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| Le Jardin de le Palais de la Berbie |
After our day trip yesterday, we parked our car a 10-minute walk away from our Toulouse hotel, on the top level of a parking lot. We did not realize until we returned there in the morning that we were stationed above le marché Victor Hugo, one of the city's most popular marketplaces.
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| Marché Victor Hugo |
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| Our final goodbye to Toulouse |
We had a brief look around–meat seems to be a specialty there–and then ascended to the rooftop to retrieve our car and take a final picture of the pink city from above it. Then, we left beautiful Toulouse behind and headed north-east to Albi, an hour away.
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| The Albi Railway Viaduct |
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| The Viaduct over the Tarn |
Bob had researched parking options in this town and had a preference for a particular location, but when we tried and tried to find it, driving in circles for some twenty minutes, we eventually gave up and chose another place to leave our car. From there, we walked towards the 19th century viaduct nearby, stopping beside the Tarn river.
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| Albi's north bank |
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| Our first sight of Albi's cathedral |
From this perspective, we zoomed into the the north shore of the river where that part of the city was reflected in the water. Then we walked up from this low spot towards Albi's Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile. It is a massive brick structure; in fact, it claims to be the largest brick building in the world.
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| I am dwarfed by the entranceway. |
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| Inside the cathedral |
We immediately climbed the stairs towards the main portal and soon afterwards, entered the church. What we saw there left us in awe. Built after the Albigensian crusade which greatly reduced the Cathars, a dissident religious movement, and realigned the Languedoc region of Southern France with the Crown, it is a magnificent example of the Southern French Gothic style. The construction of the Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile extended over 200 years, beginning in 1282. Over the subsequent centuries, some changes were made, and like many other churches, it was threatened during the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror that followed it. Today, it
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| Colourful side altar with Trompe d'Oeil above it |
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| The 18th century organ |
What immediately stands out here are the colours of the interior. In fact, it has been completely painted, with 18 square meters of frescoes and decorations that tell many Biblical stories. Even the organ is colourful. Created in the 18th century by Christopher Moucherel, it is the third largest classical organ in France, eclipsed only by Notre-Dame and Saint-Sulpice in Paris.
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| Part of the Last Judgment |
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| Baroque pulpit |
Below it, the painting on the altarpiece is striking. Completed in the early 16th century, this mural occupies the entire western side of the cathedral, and depicts the Last Judgment, inspired by the text of the Apocalypse of Saint John. The style of the work is influenced by both the Italian and Flemish schools of art. The Baroque pulpit, a newer addition positioned in the middle of the north side, was sculpted in the late 18th century by two Italian artisans. Its white marble stands in contrast to the vivd colours around it.
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| Ledger stone |
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| There is so much to see here. |
Everywhere we looked there was something to catch the eye. At one point, Bob looked down and spotted several ledger stones, like the one above. This one marks the burial place of high-ranking priset, most likely a bishop. Looking up, he captured a kaleidoscope of colours in one corner of the church.
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| The rood screen |
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| The line-up to see the chancel |
From the front of the building (the west side), we turned around and looked back at an intricate rood screen positioned in the centre of the cathedral, essentially cutting the building in half. Passing under it, we arrived at the entrance to the chancel and the enclosed choir, for which we paid admission. We wanted to see Sainte-Cécile in its entirety, and it was well-worth the cost.
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| Reliquary |
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| Art from the Middle Ages |
We first visited the Cathedral's Treasury where precious holy objects are displayed behind glass cases. Among these were a Baroque reliquary, a gilded box designed to hold relics, and polychrome wooden statues and stone carvings from the late Middle Ages.
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| The ambulatory |
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| Radiating chapels |
Afterwards, we followed the ambulatory which encircles the east end of the cathedral. As we walked, the ornate rood screen that surrounds the choir was on our right, and radiating chapels were on our left. No matter which way we looked, the view was stunning.
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| Statue of Tobias on the rood screen |
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| Paintings which depict the story of Constantin and Sainte Hélène |
We had been given a paper guide to the statuary that stands in niches on the rood screen. Those on the exterior represent figures from the old testament, such as Tobias above. Each chapel was a work of art, the meaning of which was explained to us in our audio guide. Most tell stories from the Bible as an inspiration to pilgrims visiting the church.
