The Surroundings

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AVEYRON

The Aveyron region, with its majestic landscapes worthy of the most beautiful postcards, is the main nature destination in the Occitanie region and offers many opportunities to connect with nature. It is divided into 8 regions: Les Causses, le Lévezou, le Ségala, le Ruthenois, le Vallon, le Bassin, les Causses de Quercy and l'Aubrac.

Aveyron is , The Decazeville Basin, Aveyron's only mining region, has a rich industrial past and has preserved and enhanced its mining heritage. The town of Cransac offers a renowned spa for the treatment of rheumatism. The Causses du Quercy region is criss-crossed by the Aveyron gorges and valley, and is home to Bastides such as Villeneuve, Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Najac and the castles of Bournazel, Belcastel.. The region is home to such major sites as the pilgrimage village of Saint-Igest, the medieval town of Peyrusse-le-Roc, Montbazens and its hiking trails, Loc-Dieu Abbey (Rouergue's first Cistercian abbey, built in the 12th century and fortified in the 15th), Auzits (former commandery of the Hospitallers of the Order of Malta), Capdenac le Haut (Latin for Uxellodunum, the last city to be conquered by Caesar) and many more.
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A few key words to define Aveyron :

A sense of authenticity thanks to a well-preserved historical heritage, unspoilt open spaces and the strong ties between the Aveyron people and their land.

Discovering this region is a real thrill, with its cathedrals, abbeys and castles, as well as via ferrata, canyoning and paragliding.

Nature predominates, with 2 nature parks offering a wealth of flora and fauna, including chestnuts, mushrooms and truffles, all of which Nature has created for the benefit of gastronomy.

Hiking with the Camino de Santiago de Compostela and hundreds of kilometers of trails winding between mountains and valleys, gorges and plateaus.

Tradition and gastronomy are inseparable from its history and are preserved by folk groups and customs that are still very much alive.

ANNUAL EVENTS

April: L'autre festival in Capdenac-le-Haut.
May: Aubrac animal transhumance.
June: Fête de la brebis in Réquista and Natural games in Millau.
July: Rencontres musicales in Conques-en-Rouergue, Estivada in Rodez and Festival de Flagnac
August: Festival de Flagnac, Festival en bastides in Villefranche-de-Rouergue and festival livres et BD jeunesse in La Fouillade.
September: Amateur theater festival in Onet-le-Chateau and 100 km Marathon in Millau.
October: Chestnut and cider festival in Sauveterre.
December: Winter Happiness Festival in Millau.
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AUBIN

Aubin is a French commune located in the Aveyron department, at the center of gravity between 3 bastides: Figeac, Villefranche-de-Rouergue and Rodez.
The town's architectural heritage includes five buildings protected as historic monuments: the Saint-Blaise church, listed in 1942, the Jules-Ferry du Gua school, listed in 2002, the Notre-Dame church, listed in 2003, the Notre-Dame-des-Mines church, listed in 2001, and the factory chimneys, listed in 2001.
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CHEMIN DE COMPOSTELLE

It's a land steeped in history and emotion that you'll discover when you follow the Chemin de Compostelle in Aveyron.
In the Middle Ages, the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela was a major destination for pilgrims from all over Europe.
The four French routes they took to get there played an essential role in the development of religious and cultural exchanges.
This legacy led to the inclusion of France's Pilgrim's Way to Santiago de Compostela on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1998.
The royal road to this Grail was the via Podiensis, starting from Le Puy-en-Velay.
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FLAGNAC

Sound and light show at Flagnac in Aveyron every summer in July and August.
An exceptional show. The show at Flagnac in Aveyron is the living fresco of the Lot Valley. An emotionally-charged story and special effects give it an exceptional dimension.
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NAJAC

Listed as one of France's most beautiful villages, the medieval town of Najac, located in the ancient province of Rouergue, is set in tranquil, verdant surroundings. Its 13th-century royal fortress, perched atop a rocky spur, its picturesque houses with slate roofs, its Gothic church, its pretty fountains, and its views over the peaceful Aveyron valley, make it a dream destination for lovers of old stones and authenticity..

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SAINT-CIRQ-LAPOPIE

High on a rocky outcrop overlooking the unspoilt landscape of the Lot valley, the village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is one of France's outstanding sites. Listed as a historic monument in its entirety, the village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is also on the list of France's most beautiful villages.

