Village of Conques
Jul 5th, 2005, 02:36 PM
#2
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Yes, I've visited Conques a couple of times. It's in an area of France that is full of marvelous sites and hidden treasures. The Abbaye de Ste-Foy in Conques is justifiably renowned. What did you want recommendations for?
Jul 5th, 2005, 05:25 PM
#3
It's a lovely place, and as St Cirq mentioned that Abbaye thjat is considered a wonderful example of Romanesque Architecture. This is villagwe is also noted as the road of the pilgrims(between Conques and Cahors. The area is not over=run with tourists is one reason I like the Aveyron. You can google alot about Conques as I did when vissiting that part of France.
Jul 6th, 2005, 07:31 AM
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We stayed in that area for 2 weeks last year. Very scenic region, with perhaps the hightest concentration of "the Most Beautiful Villages of France" than anyplace else I've visited. Also, it has the some fabulous restaurants that won't break the bank, and as cigalechanta said, not overfun with tourists.
Here is an excerpt from my "Languedoc" itinerary (e-mail me at [email protected] if you want the full 35 page copy)
Thursday
Leave the Tarn & proceed to the next area –the lovely Lot River region – perhaps our favorite in the Languedoc.
If you are staying in Meyrueis, take the D986 over the Causse Mejean to Ste Enimie. If you’re staying at la Caze, drive to Ste Enimie along the Tarn. From Ste Enimie, head north on the then D998 to La Canaourgue. It’s a little difficult to get on the road from Ste Enimie, so pay attention & look for road signs. After the D998 crosses the D32, this route will become quite scenic all the way to La Canourgue.
La Canourgue+ gets our award as the cutest village never to be mentioned in any guidebook. It is a meticulously restored medieval village. It even has several artisan shops that lured my wife. As you drive into town, you will pass a large parking lot on the right in the middle of town. The old town is on the right & the not-so-pretty newer section is on the left of the road approaching the lot. Park the car in the lot & explore this town. Spend at least 45 mins in the village – if you spend any less time, then you have missed a section of town. The interesting part of the village is along traffic free cobbled roads. You will encounter a river rushing through town that is sometimes underground, and sometimes above ground. Keep exploring every section of town that has cobbled streets – you may have to cross a paved section that intersects the lot where you parked the car. Be brave – try to explore all the streets you can possibly access. Along the way, you may see some beautiful gardens behind a gate. I believe this is an assisted care facility & you probably can’t go in there.
After visiting La Canourgue, head west towards the A75 freeway & look for the signs to St Geniez d’Olt. Proceed along the D988, and then take the D45 and then the D202 west (do not continue on the D988 to St Geniez – although the Michelin map shows this as a green scenic road, it mostly goes through forests & all you see are tree trunks – another complaint I have with the Michelin people). Follow the signs to St Geniez, and at St Martin, turn right onto the D95 (well marked) and proceed into St Geniez.
You are now in the Vallee du Lot**+. See “Lot” in the Green Guide. We stayed in this area for 2 weeks in Sept ’04, and it’s probably our favorite spot in the Languedoc. We enjoyed if for two reasons: 1. The landscape of the area – beautiful river, some of the cutest villages you will find anywhere, fantastic and varied terrain, the feel of “real France” (as opposed to “tourist France”). 2. The food – probably the best quality/creativity per dollar that we have found anywhere in France (remember, we dine out about 30 to 40 times each year in France).
Stay in this area for four nights.
As an option, it takes about 1 hour to get from St Geniez to Ste Enimie. It’s possible to stay in this Lot area and visit the Tarn & Jonte gorges from here. That will give you 6 days in one place instead of packing up & 2 days in the Tarn & 4 days in the Lot. Remember the Gite I described earlier – it is about 500 E per week (except July & Aug) and it’s the same price for 1 or 7 days. There is definitely some overhead to renting a Gite (you clean it yourself, and arriving/departing consumes more time than a hotel), but if renting a house with lots of room seems appealing to you, give it some consideration. It’s the only way we travel.
There are two hotels I would recommend in this area. We have dined at both (more about that later), but we have never stayed at either of them.
Hotel Poste in St Geniez It has a pool, and the rooms run 30 to 48 E. St Geniez is one of my favorite towns on the Lot. It’s not a tourist town, although a tourist can find much to like about it. There are many café’s, boulangeries, and interesting shops in town. There is a very nice farmers market on Saturday in a parking lot and in a very scenic arcade at the town hall (Hotel de Ville). On Sunday, there is a lot of activity in town. The church is just across the river from the main square in town, and when the church lets out, the people walk into town, shop (many stores are open – a rarity in France), buy bread & meat from the boucherie for dinner, chat with the other residents, have a coffee at a café, etc. It’s quite a sight to watch. The town center of St Geniez is next to the bridge over the Lot River (that goes to the Church). There is a fountain in this square and several cafes around. The square where the Hotel Post is located, is the first square you will encounter when you walk into town, but it’s not the central “hub” of town.
