Cordes-Sur-Ciel Travel Guide

Introduction

678km (421 miles) SW of Paris; 25km (16 miles) NW of Albi

This site is remarkable -- it's like an eagle's nest on a hilltop, above the Cérou valley. In days gone by, many celebrities, such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus, considered this town a favorite hideaway.

The name Cordes is derived from the textile and leather industries that thrived here during the 13th and 14th centuries. As artisans working with linen and leather prospered, the town also became known throughout France for its brilliantly colored silks. In the 16th century, however, plagues and religious wars reduced the city to a minor role. A brief renaissance occurred in the 19th century, when automatic weaving machines were introduced.

Today Cordes is an arts-and-crafts city, and many of the ancient houses on the narrow streets contain artisans plying their skills -- blacksmiths, enamelers, graphic artists, weavers, engravers, sculptors, and painters.