Albi

October 7, 2023

Cathedral, Toulouse-Lautrec, a Wedding and a Race

Keith and I had never heard of Albi prior to this trip. What a city this is. We have had a fabulous day exploring all its wonders. This post is pretty much going to be a story in pictures. Just trust us on one thing. If you are ever in the neighbourhood, come to Albi.

First up was the Cathedral. Construction began in 1282. It is a bit fortress like on the outside and is seriously huge.

It claims to be the largest brick building in the world. We certainly haven’t seen a bigger one. That is the start of the set up for the marathon in the foreground.

The choir. The size of the space astonished us. I am singing in the foreground. Just kidding. I wouldn’t have dared.

The rood screen. New terminology for me. It means choir screen and was incredibly intricate. We did the audio guide tour.

Pretty gruesome. Detail from The Last Judgement mural.

Then came the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum. Only one of us was interested, me, so the CN retired to the hotel for a little route planning and I wandered through the art gallery amazed by the body of Henri’s work. The building that houses the museum was a star as well.

I didn’t take many pictures. He is most famous for his posters, but he was a prolific artist.

Meeting up again we happened on a wedding. When the bride and groom emerged from the church the bells rang in such an amazing fashion. The joy in the air was palpable. Everyone looked so happy and the bells were such a joyous sound. Weddings are such hopeful occasions. I was very moved by it.

We did a walkabout at this point. This is a beautiful place.

And finally, the race. It was a team marathon. Six to a team. The start and finish was right in front of the Cathedral. We enjoyed a fabulous dinner while listening to the announcements. When we were walking back to the hotel Keith was a little inattentive to his surroundings while checking the way back on his phone (and ignoring his wife’s voice) and nearly got taken out as he wandered into the race course. It made me laugh. The two runners weren’t impeded but they were moving fast and startled the CN for sure.

Another great day. We are looking forward to what tomorrow will bring.

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Lyle McLeodWow, we've heard such great accounts of Albi, and yours is one of the most effusive! It was on our original plan this spring, but ended up on the cutting room floor. I guess that means we'll have to come back to this area and check it out soon. Stumble upon's are the greatest aren't they!
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7 months ago

Kathleen ClassenStumble upon’s. I love that. The historical center is a wonderful spot. Our first clue really was the hotelier in Castres telling us that “everyone” has heard of Carcassonne and Albi, but Castres was a surprise to many. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that we had never heard of Albi until planning the Tarn 😂.
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7 months ago