CORDES-sur-CIEL

Cordes-sur-Ciel is certainly the most touristic city in the region of the bastides albigeoises, the bastides around Albi. The bastide is built on top of a hill, and controls the entire plateau. The ramparts are well preserved, as well as a number of towers and gates. The narrow streets impede cars to drive around. Since many years, the number of inhabitants of Cordes-sur-Ciel is shrinking: the Cité has become an open-air museum, with souvenir shops, snack bars and all what tourism carries along. However, the visit of Cordes remains a must: it is a beautiful bastide, and many artists are living here. And for the tourists, a number of attractions are organised, classical concerts, “medieval” cavalcades...

Cordes was founded in 1222 by Raymond VII, count of Toulouse. Its name was adopted from existing cities, as often was the case in the period of the creation of the bastides. In this case, it is probably the Spanish city of Cordoba, because in both cities tanneries and leather industry were the most important activities. In these early times, Cordes became a refuge for cathars, followers of a “heretic” religious movement that criticised wealth and earthly power of the Roman Catholic church. And in fact, Cordes was a formidable fortress: assailants were already exhausted from the run on the steep hill, before they arrived at the city walls: the crusaders from the north were not able to take the bastide.

The Wars of Religion and Black Death on the contrary took their tolls. A period of wealth followed the period of the crusade, thanks to leather and textile industries; Cordes counted some 5000 inhabitants during that period. From that epoch stem the beautiful Gothic palaces in the main street. The city council tried to avoid that protestantism got hold on the city, en therefore persecuted their protestant citizens. The Huguenots acted to protect their fellow protestants, and took the bastide in 1568 and 1574. After these unfortunate history, pestilence decimated the population in 17th century, to be followed by 4 years of famine early 18th century: industry and commerce collapsed, only a few hundred inhabitants survived. Never Cordes regained its 14th century wealth. Since the Fifties, Cordes has developed gradually a tourist industry. It changed its name in 1993: Cordes-sur-Ciel.

The Gothic palaces in the main street were built by rich merchants, mostly between 1260 and 1315. The names of the buildings came from the rich decoration on the front: Grand Fauconnier, Grand Veneur, Grand Ecuyer are the most famous. Take your time to stroll around the city, you will discover many architectural beauties. The small museums are interesting: there is one devoted to the painter Yves Brayer, who played a role in making known Cordes; the Musée de l’art du sucre, from the pastry-baking school Thuriès, the Charles Portal history museum.

Cordes-sur-Ciel is certainly the most famous of the bastides albigeoises; however, it lacks the authenticity of other bastides around Albi, because of the tourist influence. Take your time to discover some of the other bastides: the Place des Arcades in Castelnau-de-Montmiral with its archways, the castles of Bruniquel, Puycelsi with the nearby Grésigne Forest, they deserve all your visit. And don't forget that Cordes-sur-Ciel is a village belonging to the Gaillac wine area.

Bed and Breakfast Artichaud is located in Castelnau-de-Montmiral, along the route of the bastides albigeoises. It is a good idea to stay here for our holiday in this region: an ecological guest house, comfortable, with good food and good information about the surroundings.