Albi and Cordes sur Ciel

Cathar Country. Day tour (9 am to 5 pm)

In the morning we depart for the city of Albi, a newly declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Among the buildings of the town is the Saint Cecilia cathedral, a masterpiece of Southern Gothic architecture, built between the 13th and 15th centuries characterised by a strong contrast between its austere, defensive exterior and its sumptuous interior decoration.
Lunch in a restaurant.
In the afternoon, we visit Cordes sur Ciel. The steep ascent transports you back to medieval times, past the porches, battlements, sculpted facades of the Grand Ecuyer and the Grand Veneur and the splendid 18th century Gothic mansions that belonged to wealthy traders. The narrow winding alleyways up to the city are also peppered with galleries and craft shops. Painters, writers, ceramicists, sculptors and jewellers were drawn to this inspiring place many years ago and the tradition continues. On misty mornings, Cordes sur Ciel truly lives up to its name as it seems to float in the sky.