The red-brick town of Albi captures the imagination of visitors as soon as they arrive. Built on the Tarn River, the picturesque locale is a popular day trip for visitors staying in Toulouse. While the Albi Cathedral, built in a southern French Gothic style, is the assertive centerpiece of the town, the Old Bridge (Pont Vieux) and the Saint-Salvi quarter contribute to Albi’s UNESCO status.
The most famous son of Albi is the artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who was born here in 1864 and is famous for his lively post-impressionist depictions of Paris in the late 19th century. Today, a large collection of his works can be viewed at the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, which is housed in the Palais de la Berbie.
Albi is about 1 hour northeast of Toulouse, whether by driving or taking the train. Alternatively, you can join a day tour from Toulouse with transportation included.
While the summer season is hot and can be humid in Albi, the town hosts a number of summer festivals, such as one devoted to independent winemakers; depending on the year, the Tour de France has also been known to pass through the town in the summer. If you prefer to sidestep the heat, spring and autumn offer lovely weather for visiting Albi.
Distinctive in his representations of working-class people and fellow habitués of Paris nightclubs, painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created art still legendary today. His prolific career lasted just over 10 years and coincided with two major developments: the birth of modern printmaking and the explosion of nightlife culture in late 19th-century Paris. His iconic posters came to represent, for some, the excesses of belle epoque Paris.
