500 years ago, the woad fields between Toulouse, Albi and Castelnaudary, made their owners foryunes from their deep Cockaigne dye, which was sought after throughout the whole of Europe. The masters of woad in the southern area of Toulouse outdid each other with daring projects and lavish buildings. Châteaus, country homes and townhouses litter this historic route as witnesses of that golden century.
In Toulouse, about twenty magnificent townhouses with towers of pink brick and carvings of white stone still enhance the old streets. Among the buildings not to be overlooked, there's the "hôtel de Bernuy", built by Don Juan de Bernuy, a merchant originally from Spain who made a huge fortune with woad. The building now houses the Lycée Pierre de Fermat. There is also the "hôtel d'Assézat" built by the Toulouse Magistrate Pierre d'Assézat, now housing the art collection of the Argentinian millionaire Bemberg.
The visit can be pursued out of Toulouse with the most visited of all woad châteaus: the château de Magrin. Built during the 12th and 16th century, it boasts the last woad dryer and a museum dedicated to the "Historic saga of woad". This land of Cockaigne also made the fortune of the Tarn as witnessed by some beautiful buildings in Albi, the "hôtel Reynès" in particular, now the Chamber of Commerce.
A special mention for the "Blue of Lectoure": dear to the heart of the inhabitants of the Lauragais area, woad has recently reappeared on the scene in Gascony. A couple of enthusiasts in Lectoure have been growing the plant for some years now. When extracted, the incomparable blue dye is marketed to paint pigment manufacturers and the textile industry. On site, you can visit the vats and follow a woad dyeing demonstration.