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| Chapel to the Virgin and Child |
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| Stained glass window |
Unlike the other very colourfully painted ones, the chapel dedicated to Mary has a traditional Baroque look; the art here is framed and the marble altar is topped by a sculpture of the Madonna and Child. The stained glass windows are traditional too, and rather narrow. To offset this limitation in the cathedral's design, the sides of the window wells are decorated with an intricate design.
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| Tracery on the rood screen |
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| The extraordinary ceiling |
Other features were absolutely extraordinary. The Flamboyant Gothic rood screen is second-to-none with intricate tracery that is a testament to the skill of the stone masons who created it. Even more remarkable is the vaulted ceiling of Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile. Resplendent with blue and gold paint, each triangular segment has significance, with some of them depicting Biblical characters, while others showing major events in the story of the Holy Family.
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| The choir |
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| Statues inside the choir |
On the south side of the ambulatory, we entered the choir where the canons sang the office to the Glory of God, and celebrated daily Mass. Here was yet another wonder. This church within a church separated the clergy from the laity. It is an awe-inspiring space, perfectly symmetrical. Here the statuary on the inside of the rood screen depicts figures from the New Testament.
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| The altar in the choir |
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| Wooden choir stalls |
The altar at its west end sits on a small platform and is framed by the graceful lines of the rood screen. It is the least colourful part of the interior, but starkly beautiful nevertheless. On each side of the room are two rows of wooden choir stalls. One can imagine the canons singing Gregorian chant while seated in this area.
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| I stand in front of the cathedral |
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| Another angle |
Our visit to the choir concluded our tour of Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile's magnificent interior. Once we exited the church, we looked back at it from several angles during our time in Albo. After all, it dominates the town. In fact, from the outside it looks more like a fortress than a church. This was a deliberate decision at the time of its construction, a message to the Cathars about who held the power.
I must say, its massive brick exterior and its unusual dimensions are not pleasing to the eye. The exception to this is the monumental entranceway which has some graceful features. I have read that the exterior of Sainte-Cécile intimidates, while the interior seduces. There is some truth to that.
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| Le Palais de la Berbie |
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| Images of Toulouse-Lautrec |
Across the road from the cathedral is Albi's other major tourist attraction, le Palais de la Berbie. Once the home of the Bishop's who presided over Sainte-Cécile, it now houses a large collection of the works of French artist, Toulouse-Lautrec. We wanted to enter the gallery, but our timing was poor. When we arrived, it was closed for a midday break, so we missed out.
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| Stairs to the back |
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| I am dwarfed by the palace. |
Fortunately, the grounds of this palace were open to the public. So, we entered through the gate and climbed the stairs that led to the rear of the building. What we saw thrilled us: here was a classic formal garden, a perfect addition to a palace. The shot that begins this post was taken there.
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| Pont Vieux |
We walked along an elevated terrace giving us a view over the Tarn River and its bridges on the northern side. Of note is le Pont-Vieux, a medieval structure almost 1000 years old, one of the oldest bridges in the country. At one time, it was made of stone, but was reinforced with bricks aat some point.
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| Looking over the garden towards the town on the other side of the river |
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| Looking east, with late summer flowers on the right |
Below us was the 17th century formal garden, which to this day is perfectly manicured. In early October, there were still some blooms here, but in the spring and the height of summer, I am sure we would have seen more colours. The main attraction though are the boxwood arabesques on a bed of white gravel. They are beautiful.
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| A full view of the garden |
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| The massive palace behind the garden |
The garden is backed by the brick walls of the former bishop's palace, a stark contrast against the deep green of the hedges. Small white flowers add interest in the middle section. Bob and I took photos of this lovely garden from every angle, but I have only included a couple of our shots.
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| Close up of one of the statues |
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| A second statue backed by the river |
Along the north portion of the terrace were small belvederes where stood statues representing the seasons. These appear timeworn, as a result of constant exposure to the elements and the presence of organisms growing in the stone. I cannot discern which season each symbolizes. Can you?
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| A third statue, with a missing hand |
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| Looking directly across the river |
Towards the eastern end of the terrace, our view of the Tarn, le Pont-Vieux, and the northern part of Albi was ameliorated by the presence of sunshine and fluffy clouds. Our walk culminated when we turned away from the river and looked back from the eastern end of the space, where some flower beds lie within a lawn.
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| Beautiful day |
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| The view from the east |
From this point, we left the property and headed into the town in search of a place to pick up food for our lunch. Happily, we soon found a local marché, where I lined up to buy a sandwich on a baguette which we later shared. Thus armed, we returned to our car, and said goodbye to Albi.
