Moderate Cycling Holiday Tarn-Albi and Aveyron-Rodez

Albi: Centre of town UNESCO World Heritage, Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, Lapérouse Museum, Cathedral Ste Cécile.

Rodez: Musée Soulages, Cathedral Notre Dame de Rodez

Millau: Viaduc de Millau, Gorges du Tarn

On the banks of the Tarn river in south-west France, the old city of Albi reflects the culmination of a medieval architectural and urban ensemble.

Albi Cathedral

Albi: A Journey Through Time
Albi’s historic heart still echoes its medieval origins. The Old Bridge (Pont-Vieux), the Saint-Salvi quarter, and its church stand as enduring witnesses to the city’s early growth in the 10th and 11th centuries. After the turbulent Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in the 13th century, Albi emerged as a formidable episcopal city. Its crowning jewel, the fortified Cathedral, rises majestically in a distinctive southern French Gothic style, constructed from the region’s iconic red and orange brick. This architectural masterpiece symbolizes the restored power of the Roman Catholic Church. Adjacent to the Cathedral, the grand Palais de la Berbie—the bishop’s palace—overlooks the Tarn River, encircled by medieval residential quarters. Together, these monuments form the Episcopal City of Albi, a remarkably preserved and harmonious ensemble that has withstood the test of time.
Into the Tarn: Gaillac and Beyond
Just west of Albi, the journey continues through rolling countryside, where beautifully preserved fortified villages (Bastides) dot the landscape. Among them, the hilltop gem of Cordes-sur-Ciel stands out, its walled streets and elegant squares offering a glimpse into the medieval conflicts that shaped the region. Venturing further north, you reach Najac, a dramatic fortress perched in the Aveyron, a testament to the era’s strategic and architectural ingenuity.

Albi, the grand Palais de la Berbie

Rodez Musée Soulages and Cathedral

Albi market and Cathedral

Winding river valleys, empty roads with just the occasional tractor. Gorgeous Gaillac wines, plus the culture and old city of Albi, with its museums and art galleries, its markets and medieval city centre. Albi is the perfect start of a holiday. Rolling countryside, with half-timbered houses and the walled 'Bastides'(Najac) that go back to the time of the Plantagenet Kings.

In Rodez you stay in Hôtel Biney *** in center of town.

In Millau you will stay at Château de Creissels from where you will ride back through the valley of the Tarn and the Raspes du Tarn to Albi and into the canyons for the longer packages.

For booking you go to our booking form .

Cordes-sur-Ciel

Planning a tour with us

Bastides,

There are hundreds of these remarkable fortified medieval towns throughout Midi-Pyrénées. Whereas most settlements of the Middle Ages are typified by narrow winding lanes and a disorderly assembly of buildings surrounding a church, Bastides are characterized by evenly proportioned houses and distinct grid patterns of straight streets and connecting alleys laid out at right angles around a central market place.

Bastides were built for a variety of reasons, but most important motivation for these easily defended fortresses was as wartime protection. They sprung specifically from two conflicts. In the 13th century, Catharism, a deviation from Catholic tradition that was eventually ruled heretic, took hold in the region. Rome unleashed a series of jenremitting crusades to conquer the Cathar. Later, during the Hundred Years War, the English and French, both outside rival powers to the region's inhabitants at the time, waged fierce competition here for control of neighbouring Aquitanie.
Today Bastides are attractivebecause they are often far off the beaten track, perched on small hills or rocky outcrops. Peaceful and picturesque in a way that belie their history, they allow travelers to stroll their cobbled streets and gain an immediate insight into life in the Middle Ages.
Cordes, just west of Albi, is among the most well-preserved. Behind its imposing walls, an attractiveassembly of Gothic houses has survived the centuries. One of the larger Bastides is Villefranche-de-Rouergue.