St Fleuret in Estaing. Rooms run 44 to 47E. Michelin gives it both a “red man” (good food at moderate prices) and a “blue man” (good accommodation at moderate prices). This was probably our best meal. It’s a mom & pop place, where the family (children too) live on the second floor (first floor in France) next to the restaurant entrance. We watched the mother & kids come & go while dining. Estaing is the cutest/most scenic town in this section of the Lot River. There is a picture of it in the Michelin Green Guide. It is one of TMBVoF. It’s almost perfect. I dare anyone to take less than 3 pictures of the castle perched at the entrance to this town as you approach it from the east, and it’s hard to take less than 5 pictures of the streets in town. At least 3 pictures are “de rigeur” from both the west end of town, and from across the bridge and on the road heading out of town to the east. One weekend when we were there, they were having a medieval festival, and they had straw covering the streets, lots of people dressed up in medieval clothes, jugglers, musician, artisans, and a giant spit where pigs were roasting.
Touring the Vallee du Lot**+
I’m going to describe some villages to visit along the Lot, and then some drives to take to explore the area. The villages can be visited on any day that is convenient, although I would recommend Espalion*- on a Friday when they have a farmers market, and St Geniez+ on Saturday for the market or Sunday to witness the town gathering after church.
Villages – going east to west
St Geniez+ I already described this village
Ste Eulalie+ A real gem. It’s classified as one of “TMBVoF”. Here is a “must do”. As you drive along the main road north of the Lot River, there is a turnoff for Ste Eulalie. Turn on this road, and immediately on your right there is a parking lot. Park there and walk a few paces across the road to some benches on a bluff over the river & below some shade trees. Try to take fewer than 3 pictures of Ste Eulalie from this spot. Even better, pick up a croissant or a sandwich and have breakfast or lunch here – you won’t want to leave. After dragging yourself away, head into town. As soon as you cross the bridge, turn right & proceed into town. Find the Tourist Office (there are a few nice artisan stores in the office complex), and grab a map of town. There are 6 historical buildings on this map. Walk through town & find these buildings and “soak in” the ambience of this village while you do. There is a nice boulangerie where you can pick up something. Warning - there is a simple hotel in town with the cutest restaurant associated with it. We dined there & it was the only disappointing meal of our visit to the Lot.
Mandailles Another gem of a hamlet. Park the car next to the church along the main road on the Lot. Take the road that goes down to the river (don’t attempt to drive there, like we did). Walk along this road slowly & look at all the very old cute houses that have been turned into what I suspect are really elegant residences with killer views. Further down this road you will encounter a furniture maker’s shop and then you will end the short walk at the ruins of a chateau. This is another good spot to squander away some time. Notice how another structure has been cloned into the ruined chateau. Walk back to the car.
St Come*- As you approach this village, do you notice anything strange???? That’s right, the church steeple is twisted & slanted. We got a chuckle every time we passed by. This is another town to explore on foot, and it’s another TMBVoF. Driving east to west, pass by most of the village and then turn left into a large square with a café outside. Park the car & explore this village. Lots of nooks & crannies. There are several boulangier/patisseries where you can pick up a quiche for lunch.
Espalion*- This is the busiest village in this section of the Lot. There’s perhaps too much ugly commerce along the perimeter of town, but there are also some lovely sections. The most famous is the view of the houses directly on the Lot River between the new bridge and the old bridge. There is a picture of this in the Michelin Green Guide. This town has several shops that might attract the tourist. Walk east along the Lot on the north side of the river (there’s a walkway) and admire the pretty chateau next to a park.
Estaing*+ I have already described this town. It’s a TMBVoF. The Chateau is open for visits. We toured several years ago, but didn’t this past trip.
Entraygues* Another scenic village, although I think this village looks better from the outside than from the inside. There is a walking itinerary in the Green Guide. There are picturesque views of the village from across the Lot River on the D904 south of town, where there is another great bench to sit & take in the views. There’s another scenic view from the D904 as you drive north of town. However, to get there you need to proceed north on the D34, which is the main traffic road through town. When you get to the barrage (dam), cross the barrage and take the D920 back towards town. There are nice views from several spots along this drive. To get back to Entraygues, cross the “old bridge”, which is a one way road back towards town.
Restaurants.
If you want to see why I think this area has some of the best dining we’ve experienced in the last several years, visit these places. I will list them in order of my preference. I am considering price/value when I rate these places.
Goutes et Couleurs* in Rodez. This is a bit of a drive & Rodez is a somewhat large city. We got lost trying to return after dinner.
