Albi (France) | A Special Kind of Old Town - Day 44

The picture above is the Vieux Pont, Old Bridge, linking the new town of Albi in the background to the old city. The Bridge is also a UNESCO site.

Today, I am visiting the town of Albi, France. Located about 1 hour northeast of Toulouse by train. I'm going to digress for a moment. I realize that travel by train in France is very efficient. However, it is also an immense pain in my ass. Unlike trains in Ireland, my ticket is only suitable for a designated time in France. And the rate of the fare changes throughout the day. For example, a fair to Albi, France at 1019 a.m. would cost me 15.40 euros. However, if I wait until 1119 a.m., the fare is only 5 euros. Trains also get canceled frequently by SNCF. Lastly, many of the tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable. This requires me to spend much more time planning my day, which isn't how I want to spend my day. However, it's good to push my boundaries, and SNCF is doing that.

This kind of nonsense, which is really what it is, annoys the piss out of me. A fare should be standardized between destinations; it should not vary based on time of day. Fortunately, the saving grace is that the SNCF phone app is excellent, easy to use, and allows me to easily book fares remotely. So, despite all my frustrations, the train is still the best and most economical way to travel around France. However, it requires me to be flexible in other ways, including my schedule and travel disruptions. So, I buy my ticket to Albi at 1119 a.m. for 5 euros. Then, due to a rate hike, I'll try another mode of transportation today for my return trip. I am not interested in paying 15.40 for the same trip or waiting till 1019 p.m. for a ticket that costs only 5 euros.

I chose Albi as a place to visit because it is one of the few towns that has preserved its rich architectural heritage from the Middle Ages. In addition, Albi has several UNESCO sites that have been recognized within the old town. Specifically, the Palais de la Berbie, the gardens, and the residential quarters in the old part of town are of interest to me today.

The train station is on the outskirts of the west side of the new part of town, approximately a 15-20 min walk to the old city. Along the way, I pass the Albi Grand Theatre. The strangely stunning modern building catches my eye. It was built in 2014; the above link describes the purpose behind the building and shows pictures of newer parts of Albi while capturing the beauty of the Albi Grand Theatre.

Hotel de Reynès is one of the first sights in the old town I pass by. The old mansion built in 1530 by Roger Reynès was the first building constructed entirely of brick in Albi. Reynès made his fortune in the pastel trade.

The courtyard is even more magnificent than the main building, which faces the street. It features a round tower, a common way to display a person's affluence at that time. The tower is taller than all surrounding buildings.

The building is well preserved and contrasts starkly with the other buildings in town, which you'll see later.

This building, Hotel de Ville or City Council, was adopted by the Albi townfolks as the place to conduct official town business in the Middle Ages. The building was erected in 1728. Notice the contrast and use of timbers in the construction of this building compared to the Hotel de Reynès. Above the main door is the inscription "Stat baculus vigilatque, leo turresque tuetur," or "The cross is erected, the lion watches and protects the towers." Also, notice the beautiful cobblestone roads and the typical fan pattern.

The town has converted nearly all first-level spaces into modern-day retail shops. People pass to and fro, visiting one shop after another. Albi has a great feel and has done well balancing modern-day needs while preserving the architectural sites of the past. It is a lovely town to wander through.

La Maison du Vielle Albi, Old Albi House, is the oldest building in the old town of Albi. The house is cantilevered and overhangs the streets. It was built in the mid-1500s and has an open attic traditionally used for storage. Notice the buildings along both roads, although newer, and see how well they are preserved. The town has many of these older buildings with these wooden beams. They are spectacular to see in person.

The picture below is taken on the north end of Albi. Notice the blue shutters on the brick buildings, a sign of wealth, and the building in the middle with the wooden beams. To the left is the entrance to gardens of Le Palais de Berbie, Berbie Mansion. Berbie is an Occitan word that means Bishop. The Berbie Palace, or Archbishop's Palace, is naturally fortified high above the River Tarn. It was built in 1250 AD, and the massive Albi Cathedral, which looks like a fortress, followed. Albi was another major player in the crusades against the Cathers. Today the Berbie Palace is home to the Museum-Toulouse-Lautreec.

After stepping through the large opening below the blue roof in the above picture, I get my first sight of this colorful French garden. 

Looking south back towards the blue roofline. Notice how massive this Palais is by itself and the ramped staircase to the right. In this picture, the River Tarn is a couple hundred feet (45 m) below the Palais. I also notice the white gravel has been carefully manicured, and no footprints are visible. I enjoy seeing the garden and appreciate the immense time it takes to manicure the site. I love the simplicity of the caretaker's job; in my mind, the caretaker is hired to do only one thing, which likely is not the case.

After the Palais, I wander back to the south, towards the new part of the town, to catch my ride. I opted to try a carpooling service called BlaBlaCar.com which I found thanks to Rome2Rio. It is like Uber or Lyft, except the driver posts their schedule (i.e., to, from, departure, and estimated arrival) on the website. Once I create a profile, I can select the driver and schedule that works for when I want to leave Albi. After scrolling through the posts, I pay the fare through the website. I meet Linda around 430 pm and climb into her black Renault Clio IV, hoping she will take me where I am supposed to go. Haha! I checked, and Linda has delivered many other people to their destination without issue. She is also a highly rated driver. 

Linda is in her 60s. She travels to and from Albi and Toulouse about three times per week. She was born in Montréal but left when she was one. Her son now lives there. We chat most of the way back; my French is coming back. I still need help with some words, and Linda is patient with me. She tells me I should visit Paris, the prettiest city in France with lots to do for tourists. I tell her I am more interested in the little towns and the French countryside. She shares a few more ideas on destinations; more importantly, she tells me she is not impressed with Pau, France. About an hour later, Linda drops me off near the Toulouse Train Station. This wasn't a bad experience; it only cost me 6.50 euros to return to Toulouse.