France, 5 Days · Tailor-made by car

Painters and Medieval Treasures Route

Tour the rural heartlands of France, birthplace of great artists, pastel and fairytale castles and cities

Want to join us on the "Painters and Medieval Treasures" tour? The sun-kissed southwest of France is one of the artistic focal points of the country. This exciting itinerary submerges the traveller into a unique, almost magical atmosphere, dotted with beautiful cities such as Toulouse, Carcassonne and Albi; stunning medieval treasures; spectacular towns such as Castelnaudary, Castres and Cordes-sur-Ciel; grandiose fortifications and fairytale castles; breathtaking landscapes; renowned art galleries; mythical vineyards and the River Tarn, which provides the backbone to a fascinating region peppered with natural, historical and cultural attractions. An inspiring journey that will give you an insight into one of the most beautiful regions in France from different point of view. Take your time to explore the places where some of the most important figures in the art world lived and drew inspiration from. Follow the trail of Goya in Castres; of Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi; of Pierre Soulages in Rodez; and of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and Antoine Bourdelle in Mountaban. The tour meanders through sun-kissed landscapes of breathtaking beauty, scenes of fabled legends and major historical events. You'll travel through lands with a delicate tone of pastel, a beautiful blue dye which in the Middle Ages came to symbolise royalty and Marian purity. This very pastel present in the paintings of romantics and artists today permeates all forms of arts, decoration, textiles and cosmetics... making this tour a real delight for the senses.

Painters and Medieval Treasures Route

Departure date

Departures from November 2024 till November 2025

From

London...

CulturalOver 55s

Travel details

  • Travel details

  • Day 1 City of origin - Toulouse

  • Day 2 Toulouse - Castelnaudary - Carcassonne

  • Day 3 Carcassonne - Castres - Albi

  • Day 4 Albi - Rodez - Montauban - Toulouse

  • Day 5 Toulouse - City of origin

Your trip includes

  • Return flight.

  • Stay in selected hotel in Toulouse.

  • Selected meal plan in Toulouse.

  • Stay in selected hotel in Carcassonne.

  • Selected meal plan in Carcassonne.

  • Stay in selected hotel in Albi.

  • Selected meal plan in Albi.

  • Rent-a-car.

  • Insolvency protection.

Your trip doesn't include

  • Accommodation taxes in France direct payment in facility.

  • Possible toll charges.

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Important remarks

- Triple rooms in Europe are generally rooms with twin beds or a double, in which a folding bed is installed to accommodate the third person. Due to the inconvenience this causes, we advise against using this option as far the possible.

- Check-in time at the hotel on the day of arrival depends on each establishment, but in no case will it be before 3:00 p.m., unless otherwise indicated.

- The proposed excursions and tours for each day are purely suggestions, as you can tailor the trip to suit your times, tastes and needs.

- A credit card is considered a guarantee, so sometimes you will need one for check-in at hotels.

- Hotels usually have cots available. Otherwise, babies will have to share a bed with an adult.

- To pick up your rental car, you'll need a credit (not debit) card in the name of the person who made the booking, who must also be the named driver of the vehicle.

- Consult the necessary documentation to enter the destinations visited and for transit in the countries where air stopovers are made.