The districts of Old Alby reveal their heritage, their history, their particularities during the visit: emblematic monuments, half-timbered houses, Renaissance mansions, interior courtyards, picturesque streets... Albi "la Rouge", one of the capitals of the Languedoc brick, like its neighbours, Toulouse and Montauban, will delight photo enthusiasts.

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The Saint-Salvi wheel

The Saint-Salvi wheel

The historic loop in the heart of the old center continues a few meters from the Sainte-Cécile cathedral towards the Saint-Salvi district and beyond towards the lists.
The Saint-Salvi district is organized around the collegiate, of the same name, dedicated to the first bishop of the city. It is also nicknamed the Saint-Salvi Wheel for the shape of its urban development. This shape appears very distinctly as soon as you gain height. The shopping streets wind all around the Saint-Salvi collegiate church.

Note: street names

The commercial and artisanal vocation is still very marked through the names of its streets: cobblers for rue Saint Julien, boilermakers for rue Peyrolière…

On either side of the collegiate church and its cloister, Two main axes are organized, today two pedestrian and shopping streets:

Milestones

Gourmet breaks around the collegiate church

Restaurant

Les Arcades

From 16 €  / menu
Restaurant

Happy Fruits

From 15,90 €  / menu
Restaurant

Pizzeria del Duomo

Shops

Chocolaterie Yves Thuriès

Book online
Shops

Chocolaterie Gayraud

Book online

The Enjalbert house

Leaving the Saint-Salvi collegiate church behind, head towards Place du Vigan. mansions mark the prosperous period that Albi experienced in the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries when merchants and bourgeois grew rich thanks to the pastel trade. All these architectural riches are often hidden by simple brick walls and imposing and sumptuous portals.

discover

During the walk, you will admire :

  • la Enjalbert house and its half-timbered facade and skillfully arranged brick facing
  • then on the other side of Timbal Street, theReynes hotel featuring one of the most beautiful interior courtyards and beautiful mullioned windows.
  • the city hall presents in particular the city's coat of arms adorning the central courtyard, and made of pebbles

Your stop now: La maison Enjalbert

  • The Enjalbert house, at the corner of Rue des Pénitents and Rue Timbal is the most accomplished example of half-timbered houses in Old Albi. The reference to Renaissance decorations: double corner windows with pilasters topped with Ionic or Corinthian capitals, triangular pediments, consoles with decorations bearing masks, diamonds, etc. are repeated.

Observe carefully

Look carefully at the façade in search of the "little pisseur" from Albi, an enigmatic sculpture located above the magnificent entrance gate, on the 1st floor. We can imagine that this is reviving the Pastel trade and the making of Pastel shells.

The Reynes Hotel

The Hotel Reynes, rue Timbal, home of a rich pastel merchant is the symbol of this success. The marriage of stone and brick is of a rare elegance. The busts of François I and his wife Eléonore bring a royal touch to its decor, they are visible from the interior courtyard.

Push open the door of the Reynes Hotel, which today houses:

  • the seat of the Hiking Tarn for advice and itineraries in the Tarn
  • un exhibition's venue linked to the varied riches of the Tarn territory
  • un place of visit, at the level of its interior courtyard with very interesting architecture

Nearby

Restaurant

Le Shamrock

From 18,90 €  / menu
Restaurant

Le Chien Rouge

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