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| Bob and our Peugeot 408 hybrid |
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| Bucolic scene on our drive |
We drove twenty-five minutes northeast through beautiful countryside until we arrived at Cordes-sur-Ciel, our next stop. We parked below the town, a decision we somewhat regretted when we saw how far uphill we had to walk to get to the main road. Having exerted ourselves that far, we were keen to take the mini-train the rest of the way up to this bastide village under the sky. (Sur-Ciel means "under the sky".)
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| I line up for the train |
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| Headset on, camera ready |
Our timing was fortuitous, as the train was scheduled to depart just as we arrived. Once on board, we listened to an audio explanation of what we saw on the way. Cordes-sur-Ciel's story begins in 1222, when Raymond VII, the Count of Toulouse, built a fortified village on the limestone cliffs of the Puech de Mordagne peak.
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| On our way up the hill |
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| Our driver at the top |
Interestingly, the first tenants here were Cathars, the religious sect that was nearly wiped out during the Albigensian Crusade, the campaign that led to the erection of Albi's massive cathedral. These peaceful people were welcomed her as they brought wealth to Raymond VII thanks to their industry.
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| Porte de la Jane |
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| Porte des Ormeaux |
Once we disembarked from the train, we walked a few steps and entered the town through la Porte de la Jane, a 13th century fortified gate. Soon afterwards, we approached a stone archway, Porte des Ormeaux, where a man dressed as a knight templar was chatting with a family. It seemed we were walking into the past.
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| Narrow streets in Cordes-sur-Ciel |
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| We spotted the church |
We followed narrow cobblestoned streets past ancient buildings that have been lovingly preserved, as if it is still the 13th century. This place is yet another "Plus Beaux Village" and it is easy to see why it is very popular with tourists. Under the blue sky on this day, it was gorgeous.
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| 14th century tower |
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| The interior of the church |
We soon arrived at Église Saint-Michel, first erected in the 13th century, with a tower added in the 14th, then rebuilt in the 15th. As befits a town of about 5 000, it is modest in size. The vaulted ceiling, however, brings to mind the spectacular one in Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile, as they share a similar colour palate.
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| Town well |
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| Maison du Grand Veneur |
As we continued our walk, the village continued to charm us with its authentic medieval character. One of its more famous sites is la Maison du Grand Veneur (the House of the Grand Huntsman), a four-storey 14th century gothic mansion that was home to a wealthy Cathar family.
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| Les Halles |
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| Lots for sale here |
Soon after, we found ourselves in a large square, where artisans were selling their wares Some of the merchants had set up in the historic "halles", a 13th century covered marketplace, while others were positioned the open area behind it.
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| Terracotta pots for sale |
Close to the ramparts, we spotted a modern sculpture by Jean Marc entitled Le Monument de Souvenir. It stands over a very deep well, where during the time of the persecution of the Cathars (who were often burned at the stake), the villagers who supported them threw the inquisitors as a sign of their support.
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| The view from the top |
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| The Cérou Valley |
From this spot, there are spectacular views over the Cérou Valley below. The charm of this setting was celebrated by famous French author and frequent visitor, Albert Camus, who wrote that "the beauty here, day after day, will remove any loneliness".
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| Shoppers in les Halles |
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| Children's entertainer |
We certainly were not lonely, as on this Sunday afternoon, there were lots of other people visiting the town. It was a pleasure to be among them, having been alone so often in other villages we had visited. We lingered in this busy area for a while, enjoying watching a ghost-like figure entertaining the children.
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| A restaurant in a medieval house |
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| Pretty shop |
Our time was limited, however, since we had been given just an hour to explore before our "Petit Train" made its return journey to the lower town. And so, we started back towards the meeting point. On this return journey, we noticed the many shops and restaurants in the town. Attracting over 600 000 visitors every year, it is a popular place for artists to create and sell their works. Bob spotted some of these creations as we walked.
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| Colourful metal birds |
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| Metal creatures |
As had been the case on the large majority of our days in France, we were blessed with beautiful weather while in this town in the sky. Surely that is why so many of our photos are lovely, but credit must go to the townsfolk, who clearly are very proud of their village.
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| Another pretty street |
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| A photo from outside the walls |
We made it to the train in plenty of time. As we waited, we took a few more photos of this very special place. Then we were transported back to the lower part of Cordes-sur-Ciel, returned to our car, and continued on our way. We had one more stop to make before we stopped for the night.
