Albi: Art, Architecture & More. Private Walking Tour for You!

Learn About the Must-See Sites in Albi From an Expert Guide

The Charming small town of Albi, on the River Tarn, is located just a short hour's drive from the major city of Toulouse. Nicknamed 'La Rouge' (The Red) because of the large number of brick buildings that compose the town, a guided walking tour in Albi is more than just a pleasant experience. The town is home to a number of top rated attractions including a mighty brick built Cathedral, admirable Renaissance Private Mansions linked to the woad trade and an attractive Old Town (Viei Alby) with its winding streets and gothic houses.

Meet your English speaking licensed tour guide

Upon arrival, meet your licensed tour guide at a dedicated meeting point in Albi such as in front of the tourist office. All our tour guides are certified guides which means that they are authorized to conduct tours in monuments & museums, historical towns as well as Unesco World Heritage sites as Albi. Your guide will go over the itinerary of the visit with you and after that, it will be time to begin your Guided Walking tour of Albi.

A fortress Cathedral

Located just next to the tourism office of Albi, begin your tour with the visit of the imposing Gothic Cathedral one of the most impressive in France. Built in the 13th century (1282 - 1480), construction took 200 years and the Cathedral is today the largest brick built building in the world measuring more than 100 meters in length (320 feet), 35 meters wide (114 feet) and 78 meters tall (255 feet).

The sheer size and external look of the Cathedral is quite spectacular. The Cathedral was built at a time when the region was fighting the Cathars, a christian dualist movement that challenged the authority of the Catholic Church, and had just been annexed by the King of France in 1271.

The building of the Cathedral had both a religious and political purpose: build an imposing fortress to showcase the power of the Church against the Cathars but also to build it in the Southern Gothic style, in brick material, far from the Northern style that had just overtaken the region.

Inside, the beauty of the Renaissance decorations contrast with the austere exterior of the edifice. What really impresses are the paintings of the vaulting. They are the oldest and largest Renaissance painting ensemble in France. The blue color that dominates the paintings dates back to the 1520's and they were never cleaned or restored.

Vieil Alby

After the visit of the Cathedral, it will be time to move on with your guide to visit the Old Historical town of Albi. Your tour will also take you along the banks of the Tarn River to admire the Old Bridge but also to the Saint Salvi district where an elegant cloister can still be seen. Then stroll through the medieval streets of the city of Albi and discover some remarquable examples of Renaissance architecture.

A number of Private Mansions can still be seen and your guide will certainly evoque the times when the region was known as a 'Pays de Cocagne' a land where the woad trade made a number of merchants become rich and powerful.  One of the most interesting examples can be found in the Hôtel de reynes, built circa 1525, where the mix of stone & brick building has attained great craftsmanship.

The Toulouse-Lautrec Museum

Certainly the most important landmark with the Albi Cathedral, the Toulouse-Lautrec museum is certainly not to be missed when one comes to Albi. Set in what used to be the Bishops Palace, the Musée Toulouse Lautrec is home to the most important collection of artworks by artist Henri de Toulouse Lautrec that were donated by the mother of the painter to the town of Albi.

Here follow your guide on a private tour of the museum that is composed of drawings, etchings, lithographies, posters and paintings made by the artiste. More than a 1000 works of Art make up the whole collection. The Berbie Palace, where the museum is located, enhances the visit as the setting is quite remarkable.

After the visit of the museum, enjoy some free time for personal discovery. This will also be the end of our services.