Help from St-Cirq!
 

Today's stage of the Tour de France went through a town between Toulouse and Albi named something like St-Antoine Valée, although that's not it--only what I could determine from the announcer's bad French.* He said that it is the oldest medieval town in France, or something to that effect.* Any idea what the town might be?* It's apparently a big tourist attraction.

Merçi!

St Antonin Noble Val.
I am done. The town on our fall itinerary.

St Cirq and her other half used to live just north of there, but now they apparently have moved a bit west. They did not account for the local 'Tabernac' tax and quickly went bankrupt. According to local sources, they now have been forced to live in a large cave, where St Cirq paints pictures of animals and charges tourists big money just to look at them. Bring a coat.
I am done. The prehistoric art critic.

Yup, St Antonin-Noble-Val. I don't know that it's the oldest medieval town in France, but it's home to the oldest civil building in France (La Maison du Roy) and has an exceptional collection of well-preserved medieval houses and buildings. Its setting is beautiful, and there are countless other wonderful towns nearby to visit (including Cordes-sur-Ciel and Najac). I'm not surprised it's a magnet for tourists.

Thanks everyone. I look forward to seeing St-Cirq's pictures.

Posters over on the Lonely Planet forum, ex-pats who've lived in the area for many years, recently referred to this town as 'damp'. I scratched my head at that assessment. Its on a river, I get that, but 'damp'? Hmm......
Btw, a pair of recent movies were shot in part there. If memory serves: 'Charlotte Gray' & also 'The 100 Mile Trip' or whatever it was named.
I am done. The map.

They meant dump, not damp.

The geezers over at Lonely Planet are always stoned so often misspell words.

Thin, aristocrat 🏏

Zebec and St-Cirq beat a Google search all to heck.

We were on google maps this morning watching. It was just beautiful.

Stayed at a B&B there one night. Meh town.

Zebec, the film is called "The One Hundred-Foot Journey" and it's an amazing film, particularly for francophiles or people interested in French cuisine. The village in the film looks charming!

Fleur, I know, I know, about the film's real title---was taking the piss. The piss-taking was aimed primarily at my own Mrs Z who refers to my filmic tastes as 'desert Nazi motorcycle'.
Btw, I've long been addicted to food from the subcontinent, so the film struck a chord with me.
I am done. The jest.

St Antonin Noble Val has a great Sunday morning market. We stayed in a gite near there for 2 weeks a while back. Very nice village.

Stu Dudley

St-Antonin has a long history as a center for various arts and crafts, mainly weaving and leatherwork, still somewhat reflected in the offerings of the town's merchants and often at the market.

Erratum: the oldest civil building in the town is La Maison Romane, not La Maison du Roy.

Underhill, please allow this brief deviation, now that your query seems to be answered.
Folks, which are your fave weekly markets in the area? And why? If you could possibly be specific, that'd be great e.g. Jean-Guy's mushroom pie @____market draws folks from all over. Or Helene Cournayer makes the best___that we've ever tasted. Just curious.
I am done. The damp town.

PS Pepper, actually the posters over on Thorn Tree have been getting younger and younger. Those old geezers whom you refer to are less of the demographic than before. Recently nearly fell off my chair to learn that one long-time poster, 'Ainsh', was in fact a young biz wiz in his early 20s! He had always come across to most of us like a doddering Delhi great-uncle with a cane and much wisdom.