aveyron tourism

Aveyron places to visit and attractions

Below you can explore some of the most popular highlights and places of interest in the Aveyron department of Midi-Pyrenees. See also our Aveyron travel guide

Belmont-sur-Rance

Brousse-le-Chateau

Chateau de Bournazel

Chateau de Najac

Conques Abbey

La Couvertoirade

La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite

Le Don du Fel

Millau bridge

Peyrusse-le-Roc

Saint-Come-d'Olt

Sainte-Eulalie-d'Olt

Sauveterre-de-Rouergue

Severac-le-Chateau

Villefranche-de-Rouergue

For more information see the Aveyron guide

Market towns & days in Aveyron

all markets in morning unless otherwise stated

Arvieu : Wednesday (high season only) Aubin : Wednesday & Friday Baraqueville : Sunday (high season only) Cransac : Tuesday (high season only) Decazeville : Tuesday & Friday Entraygues : Friday & Entraygues : Tuesday & Wednesday (high season only) Espalion : Friday Firmi : Saturday Laissac : Tuesday Millau : Wednesday & Friday Mur-de-Barrez : Thursday Najac : Sunday (high season only) Naucelle : Saturday (high season only) Rieupeyroux : Sunday (high season only) Rodez : Wednesday & Saturday Saint-Affrique : Thursday & Saturday Sainte-Genevieve-sur-Argence : Wednesday & Wednesday Salles-Curan : Saturday (high season only) Severac-le-Chateau : Thursday Villefranche-de-Panat : Sunday (high season only) Villefranche-de-Rouergue : Thursday

Tourist attractions to visit in Aveyron

The following sites have received official "tourist classifications"...

Towns of Art and History

Najac: See tourist guide

Sauveterre-de-Rouergue: See tourist guide

Villefranche-de-Rouergue: See tourist guide

Sites of Natural Beauty

Chaos de Montpellier-le-Vieux

Listed 'Remarkable Gardens'

Jardin d'Eden du château du Colombier

Religious Monuments

Abbaye de Sylvanès (Sylvanes)

Eglise de Saint-Cirice (Brousse-le-Chateau)

Regional Natural Parcs

Grands Causses

Towns classified as Recommended Detours

Villages classified as "most beautiful villages".

Belcastel: See tourist guide

Brousse-le-Chateau: See tourist guide

Conques: See tourist guide

Estaing: See tourist guide

La Couvertoirade: See tourist guide

Peyre: See tourist guide

Saint-Come-d'Olt: See tourist guide

Sainte-Eulalie-d'Olt: See tourist guide

UNESCO world heritage sites

Conques abbatiale Sainte-Foy (monuments on French pilgrim routes): See tourist guide

Conques pont sur le Dourdou (monuments on French pilgrim routes): See tourist guide

Espalion Pont Vieux (monuments on French pilgrim routes): See tourist guide

Estaing pont sur le Lot (monuments on French pilgrim routes): See tourist guide

St Chely d'Aubrac pont des pèlerins (monuments on French pilgrim routes)

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Explore Aveyron

Plan Your Trip to Aveyron: Best of Aveyron Tourism

Essential aveyron.

Aveyron Is Great For

Art & history.

Eat & drink

• 2 Other destinations
• 3.1 By plane
• 3.2 By train
• 4 Get around

Aveyron is a department in Occitanie , in southwestern France . It has a very low population density. Its economy is dominated by agriculture - mostly animal husbandry. Sheep are raised for milk to make cheese (see Roquefort) and cattle for dairy and meat. There is a significant amount of forestry and tourism.

Cities [ edit ]

The main cities in Aveyron are:

• 44.097778 3.077778 2 Millau

Other destinations [ edit ]

• 44.6223 2.98735 1 Aubrac
• 44.599444 2.396389 3 Conques — known for its abbey on the ways of Saint James

Get in [ edit ]

Aveyron is in South West France. Rail travel is the best option to reach the region, however you will need a car to explore it. Rodez station is served by Avis and Sixt car hire.

