The Garonne waterfront is quite nice. Main square is much better in the evening after the vendors removed their trinket booths. 
Basilica St Sernin has an interesting octagonal bell tower. Nicer looking outside. €2 gets me in the crypt: reliques in silver-plated copper boxes,\ + polychrome wood statues of apostles in 14th century. Quite boring. It's built in honor of Saturnin, the first bishop and martyr of Toulouse, who died after being dragged through the streets by a sacrificial bull in 250. Current basilica started construction in 1070, until the 16th century. 115m long, 64m wide at transept, it claims to be the biggest Romanesque church in the world still standing. It was a major stop for the pilgrims to Compostela. 
Around 820-830, St James sepulchre was "discovered" in Galicia. Pilgrims to Compostela typically carried a long walking stick ("bourdon") and on their hats, a scallop shell. The most southern of the four main routes, Via Tolosana, goes through Toulouse. Jacobin church is empty inside. The cool feature is a new glass platform reflecting the ceiling. €4 gets me into their small cloister. Fine but nothing impressive. 
Two long days of discussions on one project, leaving no time or energy for anything else. More next week, which I won't attend. The only interesting thing is the fancy lunch box, comes with salt/pepper shake and wine glass. However, the next day, we had the exact same 3 choices. 
Wednesday evening, my friend in Paris came and we dined at a quite inventive restaurant Le L. A bit pricy, but my friend got LaFourchette's 30% discount (excluding drink and set menu). Thursday evening, the whole group, ~25 people at the workshop crammed into Mr George's downstairs. To be easy, we all had the €34 set menu. Food is not bad, but not refined. Took 3+ hours. I struggled at what to say to my table mates. Friday night, 3 of us from Oregon looked for something with high reviews from TripAdvisor. Walked to 1 closed, 2 completely full restaurants. Ended going to a veggie buffee on a guide book called La Faim des Haricots. Food is so so. Atmosphere is lively. After dinner, we tried to rent a car for Saturday. Long story short, it wasn't easy to find a reasonable price last minute. I, who don't drive at home, ended renting a car via Expedia, using my test Facebook account. (My own FB account was blocked, Chris doesn't want to use his phone #, Isa is only 24).3/1 Saturday is fully packed. My alarm clock was set for a wrong day, so I was 15 minute late meeting my coworkers. My suggestion of taxi was vetoed, we walked to the shuttle stop waiting for the €5 bus to the airport.
Our first stop is Carcassonne, a fortified town starting in the 6th century BC overlooking Aude Valley. In Roman time, it was called Colonia lulia Carcaso. Visigoths reinforced it in 4th-5th century. 725 the moors, 759 Pepin the Short. 1082, Trencavel family, who offered asylum to Cathars. 1209, Crusaders besieged the city for 2 weeks until it fell. Under Louis IX, more fortification, to protect the border between France and Aragon. Annexation of Roussillon to France in 1659, marked the decline of Carcassonne. In the Chateaux (€8), there's a well made film with English and Spanish subtitles. Cathedral has some very nice stained glass windows. We had lunch in this cute and busy medieval town. I had boudin noir, cassoulet made of confit de canard, creme brulee.Isa's aunt is married to a French man. His last name showed up in Google map search. She's curious to see the place, so we stopped by. Only 20 minutes south of Carcassonne. It's a vineyard, with some old buildings, doors ajar. And a horse, not that I've ever seen it. After many knockings and horse neigh, finally one heavy knock brought out a lady and her dog. The mother of Isa's uncle. She's 92, dressed up nicely. She talked a lot, remembered every kids who visited her and their relations, joked and laughed. That was one happy incident, unplanned.
Then we are on the route of Cathar, a religeous group that was wiped out by the Catholic church. Long drive in the countryside. Somewhat scenic. Passing little towns. Peyrepertuse (€6.5), built by Kings of Aragon in the 11th century. The higher part by King Louis IX later. It was never attacked. Fun to climb around in the large ruin. Good view of the surrounding area and where we'd go next: Queribus. 
. The ticket office was closed when we arrived (~6pm), but nothing stops you from walking in. In fact, when we were leaving, a car full of high school students was just pulling in. This is the last Cathar bastion to fall into the hands of crusade in 1255. Smaller, but higher. A polygon donjon, with vaulted ceiling. A spiral staircase leads to the roof with panoramic view to snowy Pyrenees and the sea. 
It was almost 8pm when we arrived at Collioure, a lovely mediteranean. For a Saturday eve., Collioure was unusually quiet. We can see the royal fortification right at the sea and Fort Saint-Elme above town. A Catalan territory took over by France in the 17th century. I can see why Matisse, Derain and other artists moved here. We had fish (I had wolf fish) for dinner before heading back in the dark.Chris took the wheel while I napped on the back seat. Got back to Toulouse airport after midnight. Everything seemed closed. After circling around looking for gas station in vain, a smoky young lad pointed one, which we found, but our credit cards wouldn't work. Since it was almost impossible to find a taxi at this hour, we drove back to downtown, parked on the street. I had to set up alarm to get up the next day, fill the gas and return the damn car. Thanks to the lobby crew who told me two manned gas stations, I was able to fill gas on Sunday morning.
3/2 Sunday. 11:18 train to Albi. For some reason, our ticket is €5 going and €13.70 back (regular price). I like train, more relaxing. In fact, I fell asleep on the way back. Both the Cathedral and the Bishop's palace were closed noon-2pm. 
We strolled to the garden behind the palace, overlooking river Tarn. Just lovely. Spring leaves against the fortress-like Palais de la Berbie. Pont Vieux (dates to 1035, clad with brick later, now reinforced with a drawbridge) and another bridge. Now Toulouse-Lautrec museum (€8), which I visited after a quick lunch. Lautrec' drawings are quirky and cartoon like. Kind of fun.
Sainte Cecile cathedral, started building in 1282, claims to be the biggest brick building in the world. For 200 years, more details were added. It's stunning inside. The glass, the elaborate filigree stone work and polychrome statues. It screams wealth. Albi was made rich by cultivating Woad for the blue dye.
Another famous Albi native is the navigator and explorer Laperouse. His house is next to Toulouse-Lautrec's.
I took the train at 15:47 back to Toulouse, earlier than my colleagues, because I had a plane to catch. The train station is about 10-12 minute walk to the old Albi, and about 20 minute walk to Capitole of Toulouse. It's the city hall. Free and open even on Sundays. Well worth a walk through. Salle Gervais is often used for wedding ceremony now: allegory and themes of love painted by Paul-Jean Gervais. I especially like Salle Henri-Martin: lots of his BIG paintings of the region. La Cour Henri IV: 1546. Here, in 1632 October 20th, Duke of Montmorency, governor of Languedoc was executed by Cardinal Richelieu's gang. In the middle of the big plaza is the Languedoc Cross, with 12 zodiac and hours.Toulouse Navette (airport shuttle bus): €5, day trip €8, 6 trips €20. Bus driver only sells the first kind. Sold in Tisseo agencies: at airport (limited time), Metro Arenes, Metro Balma - Gramont, Metro Basso Cambo, Metro Jean Jaures, station Marego - SNCF, and in tourism office (no Sunday).
