Ancient Origins

Bronze Age to Roman Era:

Albi’s earliest settlements date to 3000–600 BC. Under Roman rule (51 BC), it became Civitas Albigensium, though archaeological evidence suggests it was a modest outpost.

Early Christian Influence:

By the 4th century, Albi gained prominence as a bishopric, with Saint Salvi (6th century) playing a key role in spreading Christianity.

Medieval Rise and the Cathar Crisis

Catharism and the Albigensian Crusade (1209–1229): Albi became synonymous with the Cathar heresy (though it wasn’t the movement’s epicenter). Cathars, rejecting Catholic materialism, were branded heretics. Pope Innocent III launched a crusade, leading to mass executions and the region’s annexation by the French Crown.

Albi’s famed artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec loved absinthe so much he invented a lethal cocktail called Le Tremblement de Terre ("The Earthquake"). The recipe? Equal parts absinthe and cognac. Legend says he served it to friends with the warning: "You’ll feel the ground move"—a nod to both the drink’s potency and his own wobbly gait (due to a genetic disorder).

Click on any image for enlarged image and navigation views.