#Bon Voyage - Albi

After writing my article Bon Voyage: Travel in a Budget for UofG Go Abroad, I came up with the idea to write about my travel experiences throughout my exchange year. Similar to my recently started French it UP series, I have decided to start another, brand-new series, #Bon Voyage to recommend fascinating excusions to different cities as well as travelling tips to my dearest readers.

For my first blog post for this new series, I want to start with my day trip to Albi with my friends. Located approx. 2 hours away by train from Toulouse, the Occitan town has an unspoken, ancient allure that attracts flocks of tourists. I visited the town in mid-November, yet it was definitely a risky decision as the weather in winter time in France is know to be cloudy and rainy. At the end, it turned out to be sunny.

Arrived at 10 AM, Albi train station is located 20 minutes away from the city centre. After a short stroll, my friends and I got to the centre, where erects a massive cathedral. Constructed in 13th Century, Saint Cecilia's Cathedral was once a fortress. The cathedral was under construction for 200 years and is the largest brick building. As a renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site, Saint Cecilia's Cathedral is also the largest painted cathedral in Europe! (Phew, there is a lot of information). Built in the Southern French Gothic style, the intricate décors on the façade is simply breath-taking.

What is even more jaw-dropping, is the painting inside the cathedral. With trompe-l'oeil and geometries painted across the walls, the view is completely unexpected from a historical cathedral. Although it was quite dim in the cathedral, we were able to capture some pretty pictures and appreciate the 18th Century organ installed above the altar.

Soon, it was lunch time. We went to a local market and got prosciutto, cheese, baguette and glass of wine! We also got strawberries. It was a lovely lunch!

After our lunch, we headed to the Berbie Palace. I believe many will ask who is 'Berbie'? In fact, 'Berbie' is the Occitan word for bishop. Situated close to the cathedral, the palace is heavily fortified, accentuating the power of the Archbishop of Albi. Now, the palace is open for visitors and the garden is definitely is must-go point! There, you can have an amazing panorama of the Tarn river that runs along Albi. That is definitely one of the best photo-taking spots in Albi!

Afterwards, we took some time to explore the town which has some lovely shops and patisseries. Apart from the cathedral, what also makes the city so special is that it has its own palette of colours. Built with a special type of bricks made from the dirt of the Tarn river, the city changes colours according to the light; from red, pink to ochre. We then visited the Saint Salvi Collegiate and Cloister. Built in 13th Century, the Collegiate and Cloister is well conserved. Since we were travelling on Thursday, there were not a lot of tourists. We were able to walk around the site and had a piece of tranquility.

Albi is a small town and staying there for a day trip will give you ample time to visit all the places you want to visit. Before, we left this picturesque town, my friends and I got an afternoon tea. With sips of tea, bites of the cake and unceasing banters, we had a blast and headed back to the train station.

That's all for my day trip to Albi. Overall I had an amazing time! It was a rather quiet city and it is an ideal destination for a wee escape from homework and mid-terms.