Located on the right bank of the river Tarn where it meets the river Tescou in the Midi-Pyrenees region of southwestern France, the town of Montauban is situated 50 kilometers north of Toulouse. The reddish-brown color of the brick buildings makes this town instantly recognizable, and the bastide (fortified old town) is the second oldest in all of southern France, with a foundation that dates all the way back to 1144.

Art enthusiasts will delight in the Musee Ingres, which is located in the 17th century Episcopal palace on the bank of the Tarn. Today, the historical structure is home to more than 4,000 drawings and paintings by the renowned painter Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, as well as an impressive collection of a variety of other notable contemporary pieces. Of historical interest, the pink-bricked Pont Vieux, or “Old Bridge,” connects the old town with the suburbs and dates back to the 14th century.