Bed and Breakfast at Barbiel

Tim & Tracy Bayly, Barbiel, 81340 Assac, France
Tel: +33 (0)5 63 56 97 12 Email: ttbayly@gmail.com

Albi, a World Heritage Site, is a must and can be reached in only 35 minutes following a riverside route along the Tarn Valley. This road takes you through Ambialet (below left), a pretty village set in a loop in the river. A short detour to the Priory, high above the village, will reveal spectacular views over the valley. Albi is a lovely ancient Cathar town, with a maze of mediaeval pedestrianised streets in the Episcopalian city centre, which was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2010. Dominating the city is the magnificent 13th century redbrick cathedral with its stunning painted interior. The artist Toulouse Lautrec was born in Albi; the Musée Toulouse Lautrec in the old Bishop’s Palace is well worth a visit as is the Palace garden. There are also many excellent cafés, restaurants, shops, markets and galleries. Albi has an excellent golf course, and a large swimming pool complex with water slides etc.

From Barbiel, there is a 15 minute drive down the side of the valley to the river Tarn and the village of Trébas, where there are cafés, restaurants and small shops, and activities such as canoeing, cycling, tennis, fishing and river swimming. There is also a small Sunday morning farmers’ market in July and August.

In Réquista, 10 minutes from Barbiel, all amenities are available including a good supermarket and a municipal swimming pool.

We can suggest interesting day trips, for example:

Vineyards and wine-tasting in the Gaillac region.
The fortified hilltop bastide villages, several of which are among those designated “ the most beautiful villages in France”. Cordes-sur-Ciel, one of the best known bastides, is about 45 minutes’ drive from Barbiel.
The beautiful Tarn Valley to Brousse-le-Château and Millau, in the Aveyron. This route passes under the magnificent new viaduct with easy access to the Visitors’ Centre, and could include the Roquefort cheese factories on the return journey.
The Parc Naturel Régional des Grands Causses.
The mountains of Lacaune and the extraordinary granite rock formations in the Sidobre (bottom right)
Cap Découverte, 30 minutes away, is a leisure and activity centre with such facilities as a lakeside beach with swimming and boating, dry ski-run, water ski-ing, go-karting, children’s pool, zip-wire etc. (bottom left)