The wedding of
Anne & Philippe

How do we get to the Tarn?

By air, Toulouse-Blagnac (TLS) is an hour from Albi, with connections through Paris, Amsterdam or Frankfurt. By train, Albi-Ville is one hour from Toulouse, and Gaillac serves the château.

Can we bring our children?

Yes, at every moment. On Saturday evening there is entertainment just for them, and a kingdom of their own for the night.

What will the weather be like?

In mid-July temperatures in the Tarn average around 26 °C (79 °F) in the afternoon and 16 °C (61 °F) at night, and it is the driest month of the year. But it can also turn very hot, above 35 °C (95 °F) in some years, sometimes with a storm at the end of the day. So bring something to cover up with in the evening.

What should we bring?

A shawl or a light jacket for the evenings, a nice hat or a fan, insect repellent for the vineyards, and your finest summer outfit, right down to the water’s edge. The rest is your presence and your finest smile.

What should we wear?

Wear whatever makes you happy: there is no theme and no colour code. White alone is reserved for the bride, her little Éléonore, and the lovely little bridesmaids. Friday has the feel of a cocktail party, Saturday of a ceremony, and Sunday of a country brunch.

Where can we park?

Albi's centre is pedestrian: the Cathedral car park, known as Bondidou, has more than five hundred spaces a hundred metres from Sainte-Cécile, and the underground Marché Couvert car park is a five-minute walk away. Parking in Albi. The Château de Tauziès has a large car park, with no limit on spaces.

Do we need a car?

Twenty kilometres separate Albi from the château, so a car makes the weekend easier. To hire one: the desks at Toulouse-Blagnac airport, or Europcar, Avis, Hertz and Sixt.

Where can we sleep?

Rooms are held for you at the château and in Albi: see “where to stay”.

By when should we reply?

By 30 March 2027, and the sooner the better: it helps us prepare these three days calmly. If things change after that, do write to us.

May we take photographs during the ceremony?

During the ceremony a photographer is looking after the pictures: you have nothing to worry about, and we would love to meet your eyes rather than your screens. Afterwards the weekend is yours, photograph whatever you like, and we would be delighted to find your pictures in the shared album.

Can we bring our dog?

The days will be long, and a dog would most likely be bored. If you are travelling with yours, do mention it when you book your room.

Whom do we call on the day?

Dedicated people will be there to answer your questions throughout the three days. Their contact details will be sent to you before the wedding.

How does a French wedding work?

These few lines are for our friends coming from another country, to whom the shape of a French wedding may seem a little mysterious.

French law recognises only one marriage: the one performed at the town hall, in public, in a matter of minutes. The following day's ceremony has no legal standing at all. It is nonetheless the one we are waiting for, and it is under the painted vaults of Sainte-Cécile, in front of you, that we will exchange our vows.

The rest is one long evening. The vin d'honneur opens it: an unhurried standing reception where you drift from one group to another and everyone ends up knowing everyone. Dinner is served late, around nine in the evening, which often surprises our friends from abroad, and it is taken slowly. The dance floor opens around eleven, and the night does the rest. The next day's brunch exists only to make it last a little longer.