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Practicalities
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From the
gare SNCF
on place Stalingrad it's a ten-minute walk into town along avenues Marechal-Joffre and de-Gaulle; you'll see the
gare routiere
on your right in place Jean-Jaures 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,
otsi.albi@wanadoo.fr
); 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 Marechal-Joffre: La Regence , at no. 27 (tel 05.63.54.01.42, fax 05.63.54.80.48; 220-300F/€34-46), and the slightly more expensive Georges V , at no. 29 (tel 05.63.54.24.16, hotel.georgev@ilink.fr ; 220-300F/€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, mercure.albi@wanadoo.fr ; 400-500F/€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; 220-300F/€34-46), and Le Vieil Alby , 25 rue Toulouse-Lautrec (tel 05.63.54.15.69, fax 05.63.54.96.75; 220-300F/€34-46), are agreeable places to stay. Otherwise, there's a hostel at 13 rue de la Republique (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 140-380F/€21.35-57.95), on the north bank west from the
pont vieux
. Also serving
terroir
,
La Tete de l'Art
, 7 rue de la Piale (tel 05.63.38.44.75; from 100F/€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 100F/€15.25), has imaginative
gastronomique
cuisine. For something different
La Casa Loca
, rue Puech Berenguier (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. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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France,
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