and a meal of local produce and products.
• Golf formula:
appreciate the green on one of the most technical courses
in the Midi-Pyrenees region.
Resist the temptation,
the Tourist office deal with all!
INFORMATION / RESERVATION
All in package service
Tel : 33 (0)5 63 49 48 97
contact@albitourisme.com
www.albi-tourisme.fr ou www.albi-reservation.com
Offer a
special gift
« Destination
Albi » the city
break, in relation
with pleasures,
celebration,
events…
Tell us your ideas
we’ll compose
a personal
package.
Reservation required - Free quotation
Non contractual document subject to availability upon reservation
Partners are indicated by this logo 1 Albi Pass / adult
29
Un imprimeur
passionné et engagé
escourbiac@escourbiac.com
www.escourbiac.com
Imprimerie à GRAULHET
Tél. 05 63 42 84 00
Fax 05 63 34 58 81
Bureaux à PARIS
Tél. 01 44 85 37 77
Fax 01 44 85 75 26
Office de tourisme
Mairie d'Albi
Palais de la Berbie
Place Sainte-Cécile
81 000 Albi - France
Tél : 33 (0) 5 63 36 36 00
Fax : 33 (0) 5 63 49 48 98
16, rue de l'Hôtel de Ville
81 023 Albi cedex 9 - France
www.mairie-albi.fr
accueil@albitourisme.com
www.albi-tourisme.fr
Créditphoto:Verreried’Albi,collectionmuséeToulouse-Lautrec-AlbiTarnFrance,P.Bertrand-ApaPoux,
CRT Midi-Pyrénées,Ph.Prieur -VOA,D.Viet,M.Escourbiac,C.Rivière - CDT 81,Albi Croisière,D.Rousseau Conseil général du Tarn, Cité de l’espace, J. Ph. Mialhe, Alain Nort, F. Guibilato/Gilabert/M. Fabre/
L.Casagrande-Villed’Albi.Photo page 2 :© Pierre Béhar - Balloïde et Christophe Bouthé - Photos pages
8,20 :René © Gilabert - Albi,de briques et de lumière - Ed.Un autre regard - 2007.
Label attributed to Albi by the Ministry of Ecology
and Sustainable Development, in recognition of
the city's commitment to economic and social development and the efficient use of its natural
resources.
Conception/Réalisation © Mairie d’Albi
Crédit photos :
M. et Ph. Escourbiac