By plane [ edit ]

• through Rodez airport. Flights to/from Paris, Lyon, London Stansted, Dublin, Brussels
• through Toulouse-Blagnac airport, approximately 1 hour 45 minutes drive from Rodez
• through Montpellier-Méditerranée airport, approximately 1 hour 30 minutes drive from Rodez

By train [ edit ]

• direct overnight Intercités trains daily from Paris-Austerlitz to Rodez
• frequent Intercités train from Paris to Brive-la-Gaillarde, then change for Rodez
• TER trains from Toulouse and Albi to Rodez
• for the Aubrac region, you can use the very scenic Clermont-Ferrand to Béziers line which crosses the famous Viaduc de Garabit. Intercités link Paris and Clermont Ferrand, TGVs stop in Béziers.

By car [ edit ]

• from the north (about 3 hours from Clermont-Ferrand) via autoroute A75
• from the south (about 1 hour from Montpellier) via autoroute A75
• from the southwest (about 2 hours from Toulouse) via A68 and N88

Get around [ edit ]

Public transport in the Aveyron is fairly limited outside of the main centres (Rodez, Villefranche de Rouergue, Millau) where there are local bus services. You really need to have your own car (or to rent one) to explore the region. There is a regular train service between Rodez and Toulouse, via Albi.

Motorcycling is very exhilarating with quiet roads and many opportunities for trail-riding.

See [ edit ]

• Rodez and its cathedral
• The Viaduc of Millau is an engineering masterpiece and one of the most impressive road bridges in the world
• Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, home of Roquefort cheese
• The "Bastides" in Rouergue
• Templar and Hospitalier sites
• The lake of Pareloup
• 10 of France's 'Most Beautiful Villages' including Conques, Belcastel and Sauveterre de Rouergue
• The mountains of the Aubrac and the village of Lagioule, home of the famous knife
• The Thursday morning market at Villefranche de Rouergue

Do [ edit ]

• Enjoy nice landscapes. The area has a variety of types, from arid mountain moorland to dense deciduous forest. Wild flowers are at their most profuse in May and June. In season, wild fruit are everywhere - strawberries, plums, blackberries, sloes, nuts of many varieties.
• Watch wildlife. Birds range from small songbirds right through to vultures. Mammals include wild boar, pine martens, water voles, red squirrels and deer. There are snakes and lizards. The lakes and rivers support both game and coarse fish. Insects such as moths and butterflies are super-abundant.
• Eat local specialities (roquefort cheese)
• Outdoor activities (hiking, rafting...) Most of the rivers offer canoeing. The lakes of The Lévézou have guarded bathing beaches and welcome sailing, water-skiing and jet-skiing. They are equipped with free-to-use launching ramps with trailer parking facilities.
• Respect the peace and quiet of the villages.

Eat [ edit ]

Most restaurants are family run and tend to offer local specialities, such as veal, pork and trout in addition to more mainstream French cuisine. Food is reasonably priced, especially outside of the main towns at lunchtimes where you can often find a fixed menu with wine for around €12-€14. The Aveyron also has a number of excellent Michelin starred restaurants including Michel Bras (Aubrac), Le Vieux Pont (Belcastel) and Le Senechal (Sauveterre de Rouergue) for lovers of haute cuisine. There is usually no problem getting a table at a local restaurant, except on Sunday lunchtimes and bank holidays when it is a good idea to book. Outside of the main summer season, many restaurants in the countryside close on Sunday and/or Monday evenings.

Drink [ edit ]

Connect [ edit ], go next [ edit ].

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Office de tourisme Conques-Marcillac

Conques from treasure to treasures....

Discover Conques, one of the “Most beautiful villages of France” on the route to Compostela. Explore its treasure of goldsmith art and its Romanesque abbey-church with the tympanum of the Last Judgment,  under the light of the contemporary windows by Pierre Soulages.

Treasures of aromas: the PDO vineyard of Marcillac

An authentic wine, a land of character, a unique vine - the Mansois. A true pleasure for the epicureans!

