LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON - France 2014 - page 846

Oscar by Saint Loup may intimidate some with its fine stemware and chandeliers,
but beyond the formal dining room lies an inviting courtyard full of happy eaters enjoying
reasonably priced Mediterranean cuisine (€13 lunch menus come with a plat , dessert, and
choice of coffee or wine, good-value dinner menus from €23, closed Sat evening-Mon, 8
Rue Roquelaure, tel. [phone]).
Albi Connections
You'll connect to just about any destination through Toulouse.
From Albi by Train to: Toulouse (11/day, 70 minutes), Carcassonne (12/day, 3
hours, change in Toulouse), Sarlat (6/day, 5-7 hours with 2-3 changes, some require bus
from Souillac to Sarlat), Paris (6/day, 6.5-9 hours, change in Toulouse, also night train).
Near Albi
▲ Route of the Bastides (La Route des Bastides Albigeoises)
ThehillyterrainnorthofAlbiwastailor-madeformedievalvillagestoorganizearoundfor
defensive purposes. Here, scores of fortified villages (bastides) spill over hilltops, above
rivers, and between wheat fields, creating a worthwhile detour for drivers. These planned
communities were the medieval product ofcommunity effortsorganized bylocal religious
or military leaders. Most bastides were built during the Hundred Years' War (see sidebar
on here ) to establish a foothold for French or British rule in this hotly contested region, as
well as to provide stability to benefit trade. Unlike other French hill towns, bastides were
not safe havens provided by a castle. Instead, they were a premeditated effort by a com-
munity to collectively construct houses as a planned defensive unit, sans castle.
Connect these bastides as a day trip from Albi, or as you drive between Albi and the
Dordogne. I've described the top bastides in the order you'll reach them on these driving
routes.
Day Trip from Albi: For a good loop route northwest from Albi, cross the 22 Août
1944 bridge and follow signs to Cordes-sur-Ciel (allow 30 minutes). The view of Cordes
as you approach is memorable. From Cordes, follow signs to Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, an
appealing, flat “hill town” on the river, with few tourists. Then pass vertical little Penne,
Bruniquel (signed from Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val), Larroque, Puycelci (my favorite), and,
finally, Castelnau-de-Montmiral (with a lovely main square), before returning to Albi.
Each of these places is worth exploring if you have the time.