From the gare SNCF on place Stalingrad it's a ten-minute walk into town along avenues Maréchal-Joffre and de-Gaulle; you'll see the gare routière on your right in place Jean-Jaurès as you reach the limits of the old town. The tourist office
is in one corner of the Palais de la Berbie (July & Aug Mon-Sat
9am-7.30pm, Sun 10.30am-1pm & 3.30-6.30pm; rest of year Mon-Sat
9am-noon & 2-6pm, Sun 10.30am-12.30pm & 3.30-5.30pm; tel
05.63.49.48.80,
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
); ask for a copy of their English-language leaflet describing three walking tours round
Albi.
There are two attractive hotels near the station on avenue Maréchal-Joffre: La Régence , at no. 27 (tel 05.63.54.01.42, fax 05.63.54.80.48; €34-46), and the slightly more expensive Georges V , at no. 29 (tel 05.63.54.24.16,
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
; €34-46). On the opposite side of the town, on the north bank of the river, you'll find the luxurious Mercure les Bastides (tel 05.63.47.66.66,
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
; €61-76) at 41 rue Porta. In the heart of old Albi near the cathedral, both the Hotel St-Clair , 8 rue St-Clair (tel 05.63.54.25.66, fax 05.63.47.27.58; €34-46), and Le Vieil Alby , 25 rue Toulouse-Lautrec (tel 05.63.54.15.69, fax 05.63.54.96.75; €34-46), are agreeable places to stay. Otherwise, there's a hostel at 13 rue de la République (tel 05.63.54.53.65; HI membership obligatory) and a municipal campsite (tel 05.63.60.37.06; closed mid-Oct to March) in the Parc de Caussels, about 2km east on the D999 Millau road.
Albi's cuisine is predominantly
terroir - local cooking notable only for lou tastou , the local version of tapas. The best terroir restaurant is
Moulin de Mothe , on rue de Lamothe (tel 05.63.60.38.15; closed Sun noon; menus €21.35-57.95), on the north bank west from the
pont vieux . Also serving terroir , La Tête de l'Art , 7 rue de la Piale (tel 05.63.38.44.75; from €15.25), is set apart by unrestrained atmosphere and wacky decor, while
L'Esprit du Vin , 11 quai Choiseul (tel 05.63.54.60.44; closed mid-Feb to May; from €15.25), has imaginative
gastronomique
cuisine. For something different La Casa Loca , rue Puech Bérenguier
(tel 05.63.47.26.00; closed Sat lunch & Sun), features genuine
Spanish food and tapas. Tournesol , off place du Vigan (tel 05.63.38.44.60; closed Sat evening, Sun & Mon), is Albi's vegetarian option.
Copyright Rough Guides Ltd as trustee for its authors. Published by Rough Guides.
All rights reserved.The Rough Guides name is a trademark of Rough Guides Ltd.
