Toulouse Travel Guide

Albi

While Toulouse is known as the 'pink city' for its facebrick buildings, Albi is often called the 'red city' due to the spectacular crimson hue of the buildings at sunset. With a skyline dominated by the magnificent Cathédrale Ste-Cécile, there is plenty to see in the medieval town centre. Albi is also known as the birthplace of famous French painter Toulouse-Lautrec, and there is a great museum containing more than 600 of his works, along with those of Degas, Matisse, and Roualt. There is also an interesting museum dedicated to explorer Jean-François de la Pérouse. Situated on the lovely River Tarn, the historic city of Albi is a popular excursion from Toulouse, partly because accommodation here is notoriously expensive.