• Taste & toast

Treasures of landscapes and activities

Outdoor activities, hikes in the heart of wide landscapes, strong sensations for your holidays with family or friends...

• ON THE MOVE

Treasures of history and heritage

Visit our authentic villages, Romanesque churches, museums, castles…

Treasures of tasty and artistic gatherings

Take a break to taste our gastronomy from Aveyron, meet our craftsmen or artists to discover their skills and “savoir-faire” or just enjoy our way of life.

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• Sites & leisure

Top Things to Do in Aveyron, France - Aveyron Must-See Attractions

Things to do in aveyron, explore popular experiences, popular cities in aveyron.

Top Attractions in Aveyron

What travellers are saying

• Viaduc de Millau
• Musee Soulages Rodez
• Le Grenier de Capou
• Cathédrale Notre Dame de Rodez
• Office de Tourisme du Pays de Roquefort et du Saint Affricain
• Le Canyon de Bozouls
• La Cité de Pierres - Montpellier-le-Vieux
• Reptilarium du Larzac
• Grotte de Foissac
• Le Jardin des betes
• Église Abbatiale Sainte-Foy
• Chartreuse Saint-Sauveur
• Forteresse de Najac

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The beautiful medieval village of Conques

The beautiful medieval village of Conques is in the Aveyron department, part of the Midi-Pyrénées region . It’s surprisingly little known, and except at the height of summer, is relatively quiet.

Why visit Conques?

Conques is is officially classified as one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France . You’ll find it perched on the slopes of a wooded gorge in the valley of the little river Dourdou, a tributary of the Lot .

In the Middle Ages Conques was a major stopping off point for pilgrims walking from Le Puy-en-Velay in the Auvergne to St. James of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. They came to gaze at the remarkable treasures of Sainte Foy (Saint Faith), displayed in the Romanesque Abbey, and added to the wealth of this perfect medieval little village, much to the abbey’s delight (and coffers).

Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy

The vast stone Romanesque Abbey dominates the town.  Huge pointed towers rise above the medieval houses that cluster around its feet and climb up the hill behind. The Abbey is out of all proportion to the small village, a remarkable testimony to the power of the catholic church.

The Tympanum of Sainte-Foy

The first thing you see before you enter is the magnificent Last Judgement in the tympanum sculpted between 1107 and 1125 above the door. Christ is at the center with the righteous to his right, figures which include the Emperor Charlemagne. Christ points to the left and to Hell, with its damned writhing figures. The bottom level depicts Heaven and Hell, each in a roofed building with an entrance door. The righteous are welcomed by angels who welcome them to a city. At the centre, Abraham embraces two souls.

The portrayal of the damned is much more graphic and fun. The damned are forced into the Jaws of Hell, depicted as a mythical beast with its mouth wide open. The tortures that the damned will endure are shown in great detail. It’s a remarkably human depiction: a hated bishop is caught in a net while poachers on abbey property are being roasted by the rabbit they caught. ‘Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord’ was clearly in the minds of the medieval carvers.

The Interior of Conques Abbey

Inside the interior is simple, somber and impressive, its size reflecting the huge numbers of pilgrims who came here to see the famous relics on display. Climb up to to the organ loft and you can clearly see the intricate carvings on the capitals and get a sense of the size of the interior.

If you’re there on summer evenings, make sure you get to the abbey at 9.30pm.

An organ recital…with a difference

We couldn’t quite believe it. Here we were, in the great abbey at Conques in the late evening listening to a white-robed monk play the organ. It was a magical moment.

Some Bach, some Messiaen which was surprising and interesting and then…were we hearing right? Surely this was the House of the Rising Sun , the No 1 hit by the Animals in July 1964?

The song’s about a brothel in New Orleans called the House of the Rising Sun after its founder, Madame Marianne LeSoleil Levant (‘rising sun’ in French). It opened for business in 1862 to accommodate Union troops and closed in 1874 on complaints by the neighbours.

So we asked the organ-playing monk afterwards. “It’s a folk tune” he said.

