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CITY'S
 TOULOUSE City dreamed for the sweetness of its climate, the heat of his(her)
inhabitants, the occitane beautiful also detains the title envied by
aeronautical capital, by the spatial and by the biotechnologies. Of this
marriage between the heart and the reason was born a typically Toulousian
art of living, which expresses itself in every corner(place) of street : the
trépidante activity is next(goes alongside) to the nonchalance but that
nobody wonders it. Doubtless because the same light fires as well the lovers
of the banks of the Garonne, because the retort of the rocket Ariane clocked(pointed,stuck)
towards the infinity. Following the example of Barcelona, it(he) is
excessive to speak about "Movida" to describe this sensation which gets(touches)
all the generations. The treasures of the Toulousian patrimony to be
absolutely discovered : The Basilica Saint-Sernin, the Jacobins, Bernuy's
hotel, capital, particular hotels, cathedral Saint-Etienne and Parliamentary
district as well as numerous museums. Aboard a pleasure steamer you can
discover the quays of the Garonne and the most beautiful bridges of Toulouse
and on the barge "Baladine", you will leave in the unusual discovery of the
Toulousian waterways. Please, discover Toulouse, its culture, its history
and its memory through circuits proposed by the Office of Tourism. For any
information or demand of documentation, please, contact the Office of
Tourism of Toulouse, at your disposal.
Albi
With twenty centuries of history, and
the changing of nowadays time Albi tries to find out new ideas to make the
town more attractive, this through the diversification of enterprises, the
tertiary sector and the promotion of the tourism... It became recently an
university town with the creation of a "Ecole des Mines" and the
establishment of three faculties connected with the university of Toulouse
The town of Albi is very concerned in emphasizing and the protection of its
historical monuments and its artistic treasures : a cathedral which is
unlike anything else in the world, a museum Toulouse-Lautrec in which there
is the most important collector's items of this artist ,a safeguarded area
in the historic centre of the town in which renovations of quality have
reanimated the ancient areas... It is really a town where it's nice to live
or to stay some days in tourist. There are many advantages so that Albi is a
town which is worth to be visited. Furthermore, the tourist is there in the
middle of exceptional beauty spots : Cordes and the road of country houses,
Castres with the museum Goya , the Sidobre and the Black mountain,
Carcassonne and the town of Toulouse, so that Millau and the famous Gorges
of Tarn...
 Cordes
sur Ciel
Cordes-sur-Ciel fascinates all those
which(who) discover her(it) because it is at first a vision: that of the
town rising to the assault of the sky. Because it is then a book of history
and an album of art where the memory of the men(people) remained alive,
registered in stones since its creation in 1222 by the count of Toulouse.
Its exceptional site, its remarkable architectural inheritance make one of
the medieval cities the most significant of France of it and one of the
heights - places of the European patrimony. The environment of life, an
autheticité rare, knew how to attract(entice) and hold(retain) artists and
artisans who find there their inspiration. Of Gaillac's vineyard in the
forest of the Grésigne, the surroundings of Cordes-sur-Ciel proposes rich
places of discovery and the moments of emotion and freedom. The holidays(name-days)
are numerous because Cordes-sur-Ciel reveals a warm and friendly art of
living : medieval holiday, festival of music, exhibitions, concerts,
animations...
 Gaillac
quoted millennium, is the
fourth municipality of the Tarn, by her population ( 11 600 inhabitants).
She(it) raises(draws up) her(its) architecture of bricks in the valley of
the Tarn, above a buckle of the river. Here, who likes the history and the
cultural discoveries a town in its taste, in the course of a stroll in the
former(ancient) protected centre will find, by visiting one of the three
local museums , or by participating in the numerous animations which make(do)
the gaillacoise current events. City of brick was dominated by powerful
abbey, it keeps(preserves) an architectural patrimony which one can discover
thanks to the circuit marked out by Gaillac Historique (documentation with
the Office of Tourism). You will discover it the abbey Saint Michel,
abbatial buildings(ships), the place Griffoul and his(its,her) fountains,
the church John Dory...
