TOULOUSE Pilgrims and Heretics

5 days | £2450 per person with flights | 2 - 6 September 2025

Pilgrims and Heretics

The region of the Midi-Pyrénées in the heart of south-western France is one of the country’s most beautiful and unspoilt areas. The diversity of the landscape is matched by the wealth of its heritage, from singing troubadours to pious pilgrims and rebellious heretics. During the 11^th century two of the four principal French pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela traversed the area: religious tourism brought about inner peace, economic stability and wealth, leading to a golden age of art and architecture. This manifests itself in richly decorated Romanesque churches: at Moissac, with its magnificent tympanum and perfectly preserved cloisters abundantly adorned with sculptural capitals; at Conques, built to accommodate the large numbers of pilgrims and lead them to contemplate the unparalleled shrine of Sainte-Foy; and at Toulouse, which displays a collection of exceptional marble reliefs and a wealth of reliquaries in its cavernous crypt.

Alongside this manifestation of Catholic faith, however, rose the anti-sacerdotal Cathar movement, provoking political and religious turmoil. Culminating in rebellion, suppression, massacre and annihilation, the impact of Albigensian heresy of the 12^th and 13^th centuries can be seen in the stunning defensive building, such as the great fortress-like cathedral of Albi. More recently, the lively town of Albi was the home of Toulouse-Lautrec, and today holds the best collection of his work – a Bohemian antidote of the Belle Époque to mediaeval spirituality. Brick-built Toulouse, or ‘la ville rose’, also has a spirited history – it was once the brilliant centre of troubadour poetry – and is our picturesque base for this tour.



Day to day Itinerary

Day 1

Fly from London to Toulouse. By coach to Moissac, where we will focus on the Cluniac abbey of Saint-Pierre. The richly carved south porch of the church with its remarkable tympanum and the extensive series of sculptures in the cloisters, which have one of the most complete sets of Romanesque capitals in existence, have earned the complex its place in the history of mediaeval art. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner together.



Day 2

After breakfast, travel by coach to Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, a charming mediaeval town on the banks of the River Aveyron. The focus of our visit here will be the 12^th-century town hall, one of the oldest civil buildings in France, with fine exterior carvings depicting Adam and Eve under the tree of knowledge, and the Emperor Justinian as law-giver. Continue to Conques, spectacularly positioned on either side of the gorge of the River Dourdou, where we shall enjoy an included lunch. Its relative inaccessibility has left the mediaeval core remarkably intact, so that modern visitors approach the historic centre on foot. Visit the pilgrimage church of Sainte-Foy, with a west front dominated by an elaborate tympanum relief of the Last Judgement and an interior with many historiated capitals. Thanks to its possession of the relics of a virgin martyr, the abbey received gifts from pilgrims and kings, the most precious of which are kept in the museum that now exhibits the amazing jewel-encrusted shrine of St-Foy, the greatest surviving example of mediaeval statuary reliquaries. Return to Toulouse for an independent evening. Please note that this day involves several hours of coach travel but stops will be programmed.



Day 3

A day to explore Toulouse. Walk past wealthy merchant mansions to the enormous rosy red Romanesque basilica of Saint-Sernin, crowned with its spectacular octagonal bell tower – the city’s focal point ever since pilgrim hordes on their way to Santiago started to stop in the city. Some time for an independent lunch is followed by a visit to the Musée des Augustins, which incorporates two surviving cloisters of an Augustinian priory and contains an outstanding collection of Romanesque sculpture, much of it saved from the now-vanished churches of Toulouse’s golden age. Alternatively we shall visit the Couvent des Jacobins and the Musée Saint-Raymond.  The evening is yours for independent activity.



Day 4

All-day excursion to Albi, rising steeply from the banks of the River Tarn. At the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Episcopal City is the enormous cathedral of Sainte-Cécile. The present church was built as a statement of Catholic triumph after the successful suppression of the Cathar rebellion. Continue to the collegiate church of Saint-Salvi. A gem of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, it also features a tranquil cloister garden – a cool haven of peace in the centre of town. In the afternoon, visit the impressive 13^th-century Palais de la Berbie, former seat of the Albigensian archbishops but now accommodating the world’s largest collection of the work of Toulouse-Lautrec, the city’s most famous son. Return to Toulouse where our final night together is marked with a farewell dinner.



Day 5

We conclude our trip with an excursion to Cordes-sur-Ciel. Founded in 1222 the hilltop town of Cordes-sur-Ciel is often reckoned to be the first of the new towns - bastides - of south-western France. It retains its medieval plan and many fine medieval domestic buildings, making it a magnet for modern artists. After an independent lunch, coach transfer to Toulouse airport for our flight home.



Grand Hôtel de l’Opéra

Stay in a unique venue that combines a rich history with all modern comforts. A former XVII Century convent, The Grand Hôtel de l'Opéra is a 4* hotel located in the centre of Toulouse on the Place du Capitole. A refined ambiance with attentive service providing a calm, comfortable space with a cosy atmosphere.

With Flights: £2450

Join Direct: £2300

Single Supp: £240

Deposit: £450

Departure Dates:

2 - 6 September 2025

Duration:

4 nights / 5 days

Your Holiday Includes:

• Return flights (Economy class) from London to Toulouse
• Four nights' bed and breakfast in the Grand Hôtel de l’Opéra
• Private coach transfers and excursions
• Two evening meals and one lunch
• Guided visits to sites listed in the programme.
• Services of the tour lecturer and tour manager. 
• Detailed programme and study notes.
• All entrance fees, taxes, and gratuities for coach drivers and serving staff
  

Tour Lecturers

Dr Richard Plant

Richard is an architectural historian specialising in the Middle Ages, with a strong interest in the modern. After reading English at Cambridge, he obtained an MA in the History of Art and a PhD on English Romanesque and the Holy Roman Empire at the Courtauld. He went on to teach at the Courtauld, as well as at University College and Queen Mary College, London, where he taught both medieval and modern architectural history. He was formerly the Deputy Academic Director at Christie’s Education and has published on English and German architecture.



Travel Information

The price does not include extras at the hotels or travel insurance.

Please note that Art Pursuits use hotels of character featuring a variety of rooms & styles.

Stamina

Please note that some of our tours can involve a fair amount of walking, sometimes across uneven ground. Please contact us if you would like more information.