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Older than the Palais des Papes in Avignon, the Palais de la Berbie, formerly the Bishops' Palace of Albi, now the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, is one of the oldest and best-preserved castles in France.
Its name comes from the Occitan word Bisbia, meaning Bishops' Palace.

This imposing fortress was completed at the end of the 13th century . It was both the temporal and spiritual manifestation of the Bishops of Albi.
It is particularly interesting from the architectural point of view :
- an enormous keep, 50m high, flanked at the four corners by towers, three of which are solid throughout,
- walls 7 metres thick at the base,
- ramparts.

Over the centuries, the Bishops transformed this stronghold into an elegant residence with a slate roof. They created vast reception rooms, terraces and French-style gardens masking the bulky appearance of the building, and added a Renaissance wing.

During the reign of Louis XIV, in 1678, the gardens were commissioned by the first Archbishop of Albi, Hyacinthe Serroni, on the lines of the French-style garden .

These gardens occupy the former site of the Bishops' Garrison and add to the beauty of the whole place. Overlooked by the former sentry-walk, they now afford a panoramic view of the banks of the Tarn .

The Palais de la Berbie and its gardens are one of the most-visited sights of the city.