Rodez
Of its Gallic and Romanic past, the
city Rodez keeps only nowadays a few relics of its past, unfortunately. In
1219, Cathars were massacred near the walls of the city Rodez which refused
to welcome those heretics. Since this time, Rodez fortunately found again
peace. do not miss to visit : - The cathedral Notre-Dame which was built
from 1277 in a Gothic style in the place where was before a church of the
sixth century. The cathedral was finished in 1562, but still has a
remarkable consistency of style. - The museum Fenaille (archaeology, ancient
objects). - The museum of the Beaux-Arts (sculptures and paintings).
 Millau
Famous in the first century for the high quality of its
ceramics, the city was destroyed in the second century by the Marmorans (Teutonic
people). Rebuilt on the other bank of the river Tarn, Millau gets its years
of prosperity in the twelfth century with the industry of leather. It is
however broken up in 1632 after its movement of revolt against King Louis
XIII. We advise you to visit : the museum of Millau museum in which you will
see the first complete skeleton of a plesiosaurus (180 million years old)
discovered in France ; there is also a collection of Gallo-Roman potteries
coming from the site of Graufensenque , and finally the showing of the
traditional industry of the work of leather and gloves, without forgetting
the exposition of 200 old dolls( 1870-1920). The church named Notre-Dame de
l'Espinasse built in the twelfth century, was destroyed during the religious
wars, then rebuilt in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, with an
octagonal bell tower.
Carcassonne
Like all other cities in the world, Carcassonne's current
aspect is due to its rich history. A very rich history.- 3500 years B.C. :
neolithic setllements in the region of Carcassonne - 800 B.C. : occupation
of the site on a hill called Carsac, situated some hundreds meters south of
the city. This hill was a strategic place, on the crossroads of the ways
from the Atlantic, from the Mediterranean, and from Spain. - 6th century
B.C. : the region is occupied by a Celtic people, the Volques Tectosages.
Potteries, ceramics and many other objects were found on the site, proving
that "Carcaso" was an important trade place. - 118 B.C. : Foundation of the
Roman colony "Colonia Narbo Martius" (the Narbonne of today). - At the
beginning of our era, Carcaso becomes the capital of "Colonia Julia Carcaso".
The city is already surrounded by ramparts, and is an important
administrative centre. There are beautiful testimonies of that time, as the
main part of the north rampart of the Cité are gallo-roman. Roman mosaics
are still visible under the basement of the Count's Castle. - At the
beginning of the 5th century, the Visigoths, who settled down in Aquitaine,
take Carcassonne. They are followed by the Franks, who try to conquer the
city, but unsuccessfully. - The Arabs, (the Saracens) at the time of their
expansion, sweep north across Gaul, controlling Languedoc and occupying
Carcassonne in 725. But not for a long time, as King Pépin le Bref chases
them away in 759. Middle Ages - The first counts of Carcassonne are quite
independent, out of the influence of their powerful neighbours in Toulouse
and Barcelona. But the first dynasty goes out quickly, for lack of heirs. -
In 1067, the City of Carcassonne becomes a property of Ermengarde. She is
viscountess of Agde and Béziers, wife of Raimond Roger Trencavel, viscount
of Albi and Nîmes. So Carcassonne, thanks to these complicated succession
rules, finds itself in the heart of an immense domain covering the current
French départements Gard, Hérault, Aude and Tarn (about 24 000 sqkm). - One
year later, the County of Carcassonne passes under the influence of
Barcelona. - Raimond Roger Trencavel, count of Carcassonne is murdered in
his city in 1082. His son Bernard Aton proclaims himself a viscount, and
tries to balance the influences and ambitions of Toulouse and Barcelona. The
Trencavels will always play the rivalry between the two powerful neighbours,
successively making alliance with the one and with the other... But this new
dynasty is not very well accepted in Carcassonne, and the constant changes
of the viscounts will have dramatic consequences for the city and the whole
county at the time of the crusade against the Albigenses (the Cathars). - At
the beginning of the 13th century, while dark clouds begin to accumulate in
Languedoc's sky, the city of Carcassonne is still surrounded by its old
Gallo-roman walls. The viscounts decide to settle down on the highest point
of the hill, the Count's Castle we can still admire nowadays. The city is
very rich, very crowdy (4,000 inhabitants) and has several suburbs outside
the walls : Saint Vincent and Saint Michel, where the Jewish community
lives. In 1209, viscount Raimond Roger is young (only 24 years old !). A
spirit of tolerance reigns over its domains, as catharism is perfectly well
accepted among the population. Catholics and Cathars live all together in
the same streets, in the same houses... A contradictory conference even took
place between Catholics and Cathars a few years before. - But... in 1209 the
Crusade begins, Carcassonne's history falls over, and the aspect of the city
is going to be changed forever... The city is conquered by the crusaders,
Simon de Montfort becomes the new viscount of Carcassonne. Trencavel is
dispossessed and murdered. - In 1226 King Louis VIII incorporates
Carcassonne into the royal domain. - Trencavel's son tries several times to
reconquest the city of his ancestors in 1240, but he fails. - In 1247,
foundation of the Lower Town, on the other side of the Aude river. From now
on two cities are going to live in parallel, united for the best and for the
worst according to the adventures of History... - The kings of France, new
masters of Carcassonne, strengthen the citadel, as well as five fortresses
along the Spanish border. We call these fortresses "Carcassonne's five sons".
