LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON - France 2014 - page 844

seriesofsteppingstonesthatenabledpeopletocrosstheriver.Lookatthebishop'spalace.
The garden below dates from the 17th century (when the palace at Versailles inspired the
French to create fancy gardens). The palace itself grew from the 13th century until 1789,
when the French Revolution ended the power of the bishops and the state confiscated the
building. Since 1905, it's been a museum.
• The last two sights are in the town center, roughly behind the cathedral.
St. Salvy Church and Cloister (Eglise St. Salvi et Cloître)
Althoughthischurch(theoldestintown)isnothingspecial,thecloistercreatesadelightful
space.Delicate archessurroundanenclosedcourtyard(openallday),providingapeaceful
interlude from the shoppers that fill the pedestrian streets. Notice the church wall from the
courtyard. It was the only stone building in Albi in the 11th century; the taller parts, added
later, are made of brick. This is one of many little hidden courtyards throughout town. In
therough-and-tumbleMiddleAges,mostbuildingsfacedinward.Ifdoorsareopen,you're
welcome to pop in to courtyards.
Market Hall (Marché Couvert)
Albi's quiet Art Nouveau market is good for picnic-gathering and people-watching (Tue-
Sun8:00-14:00,closedMon,2blocksfromcathedral).OnSaturday,afarmer'smarketsets
up outside the market hall.
Sleeping in Albi
$$$ Hostellerie du Grand Saint Antoine**** isAlbi'soldesthotel(establishedin1784),
and the most comfortable and traditional place I list. Guests enter an inviting, spacious
lobby that opens onto an enclosed garden. Some rooms are Old World cozy, others have
amodernflare,andallarecomfortable (Db-€130-150,bigDb-€170-200,suites-€190-260,
Wi-Fi, parking-€10, a block above big Place du Vigan at 17 Rue Saint-Antoine, tel. 05 63
54 04 04, www.hotel-saint-antoine-albi.com , [e-mail] ) .
$$ Hôtel Chiffre*** is a safe bet, with 38 well-appointed rooms (Db-€78, bigger
Db-€98-128, family rooms-€145, some with queen-size beds, check website for deals, air-
con, elevator, pay Wi-Fi, garage-€9, traditional restaurant, near Place du Vigan at 50 Rue
Séré de Rivières, tel. [phone], www.hotelchiffre.com , [e-mail] ).
$$ Le Vieil Alby Hôtel-Restaurant**, in the heart of Albi's pedestrian area, has
simple, non-smoking rooms and needs updating (Db-€52-68, Tb-€59-74, garage-€7, 25
Rue Toulouse-Lautrec, tel. [phone], www.levieilalby.com , [e-mail] ) .
$ Hôtel Lapérouse** is a work in progress, one block from the old city and a
10-minute walk to the train station. This family-run hotel offers simple rooms and enthu-