I did some research and yes he was right. It’s believed to be an old English, Scottish or Irish folk song, so the tune dates way back. So far, so good. But it’s based on a 16 th -century folk song called The Unfortunate Rake . It laments a young man dying of syphilis. 

Oh well, it’s a good tune and it was a remarkable rendition in that empty, spacious abbey.

The Abbey’s History

The abbey was completely rebuilt between 1045 and 1060, making it one of the oldest churches on the route to Santiago, a well-established pilgrimage route by the 11 th century.  Standing beside it is the monastery housing the Benedictine monks, a community founded by the religious order fleeing the Saracens in Spain around 800 AD. The medieval village of Conques may have been small, but it became a major destination.

Priceless Treasures

This is one of the most important treasuries in Europe, an amazingly rich gold and bejeweled collection of reliquaries. There’s the arm of St George the Dragon Slayer, and the ‘A’ of Charlemagne to amaze the medieval peasants and pilgrims…though today’s visitors are less believing.

The main attraction for medieval pilgrims were the remains of Sainte-Foy, a young girl tortured to death in the fourth century for her Christian beliefs. They came to see the reliquary, to pray and be cured of blindness or to secure the release of relatives captured by whichever enemy they had the misfortune to meet.

The Majesty of Sainte-Foy

The Majesty of Sainte-Foy is an amazing work of art that has had historians and theologists debating its modeling, which is oddly scaled, as well as the significance of its gleaming gold, gems and enamels. Containing the skeletal remains of the saint, some parts of the intricate gold work date back to the 5 th century.

She’s pretty impressive today; to a medieval peasant, the impact of seeing her was extraordinary. As one Bernard d’Angers in 1010 remarked: “When they saw it for the first time, all in gold and sparkling with precious stones and looking like a human face, the peasants thought that the statue was in truth looking at them and answering their prayers with her eyes.”

Cut-throat Competition for those Relics

Such relics were vital to the prosperity of abbeys like Conques and there was a pretty cut-throat trade in them. The monks had earlier had a go at acquiring the relics of Saint Vincent of Saragossa and then the relics of St. Vincent Pompejac in the rich city of  Agen without success. So they turned their eyes to the relics of Sainte-Foye, also in Agen. For ten years, a monk from Conques masqueraded as a monk here, then when trusted enough to get close to the treasure, stole it. There were no repercussions; in medieval law, royalty and clerics were excused because the sacredness of the theft, and of course the person committing it, outranked the ethics. Agen today is better known for its prunes than for its religious treasures.

The treasures at Conques survived through the centuries intact. They also escaped the fate of many other religious collections in 1793 when the government of the French Revolution confiscated all they could to melt down for money. The inhabitants of Conques divided up the priceless relics and hid them in their homes or dug them into their gardens.

The Sainte-Foy Abbey is open daily 8am to 8pm. The Treasure is open daily 9.30am-12.30pm and 2pm-6pm.

More to see in Conques

Musée joseph fau.

You really feel you are stepping back into the past in this old house. It’s filled with sculptures and wood paneling from the 16 th to 17 th centuries, tapestries and stone carvings from the old cloister. It’s beautifully laid out in the wooden floored rooms. Please Note: The museum is currently closed due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Please contact the Tourist office for more information (see below).

Practical Information Open daily Check opening times at the Tourist Office Ticket with Treasury admission €6.50 euros

The Medieval Village of Conques

The village itself is an attraction. So make time to wander through the little streets, past extraordinary half-timbered wood and stone houses, most of them dating from the Middle Ages, and up winding alleyways. Don’t miss the gardens next to the church. Medieval walls surround most of the village, with some of the gates still complete.

There are delightful discoveries to make: fountains, a circular tower, the ancient pilgims’ bridge.  

The pilgrims who came from Estaing and from Le Puy-en-Velay, one of the great starting points for pilgrims to Santiago, arrived via the old rue Haute, or ‘upper street’. They continued on to Figeac and Cahors through the Porte de la Vinzelle and the rue Charlemagne which runs downhill through the Porte de Barry to the river. Walk the route that they did and you’re rewarded with the Pont Romain and the chapel of St-Roch. From here, there’s a fabulous view of the medieval village of Conques above you.