- In 1348, the Big Black Plague decimates the population. - In 1355 during
the Hundred Years' War, the Lower Town is completely destroyed and burnt by
the troops of the Black Prince. - In 1382 the population rebels against high
taxes. - In 1438 groups of prowlers plunder the region around Carcassonne.
Renaissance and "Ancien Régime" - In 1531 protestantism spreads in the area.
The Cité remains catholic while the Lower Town converts to protestantism.
This turns to a bloody conflict between the two parts of Carcassonne. - In
1582, the Lower Town obtains the title of "Ville", granted by the States of
Languedoc. Rivalry is very important between the two parts of Carcassonne.
Spiritual and political power (bishop and representative of the king) in the
"Cité" on the hill, and economic power and wealth below in the Lower Town. -
In 1659 : Treaty of Pyrenees, annexation of Roussillon into France.
Carcassonne loses any strategic interest, loses its military function. It is
the beginning of the end for the proud Cité. - However economic activities
take the first place in Carcassonne, with the development of textile
industry. A royal factory is created in 1694 at "la Trivalle" (still to be
seen), mansions of the enriched families grow everywhere in the Lower Town
during the 18th century. Many of these mansions still exist ! Carcassonne is
then an important exporting centre. - In 1783, first crisis of the textile
industry. - The French Revolution (1789 - 1799) does not change many things
in Carcassonne, as the population doesn't seem to have massively followed
the revolutionary ideas coming from Paris. The 19th century - Carcassonne's
two communities (Cité and Lower Town) merge in 1800. - In 1802 the Bishop's
Palace is transferred into the Lower Town, Saint Nazaire Cathedral loses its
title for the benefit of St Michel Church. - In 1810 the Canal du Midi is
diverted and finally flows through the centre of the Lower Town. - During
the first half of the 19th century Carcassonne's textile industry recovers,
but doesn't reach the highest levels of the years before the Revolution. The
Lower Town develops (gas lighting in 1847), whereas the Cité slowly sinks
into neglect... poor and unemployed population, decay of the old
fortifications... - In 1849 the Cité is finally saved from the total
demolition and damages of time. It is classified as a Historical Monument,
the restorations led by the famous French architect Viollet-le-Duc start. -
In 1857 the first railways arrive at Carcassonne. - From 1870 the textile
industry is declining, Carcassonne and its surroundings become a wine area.
Vineyards grow everywhere around the city. The 20th century - In 1906 Louis
Feuillade shoots the very first films ever realized in Carcassonne : "Departure
to the Crusade", "the enchanted guitar" and "the oath". The pictures
disappeared, they are known only through postcards which were published at
that time. - In May, 1907, huge demonstrations gather more than 200,000 wine
growers in the streets of Carcassonne. - In August, 1944, deliverance of
Carcassonne by the Allies. Many people killed around the train station. -
December 1996, the Canal du Midi is classified as World Patrimony by the
UNESCO - December 1997, the medieval Cité and church St Gimer are classified
as World Patrimony by the UNESCO. Carcassonne welcomes each year more than 3
millions visitors.
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