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Along the Tarn ValleyWooded hills & mellow villages
Nights: 7
Starting point: Hotel Chiffre (3*), Albi. This family-run hotel is centrally located, just five minutes' walk from the main sights. Enjoy well-crafted cuisine in the smart restaurant. Day 1: the day starts with a short transfer out of the city. The
route then leads along the south bank of the river, through hamlets and
woodland along tracks and country lanes that echo the twists and turns
of the river. After a short but quite stiff ascent towards the end of
the day, you are rewarded with superb views of the river. (16km, 4h30) Day 2: there are a couple of routes around Ambialet,
including a linear walk along quiet country lanes across the plateau to the north
of Ambialet, which affords good views. If you prefer not to retrace your steps back, you can take a circular route to the west of Ambialet, which leads along the riverbank for much of the return leg. Alternatively, enjoy a short stroll
to the village's 11th-century priory before relaxing by the hotel pool. (17km, 4h or 9km, 2h30) Day 3: like the first day's route, this walk keeps south of the
river, echoing its course as it leads through woodland and farmland as
well as occasional hamlets. During the course of the day, you reach one
of the highest points of the holiday, with great views on clear days of the
river as it meanders through the valley. (16km, 4h30) Day 4: our pleasant circular walk explores the hills and valleys
south of Villeneuve, with a fine section along the crest of a hill that
offers views in all directions. You return to the hotel along the banks
of the Tarn. Alternatively, you could hire bicycles from the tourist office
and explore the quiet country lanes on two wheels. (16km, 5h30) Day 5: after a short transfer to the village of Coupiac, which is dominated by its 16th-century château, the route leads across rolling
countryside of open fields and woodland. There are lovely views of the
château as you approach your destination, the delightful village
of Brousse-le-Château, and reach the Tarn once more. (13km, 4h30) Day 6: you are taken by taxi back to Albi. The city is often referred
to as la Ville Rose because the buildings of the old town are built
of faded red brick which glows an extraordinary pink in the sunset. You
have the rest of the day to explore this beautiful city, with its intriguing
Toulouse-Lautrec museum and unusual fortified cathedral. This is the largest
brick construction in the world, its somewhat stark façade hiding
a surprisingly extravagant interior. Walking chart: the chart gives the distance and an approximation of the ascents and descents involved each day. If comparing holidays, please note the scale of each chart as this can differ.
Recommendations for extra nights: Hotel Chiffre (Albi) for extra time to shop and sightsee, or the Relays du Chasteau (Brousse-le-Château) for a day of relaxation amid pretty surroundings after the walk. Take the Train and break your journey for a night in Paris on the way, staying at one of our favourite Parisian hotels. Read about the experiences of one traveller in her personal travel diary. Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system. Similar holidays: Hill-Top Villages of the Luberon (grade 2), The Tuscan Heartland (grade 2), In the Footsteps of Perugino (grade 2), From the Tarn to the Aveyron (grade 1-2) Prices & travel 2008:
Recommended destination airports: Rodez & Toulouse 2008 extra night prices
> Notes on prices > Any queries? Let us call you back  |
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The
landscape of the Tarn is Mediterranean in character. The beautiful small
city of Albi nestles on the River Tarn's banks, dominated by its magnificent
cathedral whose fortifications are testimony to more turbulent times during
which Albi and surrounding settlements such as Ambialet were attacked
first as part of the crusades to suppress the Cathar heresy and later
in the Wars of Religion. As you walk eastwards from Albi through the Tarn
Valley, you pass villages of mellow stone-work, and discover varied landscapes,
the vineyards and wooded hills soon giving way to countryside which is
more southern in character, with cork oaks and cypress trees. Unspoiled
and full of cultural interest, the Tarn is a wonderfully rewarding region.
Staying in comfortable hotels, you will discover the distinctive, rich
cuisine of the region, and its excellent wines, such as the flinty Gaillac
whites.
Albi cathedral 