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| We arrive in Bruniquel. Saint Maffre church is on the right. |
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| Porte Méjane |
Forty-five minutes later, we arrived in Bruniquel, yet another of the "Plus Beaux Villages" in the Occitanie region. Like many of the others, it is medieval in nature, with strong fortifications that used to protect it. Stone is the principal building material here and we saw it everywhere as we climbed up its main street.
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| Cobblestone street |
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| The climb to the top |
As charming as it was, we were not as interested in the village as we were in its principal attraction, Bruniquel Castle. To get there, we climbed to the top of its main street, passing by the Romanesque church, Saint-Maffre, and Porte Méjane, the middle gate in the old town wall.
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| The first room we entered was the bakehouse. |
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| Remnants of the old castle in the courtyard |
Bob and I love an ancient castle and this would be the first one we entered on this trip. In fact, there are two castles here, château vieux (old castle) and château jeune (young castle). At one time, they were owned by two branches of the same family who were in conflict for 300 years. In the mid-nineteenth century, one branch bought out the other, ending the quarrelling. At that time, the newer building was boarded up in order to pay fewer taxes. Chateau vieux was built in the 13th century and added to many times over the subsequent centuries. It belonged to the the Viscounts of Bruniquel who passed it on to their descendants for over 600 years. Thus, it was inhabited continuously until 1950, and part-time until 1980, when the last Viscountess died.
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| Bob waving inside the Knight's Room |
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The Knights Room
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We entered the old castle first, stopping at the bakehouse for a photo, and then almost immediately, we were back outside in front of some of the ruins from earlier times. The first of these is the Knights Room, which would have been the principal residents of the Viscounts of Bruniquel. Its Romanesque arched windows and sculpted capitals are very impressive.
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| One sculpted capital |
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| Another sculpted capital |
Next to it is the ancient keep, the best preserved of the ruins. Legend has it that it was built for the famous Visigoth Queen, Brunehaut, in the 7th century, but more likely, it dates from the 11th or 12th, as part of the castle's defences. Its lower portion would have been used to store grain.
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| The back of the keep |
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| The Donjon (Keep) |
Our time in this ancient courtyard inspired a lot of photos. The ruins were of great interest to us, but also, we had a view of the exterior of both the old and new castles themselves. It is difficult to fathom three centuries of conflict between a Catholic and Protestant family, neighbours in such close quarters, but that is the case.
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| One view of the château vieux |
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| I pose in front of château vieux |
From the outside, the older castle is more attractive than the newer one, no doubt because it was inhabited much longer, and frequently renovated. It has two towers, one round and one square, a turret, and wooden shutters. The other building is plainer but, we would soon discover that is more interesting on the inside, having recently been restored.
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| Château jeune |
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| The garden |
Also from this courtyard, we looked down on the castle garden, a green lung in Bruniquel. Then, we headed back inside through the door in the round tower, known as the "unification tower" since it was built from the stones that had once been used to erect a wall between the two castles.
At the top of a circular stairway, we arrived at a 19th century addition to the old castle. Here was a Renaissance Gallery with an open air view over the Aveyron Valley, and the river that snakes through it. It stands 90 meters above the ground, since the castle is positioned on a cliff. From here, we could literally see for miles.
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| The Renaissance Gallery |
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| The Aveyron |
After traversing the gallery, we visited another room in the château vieux, which was set up to display information about a movie that was filmed here in 1975, "Le vieux fusil". Translated to "The Old Gun", this famous French film won three Césars, the country's version of the Academy Awards. In the same area, there was an exhibition about the current inhabitants of the châteaux–bats! A maternity colony of these creatures roost here in the spring every year, giving birth to their young.
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| Painting of a bat |
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| A last pic of le château vieux |
Le château jeune was built between 1484 and 1510, and underwent several improvements in subsequent centuries, including its 1683 carved door, below. In 1840, it was closed, and has only recently been restored. For this reason, its interior is more historic than its older counterpart.
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| 1663 carved door |
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| Château jeune |
Upon entering the building, we first arrived at the kitchen with its large hearth. According to my sources, it was once the castle's chapel. Up a flight of stairs, we found ourselves in a grand hall, with a large fireplace in its centre, and a pair of chairs flanking it.
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| The kitchen in a former chapel |
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The fireplace
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This was the grandest room in either castle, but in general, it lacked decor. The exception to this were the details on the eautifully carved wooden fireplace. Among the many examples of fine workmanship here is the human face that Bob focused on, below. I wonder whose image it is.
