Palais de la Berbie Palace

Address: Place Sainte-Cécile, 81000 Albi, France

Website: https://www.musee-toulouse-lautrec.com

Hours: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm, closed Mondays

The Palais de la Berbie is a 13th-century episcopal palace in Albi in southern France. It forms the core of the medieval episcopal complex and today contains a major museum devoted to Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

The palace presents fortified medieval architecture overlooking the Tarn River and sits directly adjacent to Albi Cathedral, creating a visually unified episcopal quarter. Inside, the museum displays a significant collection of paintings, prints and posters by Toulouse-Lautrec; the palace terraces and gardens provide panoramic views of the river and the old town.

Constructed in the 13th century as the bishops’ fortress and residence after the Albigensian period, the palace was adapted over later centuries to civilian and museum uses. The ensemble of cathedral, palace and urban fabric was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2010 for its outstanding medieval urban planning and preservation.

Perched on a bluff above the Tarn River, the palace occupies a central position in Albi’s historic core in Occitanie, within easy walking distance of the town’s principal squares and streets.

• UNESCO World Heritage: Part of the UNESCO-listed Episcopal City of Albi, inscribed for its preserved medieval ensemble and the relationship between cathedral and episcopal palace.
• Best viewpoints: Best photographic viewpoints are from the Pont Vieux and the terraces of the Jardin de la Berbie, which frame the palace and the river.

What to See#

• Musée Toulouse-Lautrec: Houses the permanent collection of works by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, presented across multiple rooms within the palace.
• Jardin de la Berbie: A series of terraced formal gardens on the river-facing side that provide clear views of the Tarn River and the cathedral across the water.

• Go first thing when the Musée Toulouse‑Lautrec opens to enjoy the permanent collection with fewer visitors, then head up to the palace terrace for panoramic views of Albi and the Tarn.
• Enter via the museum entrance adjacent to the Pont Vieux rather than trying to access the palace from the riverside paths; the museum ticket covers access to the key interior spaces and terrace.
• Don't miss the roof terrace and medieval gardens - they offer one of the best vantage points over the cathedral and historic center and are often bypassed by visitors focused on the exhibits.