Albi

Before coming to Toulouse several people told me that for sure I had to pay a visit to Carcasonne, that it was such a beautiful and impressive place. Of course once I'd had a first taste of Toulouse my next steps were visiting Bordeaux (likewise some people had insisted on how nice it was, and yes, it's an incredible place) and then visiting Carcasonne. Obviously I liked the place, "la cité" (the medieval citadel) is impressive, but the rest of the city has no much to see and as my expectations were so high I didn't feel so amazed.

On the other side, when I paid my first visit to Albi, back in February, my expectations were not that high. I mainly expected a smaller version of downtown Toulouse, which of course would be nice, but nothing new to me. Wow, once there I felt fascinated by this "ville", it's much more than a "small Toulouse". Of course, you'll draw much similarities between both old towns (and with Montauban's one), as the 3 of them make up the trinity of Languedoc-style red brick architecture. I was back in Albi a few weeks ago, and the feeling of delight was the same.

My first impressions when walking from the train station to the "Centre de Ville" reinforced that perspective of being in a small Toulouse: the tree lined old boulevards, the Jeanne d'Arc statue (you'll find them in all French cities, but I think this is the only one I remember were she's standing rather than riding a horse), a nice park with astonishing gardens (since I'm here I've gone crazy about gardens, French people have such an incredible taste for gardens, and for architecture and cakes :-) a "Monument aux Morts" that is like a brick brother of the one in Toulouse...

Once in the city center, my first view was that of the Cathedral. Yeah, it's as impressive as all guide books say. The harsh and imposing walls remind me of Los Jacobinos in Toulouse, but taken to another dimension. I remember how much it captivated me many years ago when I read that the main idea of Gothic cathedrals with their large windows and towers and those high ceilings that seem to get lost in heaven... was to make men feel so small before the power of God. That vision is taken one step further here, those walls made me feel before an unconquerable military fortress, and probably that's what their constructors aimed, as it was built in the middle of a land of "heretics" after the bloody Albingensian Crusade. Once inside, things could not get any better, it's astonishing. Those painted ceilings are like a Gothic Sistine Chapel, and then the superb Rood Screen, sporting some of the most elaborate sets of gothic stone filigrees that I can think of.

The old town is much more than the cathedral: the beautiful Saint Salvi church, the red brick medieval buildings everywhere (I've ever felt a fascination for timber-frame houses, but the brick timber-frames that you find in Languedoc are a next level), the so charming Castelviel district... but the real ice of the cake will come when once in the Berbie palace you first get the astonishing views of the garden, the Tarn river with its soft waterfall, the houses leaning over the river and the imposing bridges, it's one of those images that will stay forever in your memory. In a way, this mesmerizing view reminded me of the one that you get from the castle in Cesky Krumlov, though the houses and the river are so different, something established the connection in my mind.

After enjoying the views and the garden for a long while, you should stroll to the river walking through some of the most ancient streets in the city, cross the Pont-View to the right bank, and then cross back to the main bank via the "Pont du 22 Aout 1944" (marking the liberation of Albi from the Nazi scum, just 3 days after Toulouse) that rises proudly over the Tarn for quite some meters (this elevated position could remind you of the bridges in Porto). If you continue along the Boulevard Pompidou you'll end up in another beautiful French garden and enjoy some "modern" (after so much medieval buildings) classic French architecture. Stroll back to the station and carry these memories forever with you. Then, you can even write a crappy post that in no way can express how enjoyable this little city is.