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Published: September 14th 2009
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The picturesque town of Albi boasts many attractions, spectacular scenery, a warm, convivial and relaxed atmosphere, friendly people, and the Musee de Henri Toulouse Lautrec. Importantly there is fine food and good coffee. Last night’s offerings included an entrée of goat’s cheese baked in an envelope of filo pastry and served with salad greens and tomato wedges dressed in balsamic vinegar. The main course was roasted guinea fowl in a peppercorn sauce accompanied by a finely diced ratatouille, pumpkin and potato mash and garnished with tomato. Mary had poisson du jour (a fish called Colin) in a sauce and served with the same accompaniments. A two-chocolate fondant (dark and white) complete with dark chocolate sauce, fresh strawberries and raspberries and a cinnamon biscuit made up dessert.
So in the town, many of its restaurants and streets are named after the artist whose work is renowned for its dramatic posters of the late 19th century. Toulouse Lautrec was a man short stature, resulting from a congenital bone condition which resulted from his parents intermarriage (they were first cousins). This was exacerbated by falls in his youth breaking his femurs in separate accidents resulting in the bones atrophying. He was not,
as some have suggested - a dwarf.
Despite his aristocratic background, in his work Lautrec depicted life at the margins: dancers from the moulin rouge and prostitutes in the Pigalle and Montmartre area. He carved out a bit of a niche for himself, by producing lithographs of posters to promote various artists. These were dramatic and reflected aspects of Japanese art making them memorable and there very effective in advertising at the time. It was fascinating to see the extent of the works in the collection but also to see the works he would complete in leading up to producing the final painting.
Sadly, life at the margins also meant he engaged in life with the people and had a drinking problem that ultimately led to his demise at 37! His mother had him committed to clinic where he subsequently managed to smuggle in alcohol that he secreted in a vial in the hollow section of this walking stick. During this time he ordered for his art materials to be delivered and he produced the circus series to prove that he had recovered. He was known to say “that his art had bought him his freedom’
Town Square
Just near Rue St Claire where we stayed as he was released soon after.
We took walk along the river bank, in green spaces rarely traversed by tourists through fields, by cemeteries and ultimately emerged in suburban Albi. I am not sure whether this was the moment that we felt so disposed to consider real estate in the town ... or whether it happened later over a beer! Suffice to say, that Joss having a beer was indeed a moment ... and judging by her reaction to it ... unlikely to happen again. Ah yes, she says ...”now I remember why I don’t drink beer anymore”. However, the die was cast ... we started ruminating over the possibility of purchasing property in this region. We got real magazine listing available properties with prices we can afford!
So it was a day visiting the Toulouse Lautrec Museum, taking in the local scenery, eating glaces (ice-cream) in St Sylvie’s garden cloisters, window shopping and succumbing to the bells of St Cecile calling our names. We have found some very interesting properties available in this region and believe potential exists via both internet and tourism to necessitate our relocation to the south of France. We are investigating
further.
Dinner on day 2 was at a creperie. As it is still light at 8pm and the weather is warm and gentle, we eat late and sit out in the charming streets absorbing the Albi atmosphere with fellow diners. A delicious three course meal including salad, main course, desert and drinks costs between 15 & 20 Euro. We move on to our gite in Montlaur tomorrow via Carcassonne. Before that we start to brainstorm ideas for an internet business so we can work to support this lifestyle we are fast coming to luurrvve. Look out kids - French lessons may be mandatory if you want to see your mother again!
This is the third French town we have been in and despite the locals being very friendly and helpful; especially because Mary speaks the lingo, each centre has its own distinct personality. It makes you want to explore more.
We prepare to leave Albi which we told by a local couple is an administrative centre without an industry base. Even tourists are just those who pass through. We met them (and their dog Eva) at the market on Saturday morning ... having coffee
at the table beside us. We speak at length about the region and places of interest telling them that Cordes-sur-Ciel is our next stop before heading further south. They urge us to Najac a pretty town with a fortress perched high on a hill. We note the advice and take our leave with some provisions for the day.
Cordes-sur-Ciel emerges out of the landscape with the old town perched on a hillside. We park and walk up and up and up to old village centre, to be rewarded by a magnificent view of the checker-board landscape of farmed land dotted with trees, houses and barns. Given this beautiful weather it is hard to image in that it gets cold enough to necessitate keeping cattle in doors in winter.
Another sleepy hollow sort of place, this town has lots of market stalls at the base of the old part of town. There are herbs and spices and all the usual cheese and charcuterie on offer. The Spanish influence is present so close to the border. Some of the dishes being cooked up in great wide flat-based pans smell delicious. There are all the local ingredients in there
- mushrooms, saffron, potatoes, smoky bacon, crème fraiche ... yummmo!
Onward from there we wind our way to Najac ... and see it before we arrive as the fortress stands out against the skyline. The old town is pretty and quaint. Half-timbered houses with flower boxes a-bloom line the streets. We walk the length of it before climbing up to the 13th century fortress beyond. The last stage of the climb is quite steep and the cobbled roads require navigation too across their undulating surface. When we get inside and climb the narrow winding staircases we wonder at the courage and resilience of the people of the time who built this edifice. The effort involved in carrying the stone, the amoury and other provisions up such a steep climb seems a gigantic effort.
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Ev and Estelle
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Albi and Toulouse Lautrec
Very interesting and I expect the musee was full of things that we mere mortals have never seen in the Lautrec books. The photos were beautiful as always and although you say that each town has its own special ambience the architecture in all of them is so very French - one look tells you that all the shots were taken in France. Also I'm with Kate - you send us this avalanche of beauty but we want more of the two stars of the show please.