Today, we sadly had to leave Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val to continue on to our next destination, Albi. It is only an hour’s drive from SANV but we made two stops along the way that added to our enjoyment of the region.

We had to say goodbye to our terrace at La Résidence B&B in Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val …
… and goodbye to the great views from the terrace …
… and our very yummy breakfasts created by the fantastic hosts there.
But not without noticing a few details on the way out that caught our camera’s focus.
Sunflowers greeted us as we began our journey.

The first was in a little town we passed through called Les Cabannes. We noticed a nice local Farmer’s Market as we drove by. We parked and walked around it a bit to see what the locals were offering. We could have bought many things if we had a home or long-term place we were staying. Alas, we were going to be in a hotel the next two nights and really wouldn’t be able to use the things that were offered.

A collection of images from the outdoor market in Les Cabannes.
There was even freshly made pizza at the market.

Not much further along the way we came to Cordes-sur-Ciel, a hill top village Sabine had recommended we see on the way to Albi. It was impossible to avoid because as you neared the fortified town, established in the early thirteenth century, it stood up above everything around it on its prominent perch – very fairy tale-like! We parked at the bottom of the hill in a newer part of the town and walked up the narrow, winding, cobblestone, streets enjoying every step of the way. Once up at the top of the village we took time for a leisurely lunch enjoying the expansive views to the surrounding countryside – simply breathtaking!

Cordes-sur-Ciel in the distance. “Sur Ciel,” literally, “in the sky” is apropos.
After climbing the hill, we approach one of the gates to the city.
The village was charming.
The bending cobblestone streets that ascend and descend remind you that this village is perched on a hill.
And the sun even graced us with its presence a bit.
The views from the top of the village were so bucolic. We just kept looking and looking in all directions, taking in what a spectacular scene there was not only inside the village, but in the area around it, too.
There were many shops in the small village. This one was a gourmet grocer (lots foie gras and pâté) that had a beautiful display of local (Gaillac) wines.

After several hours in Cordes-sur-Ciel, we drove the remaining half hour to our hotel in Albi. We took time for some wine and cribbage in our comfortable room before Ryan needed to settle into work mode for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Tomorrow morning, we will set out to see what this small city has to offer.

A few images of what we did see in Albi on the way in and from our room: (top) the big cathedral here; (bottom, left to right) the French National School of Music and Dance is right around the corner from our hotel; a woman carrying her baguette … trés français; shutters on the regional police office across the street.
Wine & cribbage to round out the day.