|
Albi: The Riches of France's Past By
Arnie Greenberg If you are in search of art, architecture and history, I suggest you head for Albi. The city stands high on the banks of the river Tarn in the southwest of France, north of Carcassonne and near the larger city of Toulouse. If this latter city reminds you of something, you are correct when you guess that this was a name connected with a major painter, Henri de Toulouse Lautrec. Yes, there is an art gallery here that attracts Lautrec aficionados in droves, but Albi is also a well-preserved city of remarkable architecture and a fascinating past. It was here that the crusade against the Albigensians, or Cathars, was mounted in 1236. Cathars Spread Their Influence The Cathars spread their influence as messengers of a new faith. They were considered heretics by King and Church and were massacred and burnt at the stake. At Montsegur alone, those who opposed the Catholic authority paid dearly for their zeal. Ten thousand men lay siege to Montsegur and burned hundreds at the stake. There are still reminders of these bloody days in the destroyed havens of the Cathar castles in southwest France. They call it "Red Albi" (Albi le rouge) because of the red brick and hue of the stone churches and bridges. It is a visual city slightly off the beaten track, but it's worth a visit for many reasons including the food. Many come here to see the collection of Toulouse paintings. Lautrec was the son of a count and was born in November 1864 in his family mansion built on the city ramparts. It is called Hotel du Bosc. But wealth could not prevent the young Lautrec from being victimized by age 15 by a congenital disorder and two falls. His affliction brought him to Paris in 1882, where he began to record his impressions of the seedier side of city life with canvasses and drawings that were to set a style for future painters. See the Famed Albi Art Collection His work is well known, but too few have seen the Albi collection that is made up of more than 1,000 paintings, drawings and lithographs. The collection is housed in the former archbishop's palace dating back to the 13th century and represents the lifestyle of murky Montmartre's, music halls and brothels at the end of the 19th century.
(The Toulouse Lautrec Museum) I was impressed with Lautrec's paintings of horses, one of his early loves and the drawings entitled At the Circus. What he later did in Paris is a complete about face from his early work. But Lautrec's condition and his addiction to alcohol and his syphilis exhausted him and he returned to his mother's residence, Chateau de Malrome, in the Gironde River area where he died in 1901. He was not yet 37 years old. The museum is testimony to Albi's native son, but it also houses works by such geniuses as Bonnard, Matisse, Vuillard and Vlaminck. A Medieval Fotress Worth Seeing The archbishop's Palace de la Berbie is a powerful medieval fortress with terraces and gardens you will not soon forget. The view of the river from here is spectacular. But there's more to this city than art and architecture. Albi is a center of music, theatre, cinema and jazz. There is an annual carnival and the university is the 6th most important school of mines in France. It too is a meeting place for conferences and seminars. For sports, there are racetracks for cars and motorbikes and a superb 18-hole golf course built on an estate. Kayaking on the rushing rivers is a favorite sport here as are walking, biking and fishing. Market days are special here with people gathering on Saturdays and Tuesdays. There is even a covered market every morning except Mondays. Shoppers walk on the cobbled streets to the poultry market near the Cathedral where they exchange stories in the Occitan dialect 'langue d'Oc. The talk is often of cooking. This is a gourmand's haven where one can taste Radishes and salt liver, Albi-style beef stew, saffron tripe, sweetbreads and Gimblettes or ring cakes not to mention the duck and goose delicacies of Southwestern France. Albi Near the Massif Central Albi is near the Massif Central, that rugged and scenic area half way between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. It is dotted with vineyards, valleys and plateaus and a celebrated, deep gorge created by the Tarn River, which gives the region its name. There are still mansions in the area as well as hill villages like the picturesque medieval village of Cordes-sur-ciel. There are excellent hotels for all purses, and most of them offer special local foods. My most recent choice was the Air conditioned Grand Hotel d'Orleans, a family run hotel, since 1902, near the main train station. Their traditional French cuisine in the dining room, Le Goulu, is excellent as is their attention to detail. Their pool can be refreshing If you are heading south from here, stop at Castres, the fabric center on the tarn river where you'll also find a museum of Spanish Art called the Musee Goya. But the gem of the Tarn is still Albi in old Languedoc. You will be seduced by it as I was. I return here often. Tourist
Office: Place Saint-Cecile, next to the museum and cathedral. Tel: 33 05 63 494
886 Fax 33 O5 63 494 898 Hotel and Dining Recommendations:
Best Western Grand Hotel d'Orleans *** Hotel Chiffre
***(Charming with excellent restaurant)
| ||
 |