Where to Stay in Conques

Not surprisingly, the medieval village of Conques has a no parking policy in the streets, so you’ll have to park for a moment to take out your bags then take the car to one of the official car parks. But everything is very nearby so it’s not a long walk (though it is slightly steep).

Auberge St-Jacques Right in the middle of the village, the hotel is on many different levels (slightly difficult access so check if stairs are a problem). This is a good budget option with room rates around 60 euros a night. Rooms are small but adequate and comfortable. There’s a good restaurant which makes this the best place to eat in the center of Conques. Make sure you get a table on the terrace in summer, and also make sure you get to the 9.30pm organ recital in the church opposite. They will serve you dessert and coffee when you get back.

Auberge St-Jacques Le Bourg Tel.: 00 33 (0)5 65 72 86 36e Website

Hôtel-Restaurant Hervé Busset /Domaine Cambelong In an old chestnut and walnut flour mill down by the river and slightly away from the medieval village of Conques, the charming hotel has been beautifully renovated. The eight large rooms and one suite are modern and extremely stylish; bathrooms are equally chic. There’s a swimming pool and garden and a very well regarded Michelin-starred restaurant. Rates are from €190 to €220 euros per night.

Hôtel-Restaurant Hervé Busset Domaine de Cambelong Tel. : +33 (0)5 65 72 84 77 Website

Pilgrims’ Hostel If you’re walking on the pilgrim trail, you might consider staying at the hostel. It’s basic, very inexpensive and you’ll meet fellow walkers. It’ll give you a feeling of being part of the medieval village of Conques, just like the pilgrims of the Middle Ages.

Pilgrims Hostel of the Abbaye of Sainte Foy Conques Tel: +33(0) 5 65 69 89 43 Website

Conques Tourist Office Tel: +33 5 65 72 85 00 Email: [email protected] Website

Here’s more about the four great Pilgrim Walking Routes in France. They left from Tours, Le Puy-en-Velay, Vézelay and Arles and united at St Jean-Pied-de-Port in the Pyrenees before crossing into Spain.

Conques is one of the Great Sacred Sites of France . Read about more of them, from Mont St-Michel to Vézelay where on midsummer day light from nine windows beam down onto the altar.

Le site officiel du Tourisme en Aveyron

Top 12 Aubrac in Aveyron touristic guide

see more pictures

Great spaces of the Aubrac

Forests and pastures spread out over 2500km². After the transhumance , that marks the start of the summer, you come across herds of magnificent Aubrac breed cows around the innumerable shepherd's mountain shelters called “ burons ”.

This is where your senses will be stimulated while crossing the magical landscape, where the constantly changing light sculpts the contours and rocks creating a unique ambiance.

In winter,  snow   transforms this unique steppe into a beautiful Nordic zone where cross-country and alpine skiers enjoy the great expanses.

La Dômerie d’Aubrac

Founded in 1120, la Dômerie d’Aubrac was a “refuge hospital” for pilgrims en route towards Saint Jacques de Compostelle. Today, some major vestiges remain of this ensemble: Notre Dame church, the hospital and the Tour des Anglais. Aubrac, a mythical place heavily marked by history, is listed as a Historic Monument.

On the Chemins de Saint Jacques de Compostelle, (GR65 from Puy-en-Velay) it is classed by UNESCO as World Heritage and by the European Council as a Cultural Itinerary. For those who wish to walk in the footsteps of pilgrims, the section Nasbinals-Aubrac-Saint-Chély d’Aubrac (17km) is classed as natural heritage by UNESCO, within the framework of the Chemins de Compostelle, for its authenticity and landscape.

the stars of the Aubrac

A knife with a famous destiny

Symbol of the Aveyron, the Laguiole knife is known the world over. The living and dynamic knife making activity is a reality in the village where you will find numerous boutiques and workshops. Laguiole can really claim the authenticity and savoir-faire of this work of art.

