Page 443 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

The exquisite interior
of Cathédrale Ste-Cécile
in Albi

26
Castres
! D6 ⌂ Tarn ~ £ @
n 2 pl de la République;
www.tourisme-castres.fr
A centre for the cloth industry
since the 14th century,
today Castres is also the
head quarters of one of
France’s biggest phar ma-
ceutical companies. The
Musée Goya – Musée d’Art
Hispanique has a large col-
lection of Spanish art. Goya
himself is well repre sented by
a large, misty council scene
and by a series of powerful
prints, Los Caprichos.
Outside, the pretty formal
gardens between the town
hall and the River Agout were
designed in the 17th century
by André Le Nôtre, the
land scape archi tect of Vaux-
le-Vicomte and the Palace
of Versailles.
25 such as Matisse, Dufy and Musée Goya – Musée
d’Art Hispanique
Yves Brayer. After a stroll
Albi around the beautiful terraced " ⌂ Hôtel de Ville § 05 63
gardens, step next door to the 71 59 30 # Hours vary, check
! D6 ⌂ Tarn £ @ n Palais
de la Berbie, pl Ste-Cécile; vast red-brick Cathédrale Ste- website ¢ Mon & 1 Jan,
Cécile, built in the aftermath
1 May, 14 Jul, 1 Nov, 25 Dec
www.albi-tourisme.fr
of the Albigensian crusade
Like many large towns in this in 1265. It was intended as a
region, Albi is not only red, but reminder to potential heretics BASTIDE TOWNS
also can become red hot, and that the Church meant busi- Bastide towns were
not ideal for afternoon visits ness. From a distance, its hurriedly built in the
in summer. You need to get semicircular towers and 13th century by both
up in the cool early morning narrow windows give it the the English and the
to walk the streets around appearance more of a fortress French to encourage
the market and the cathedral than a place of worship. Every settle ment of empty
perched above the town. feature, from the huge bell areas before the
Try to make for the Musée tower to the apocalyptic fresco Hundred Years’ War.
Toulouse-Lautrec in the of the Last Judgment, is on a They are the medieval
Palais de la Berbie ahead of giant scale, built deliberately equivalent of “new
the crowds. The museum to dwarf the average person. towns”, with planned
contains the most complete The effect is breathtaking, grids of streets and
permanent collection of the from outside and within. fortified perimeters.
Post-Impressionist artist’s Over 300 bastide towns
work in existence, including Musée Toulouse-Lautrec and villages still survive
paintings, drawings and = " ⌂ Palais de la Berbie be tween Périgord and
his famous posters for the # Hours vary, check the Pyrénées.
Moulin Rouge. There are also web site ∑ musee-toulouse-
canvases by famous artists lautrec.com
443

442-443_EW_France.indd 443 30/01/2019 16:44