Musée de Lapérouse


This intriguing museum explores the adventures of Albi-born explorer Jean-François de Galaup (aka the Comte de Lapérouse), who made several pioneering naval expeditions around the Pacific between 1785 and 1788. Mysteriously, his ships disappeared without a trace towards the end of their voyage; subsequent expeditions suggested they may have been wrecked on reefs near the island of Vanikoro, halfway between the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Pont Vieux

0.12 MILES

This 19th-century bridge across the River Tarn provides a fine perspective over Albi's pink-bricked cathedral.

2. Musée Toulouse-Lautrec

0.28 MILES

Lodged inside the Palais de la Berbie (built in the early Middle Ages for the town's archbishop), this wonderful museum offers an overview of Albi's most…

3. Cathédrale Ste-Cécile

0.33 MILES

Resembling a castle more than a cathedral, this formidable edifice in orange brick rises above Vieil Albi like an apparition. Its defensive walls hark…

4. Collégiale & Cloître Saint-Salvi

0.33 MILES

This delicate church is worth a look for its lovely 13th-century cloister whose columns are decorated with Gothic and Romanesque flourishes.

5. Maison du Vieil Alby

0.39 MILES

Lodged in a timber-framed medieval building, this museum houses a small exhibition on the city's history and its connections with Toulouse-Lautrec.

6. Maison des Vins

12.69 MILES

This well-organised winegrowers' cooperative is a great place to get acquainted with Gaillac wines. It stocks about 100 local vintages. Friendly,…

7. Jardins des Paradis

13.26 MILES

Feel stress melt away as you idle by frog-filled ponds and under shady palm trees in these sculpted flower gardens.

8. Église St-Jean

21.5 MILES

Two hundred metres below the Forteresse Royale de Najac is the austere 13th-century Église St-Jean, constructed and financed by local villagers on the…