Overall a good break in an historic area of France. A group of twenty two travelling from four different UK airports spent five nights in Albi, birthplace of Toulouse Lautrec.
Day two
We braved the rain to walk into town for a guided tour of Albi, starting with the magnificent and imposing cathedral. The town has some interesting architecture, and two medieval bridges over the river Tarn. There are plenty of good and inexpensive places to eat. A free afternoon gave us the option of visiting the Toulouse Lautrec Museum
Day three
A drive through the Gorge de Aveyeron to visit the castle at Brunequel A steep climb rewarded us with two remarkably well preserved castles dating from twelfth and fourteenth centuries. Then on to Gaillac where the Sunday market was in full swing. Our final stop after driving through vineyards, was a local vinery owned and run by an expat Scot. After some generous tasting measures, we headed back to the hotel.
The itinerarys for days four and five were switched by our tour manager to avoid visiting Carcassone on a bank holiday.
Day four
Visits to the fortified towns of Najac and Cordes. Najac with a castle standing on the peak of a rocky outcrop, and steep cobbled streets was in my opinion the most picturesque place we visited, with stunning views of the castle and the valley below. Well worth walking the steep inclines. The more intrepid members of the group even braved the climb up to the castle. After so much exercise, and a good lunch, it was a relief to learn that the journey up into old Cordes would be by petit train. Cordes is much more commercialised than Narjac, but well worth a visit as much of the old ramparts remain.
Day five
The long awaited visit to Carcassone. A two hour drive from Abli, with a stop for coffee, and a stroll through formal gardens to the river. The views of riverside buildings reflected in the water were spectacular. Then on to Carcassone. Unlike the other fortified towns we visited, Carcassone sits on a plain, not a hilltop. By far the largest site we visited, and certainly the most commercialsed, it was substantially rebuilt in the nineteenth century. After a lunch of cassulet, the regional speciality, we had the option of exploring the town and walking the ramparts, or visiting the château. Driving back to Albi, we were able to pull off the autoroute or a final view of Carcassone.
Day six
Late afternoon flights to Heathrow and Manchester allowed most of the group to have a final morning in Albi.
We were a very friendly group led with Gallic charm and good humour by Anne Marie. My hotel room although small was clean and comfortable. The one real negative was the appalling food served by the hotel for both included meals. Otherwise, a very enjoyable trip to a lovely and historic region of France