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| Man's face |
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| Photographer Bob in the hall |
Despite efforts to bring it back to its former glory, years of neglect has left château jeune a shell. Parts of some floors were missing, and so the walls had to be supported to avoid collapse. Hopefully, in time, more restorations can occur in this Renaissance building.
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| Bruniquel alleyway |
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| Vine covered townhouses |
Our visit over, we made our way back through the village of Bruniquel along its narrow alleyways, and past its medieval houses. This late in the afternoon, there were few people about, and even the church was closed, so there was nothing to do but hit the road.
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| The closed Église Saint-Maffré |
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| Montauban under golden light |
It took only a half an hour to get the Montauban where we would spend the night. We arrived in the golden hour, with the sun low in the sky bathing the city in that colour. Keen to see as much of the city as possible before the sun set, and to find a place to have dinner, we set out immediately after checking into our hotel.
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| Église Saint-Jacques |
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| The interior |
As we walked toward the town centre, we spotted an interesting-looking church, Église Saint-Jacques, so we stopped briefly to have a look inside. Since there was a service going on, we did not linger. I have learned that its interior is another example of the southern gothic style, as is its bell tower. Its façade, however, was decorated in neo-Romanesque style in the 19th century.
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| Place Nationale |
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| Reflecting pool |
Shortly after this, we entered the heart of Montauban, Place Nationale. This is a bastide town, the seond oldest in the country, built on a checkerboard pattern radiating from the central square. Like so many other communities in this part of France, pink brick is the main building material. I loved this spot, with its reflecting pool, cafes, and arcades.
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| Montauban arcade |
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| The cathedral reflected |
We walked under one of these arcades towards another square where stands Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption. Built in the late 17th century, it has a classical appearance with ionic columns on its façade. These are topped by a peristyle mounted by statues of the four evangelists.
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| The four evangelists |
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| Caryatids on the former post office |
Unfortunately, this church was closed for renovations, so we continued on, passing by another neo-classical building nearby, made of pink brick. Instead of columns, caryatids (inspired by those on the Acropolis) act as pillars on the balcony of Mantauban's former post office.
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| Musée Ingres |
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| Victor Brun Natural History Museum |
Like Albi, this small city has a museum honouring a native son, in fact, two of them. In this case, the works of Jean-Augustus-Dominique Ingres, a Neo-classical painter, and sculptor Antoine Bourdelle, a student of Rodin, comprise the bulk of the collection Based on the banners at the entrance, a Rodin exhibition had been added for a few months in 2025. It was past 7:00 pm when we arrived at the gallery, so it was closed for the night. Also shut was the Victor Brun Natural History Museum, close by.
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| Bourdelle monument in front of the Tribunal de Commerce |
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| Musée Ingrès Bourdelle |
We were now walking along an elevated road above the east bank of the Tarn River, the lifeblood of Montauban. At this time of the day, the warmth of the fading light from the west bathed the brick buildings nearby in a terracotta hue. Bob positioned himself to make the most of this. In the first photo, a monument to local heroes stands in front of the Tribunal de Commerce. The statue, created by Antoine Bourdelle, is entitled "Monument aux combattants et défenseurs du Tarn-et-Garonne de 1870-1871", a tribute to those who gave their lives during the Franco-Prussian War. The second shot focuses on le Musée Ingres Bourdelle as seen from le Vieux-Pont. From his angle, the stateliness of the former Bishop's Palace can clearly be seen.
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| Cassoulet, a sausage and bean dish |
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| Colourful glasswork above the front desk |
By 7:30, after walking over 15 000 steps, we were back at our hotel where we enjoyed our evening meal in its bistro. I decided to order cassoulet, a traditional dish of the south of France. Bob opted for a burger with local cheese. Then we both ordered dessert: I had a deconstructed lemon meringue pie, while Bob enjoyed some (very large) profiteroles with ice cream. We were staying at the Dali Hôtel Montauban, part of a small chain in France. These establishments are decorated with art associated with the famous surrealist artist. We loved the charm of the place, so after dinner, Bob took lots of pics. Below are many of them.
In search of more Dali images, Bob stepped outside where a copy of a Jean-Louis Toutin sculpture entitled "The 1st Violin" stands in the hotel's parking lot. Then, he looked up nd captured a perfect full moon, a great way to end a really good day
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