Visit knife workshop of Laguiole 

Laguiole, the village

The granite and basalt houses with their lauze covered roofs surround the imposing bronze statue of the bull, symbolic expression of the placid force, the ardour and the vigour of the Aubrac breed bull.

Knife makers can be visited and traditional local products tasted. The village is an ideal base both in winter for enjoying the local ski resorts and in summer for rural tourism.

Laguiole, the cheese

Cheese has traditionally been made on the Aubrac for a very long time, monks from La Dômerie were already making it in the 12th century. Today, the  "Jeune Montagne" cooperative  collects milk from the region to make tome de Laguiole which benefits from an AOC (appellation d'origine contrôlée).

It is with this same tome fraîche that aligot is made.

Exceptional fauna and flora

Walking in the area, you can’t help but appreciate the plateau’s exceptional fauna and flora. It is one of the richest flora in Europe , with more than 1000 species, from the most common, such as yellow gentian or Aubrac tea, to the more rare such as “drosera”, a carnivorous plant , that covers the plateau in summer. In spring, the fields are carpeted with yellow daffodils and narcissus.

The fauna also includes numerous species: roe deer, wild boar, foxes and red deer that you can hear rutting in the heart of the Aubrac forest in autumn .

Aligot, the traditional dish of the Aubrac

The Aubrac’s traditional and unique dish, aligot, is based on mashed potatoes to which are added tome de Laguiole and crème fraîche that give it a creamy and smooth texture. It is a real feast for your eyes and your stomach !  

Where to taste it? You will of course be able to taste aligot just about anywhere on the Aubrac, most restaurants offer it. But for an authentic experience, taste it in a buron

The Transhumance: take part in the festival

Participate in this traditional festival on the Aubrac. At the end of May, after the snow has melted, herds of cows are led to the summer pastures. They are adorned with flowers, plumes, ribbons etc. for a forty or so kilometre climb up to the Aubrac plateau.

You can accompany cows all along the route, take part in the festivals in the villages, enjoy the local markets, milking demonstrations, local gastronomy, decorated herds, folklore…

TO GO further

INFORMATION &  CONTACT

Tourisme en aubrac - bureau de laguiole.

Place de la Mairie 12210 Laguiole

+33 (0)5 65 44 35 94

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Sévérac d'Aveyron

Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the aveyron.

At 32 km north of Millau , the intersection of the N88 and the A75 junction 42.

Severus, Caesar's lieutenant would have fortified the summit of the hill. The castle is in the 11th century it belonged to the family Sévérac from 11th to 15th century. In the 16th century, Arpajon are building the Renaissance wing of three storeys high, they richly decorated. The decay occurs in the 18th century revolution accelerates the ruin. There are still some buildings in the feudal fortress: Renaissance wing, towers, turrets, dungeon and parts of the walls.

Geographical information

Nearest cities & towns, things to see and do.

• The castle, built at the top of the hill at 817 meters, dominates the medieval city and the plain of Aveyron where this river has its source.
• Remains of the ancient fortifications of the city with the doors of "Peyrou" and "Ladazou".
• The house of the Consuls, and the house of Jeanne of the fourteenth century.
• The current church is the old chapel of the Benedictine monastery, modified in the seventeenth century.
• Archaeological Museum.
• Lake Cisba, supervised swimming the afternoon of July 11 to August 16 (except Monday).
• Circuit Dolmens where you can among other discover the dolmen of Restous...

Places of interest

Events and festivities.

• Markets of Severac: Every Thursday morning, place of the station.
• Local festival in Severac Station: Pentecost week-end.

Visits, leisure and activities nearby

• Millau Viaduct ; Grand Site of Midi-Pyrénées.
• Gorges du Tarn.
• Medieval castles of Rivière-sur-Tarn , Saint-Beauzély , Vézins-de-Lévézou .
• Roquefort cellars.
• The Lévézou lakes.
• Templar and Hospital sites of Larzac.

Leisure activities

Restaurants

Bed & breakfasts

Vacation rentals

Related articles Sévérac d'Aveyron