Fascinated by the charm of the place, like so many other artists and writers, the poet André Breton chose it as his home. This perched village, with its fine stone houses and brown-tiled roofs, forms a harmonious whole, and its fortified Gothic church stands on the edge of the high cliff. The village's pretty, flower-filled lanes are lined with craft stalls and art galleries.
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ROCAMADOUR

A sacred city and pilgrimage site, the village of Rocamadour clings to its limestone cliff, majestically overlooking the Alzou canyon. What a wild and unspoilt environment! Famous for its sanctuaries, particularly the Black Madonna, Rocamadour attracts large numbers of visitors and pilgrims every year. In fact, Rocamadour is the second most visited site in France after Mont Saint-Michel! After climbing the 216 steps of the Grand Escalier leading to the church forecourt, pilgrims and walkers discover Rocamadour's seven sanctuaries, including the Notre-Dame chapel, the Saint-Sauveur basilica and the Saint-Michel chapel. A must-see is the Notre-Dame or Miraculous Chapel, which houses a 12th-century statue of the Black Madonna. Nearby is the tomb of Saint Amadour. The former episcopal palace, whose entrance is also on the forecourt, houses the Musée d'Art Sacré, a collection of the city's religious works.

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FIGEAC

A Town of Art and History, Figeac is also a medieval city full of charm. Rich in ancient heritage, the old town is an inviting place to stroll. The picturesque lanes lined with mansions with carved facades and stone and timber-framed residences are a delight for strollers.

The pretty Place des Écritures is a must-see on any tour of the historic center, and features Joseph Kosuth's black granite work of contemporary art, a huge replica of the Rosetta Stone. For those wishing to learn more about the world of writing, the Musée Champollion offers a rich exhibition on hieroglyphic decipherer Jean-François Champollion.
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RODEZ

Perched on a rocky outcrop at an altitude of 627 meters, the capital of Aveyron invites heritage enthusiasts to discover its many architectural and artistic treasures. Rodez's landmark, the splendid 13th-16th-century pink sandstone Notre-Dame Cathedral, is a masterpiece of Gothic art. Topped by a magnificent flamboyant Gothic bell tower, this historic monument resembles a fortress, with its two massive towers framing the western façade, and houses a 15th-century stone rood screen and carved oak stalls, as well as a 17th-century organ case.
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LE TROU DE BOZOULS

Perched on the edge of high cliffs overlooking a torrent, the Aveyron village of Bozouls occupies an impressive natural site. A grandiose horseshoe-shaped cirque, almost 400 metres in diameter and 100 metres deep, which you can contemplate from the terrace of the Place de la Mairie. It's a superb vantage point that makes you dizzy!

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CONQUES

Famous for its Romanesque abbey church, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Pilgrim's Way to Santiago de Compostela, the village of Conques in Aveyron is well worth a visit in more ways than one. An important stopover for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, Conques is also a must-see destination for lovers of architectural heritage.

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SALLES-LA-SOURCE

Salles-la-Source lies halfway between Rodez and Conques. Discover Salles-la-Source's waterfalls, built heritage, 11th-century Romanesque churches, museum of ancient arts, trout fishing and morel mushroom picking!

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BELCASTEL

Nestled in the heart of the Aveyron valley, the superb village of Belcastel, listed as one of France's most beautiful villages, forms a picture-postcard setting, with its stone houses with slate roofs, its old bridge reflected in the peaceful waters of the river, and the dominant silhouette of its medieval castle flanked by a square keep. A stroll along the banks of the Aveyron and along the charming cobbled streets is also very pleasant!

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BOURNAZEL

In the 19th century, a traveler arriving in Bournazel wrote: "From the castle to the pond, it's hard to say whether nature or man was the architect, painter or goldsmith who created such a unique and bucolic setting".

Come and discover the village of Bournazel, a place steeped in history and drowned in greenery. The tour of the village takes visitors through the narrow streets, allowing them to discover the village in all its architectural glory, but also to travel through its history, with visible traces dating from the Middle Ages to the present day. Visitors will be told about the revolt of the "little people" in 1790, which led to the destruction of the château, as well as the episode relating to the epidemic that swept through the village in 1772. Hiking trails on signposted paths. 6 walks from 3 to 24kms
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GOUFFRE DE PADIRAC

A natural cavity 33 metres in diameter and 75 metres deep, the Gouffre de Padirac on the Causse de Gramat was formed by the collapse of the vault. At the bottom of this cavity, 103 metres below ground to be precise, flows an underground river. This can be discovered at the end of a gallery, after taking an elevator or descending the stairs into the chasm. From here, boats await visitors for a ride on the flat river. 500 metres further on, visitors continue the tour on foot, from where they can contemplate the Rain Lake chamber and its Pendeloque (gigantic stalactite), the Grands Gours chamber and its lake, then the Grand Dôme chamber and its impressive 94-metre-high vault. All these natural formations will enchant you and make you daydream.
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VILLEFRANCHE-DE-ROUERGUE

Founded in 1252 by Alphonse de Poitiers, Count of Toulouse and brother of Saint Louis, the royal bastide town of Villefranche-de-Rouergue in the Aveyron valley boasts a remarkable and picturesque architectural heritage. The heart of the town, Place Notre-Dame, a listed historic monument, is simply superb, with its medieval arcades, beautiful old houses and the imposing 54-meter-high bell tower-porch of the collegiate church of Notre-Dame. The latter houses carved wooden stalls and a 15th-century stone pulpit.

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