Things to Do in Toulouse

The Albi Cathedral, with its fortress-like Palais de la Berbie, brings architecture fans and Cathar history buffs to this small town in southwestern France. But there is another reason to visit as well: the astounding Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, which showcases over a thousand of his works.

Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa is best known for capturing the fin-de-siecle decadence of the end of the 19th century in Paris' artsy, bohemian Montmartre district, most notably at the Moulin Rouge cabaret. But he was also accomplished in other media, and the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum is a fantastic way to take an in-depth look at his prolific career.

The museum’s permanent collection includes a wall-sized work by Picasso, while its various exhibition spaces display contemporary artworks that promise to confront, challenge and inspire. This imaginatively restored space also hosts a wide range of cultural expositions.

Although some form of fortification has been on this specific tract of land since the Roman era, the fortified city of Carcassonne as it is seen today was constructed throughout the 12th century. It stayed an impregnable fortress for the next several hundred years and was saved from being dismantled in the mid-1800s through a program of complete restoration.

In the ensuing centuries the city outgrew its walls, and today visitors will find a fully modern French town leading up to the gates. But great care has been taken at this UNESCO World Heritage site to keep the grounds surrounding the fortified city as they were, allowing for spectacular views from many vantages. In fact, while it is tempting to stay in one of the few hotels within the walls, it is recommended that you stay outside and enjoy the view of the city.

The Basilique Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi, commonly known in English as the Albi Cathedral, looks quite a bit different than most of the churches in France. First, it is made from clay brick instead of stone, giving it a pinkish hue rather than grey. Second and more noticeable still is the bell tower, which looks more like a fortress lookout than the usual intricately carved spires that visitors may be used to. 

There's a reason for its fortified presence–it was built after the Church vanquished the Cathars, whose desire to create a new church was considered heretical. Although the site had housed other religious sites (including one that burned down in the year 666!), it is this one that has remained since its construction in the 13th century. Included on the grounds is the Berbie Palace, where bishops once lived and where the Toulouse-Latrec Museum sits today.