St Fleuret in Estaing
Poste in St Geniez
Aux Armes d’Estaing in Estaing. If you stay at this hotel/restaurant, make sure you do not get ˝ pension.
Grand Hotel Auguy* in Laguoile.
Mejane in Espalion
Rest l’Eau Vive in Espalion
Domerie in Aubrac
See restaurant descriptions at the end of this itinerary
A specialty in this region is Aligot – read about it in the Green Guide. Auguy, Domerie, & probably Eau Vive serve this dish.
It’s still Thursday
L’Aubrac* See the Michelin Green Guide under “Aubrac” and take the Western Aubrac route #1. This is a very pretty drive and takes you through some countryside that is quite different from the terrain you’ll see along the Lot River. It is much higher in altitude than the Lot (4,225 Ft vs. 3,152 Ft) and there are actually ski resorts for cross-country skiing. This route will take you through Laguiole, which is the home of the famous Laguiole knife. There are dozens of shops in town where you can buy them or even watch them being made. The countryside is very pastoral, with lots of cows grazing. The proprietors of our Gite have 50 head of Aubrac cows in this range. I think that almost all the cows you will see are this Aubrac breed. They are tan with black eyes. I rarely eat beef while in France. I have almost always been disappointed when I have. Paul Bocuse (the dean of French chefs) has said that our beef in America is much better. However, I had some of this Aubrac beef on several occasions and WOW – it’s as good as anything I have had in the US. The only difficulty is if you like your beef cooked any way other than rare (“saignant” in French). Luckily, I like mine rare or medium rare. We watched a waitress at one restaurant refuse to take the order because the guest wanted it to be cooked more. Both times that I ordered it at a restaurant, the waiter told me that it would be cooked rare. I bought some at the boucherie in St Geniez and cooked it rare at our Gite. If you want a good dosage of Aubrac beef, dine at the Domerie restaurant in the town of Aubrac – see the restaurant section of this itinerary for details.
The Eastern Aubrac route #2 was not as scenic as route #1 except for the section around the town of les Hermaux.
Friday
If you are a market junkie, visit the farmer’s market in Espalion. If you only want to visit one market, I would recommend the Saturday market in St Geniez. Remember that these markets don’t have the Provence fabric, crafts, soap, & other stuff that might be more attractive to the tourists. These markets are probably attended by 90% residents, whereas the Provence markets are probably 35% residents & 65% tourists (just guessing at these numbers).
Drive to Entraygues along the main road. At Entraygues, take the route I described to get across the barrage (dam) and back toward Entraygues. However, pay attention when you get to the one way “old bridge” that goes back to Entraygues. Take the lower D107 road to Conques (leftmost road), not the larger D920 to Aurillac (we missed it the first pass). Continue along the D107 west and then the D901 south towards Conques***. The route to Conques is well marked.
Conques*** is by far the biggest tourist attraction in this neck of the woods. Read about it in the Green Guide. It’s one of TMBVoF. As you approach the village & park the car, there will be a “village fee”. You will get a decal, which you can attach to the car, and will allow you free access to the village for the rest of the year. I hope the people who got our rental car after us appreciate this “gift” to them. Conques is really quite an attractive village – explore it as much as you can. Don’t just go to the church and the area around the church. Remember the lunch closings – all the tacky souvenir stands will be open and the more unique artisan places will be closed. I had a quiche there that was barely edible. There is another “bench” way above the town where you can get fantastic views out over the village and also the surrounding hills, which are quite photogenic. The bench is a little hard to find. I remembered kinda where it was from a prior trip to Conques. It is close to a school. I think that you need to walk to the school, and then go higher up behind the school and find a large paved road (most of the other roads are cobbled). You will know when you find this spot. It’s another of those places where it’s hard to leave. It would be a fantastic place for a picnic. We went through about 3 photos, which we will compare with the 3 photos we took the last time we were there. As luck would have it, when we departed town in the car going south, we passed right by this “view” bench – darn, and I huffed & puffed to walk to this spot.
Leave Conques on the D901 going south. When you pass Nauviale, take the D22 east towards Estaing. There are two chateaux along this road that are open for tours, but as quite often happens in remote areas of France, it’s almost impossible to visit them. You’re ability to latch on to a tour depends on what time of year you are traveling. I threw away the flyers we got, but they were not accurate anyway. The two Chateaux are Ch Pruines in the town of Pruines (the town is kinda cute), and Ch Mouret. Both are well marked from the D22. As you leave Ch Pruines on the western most road leading to the D22 (there are 2 exit roads), there is a fantastic view of the other chateau. Both Chateaux are open frequently in July & August, less frequently in early Sept & June, and not too often other times. Ch Pruines had a large sign saying it was open when we were there, but we banged on the gate, pried the gate open, and pounded on the chateau door - to no avail. Even if both chateaux are closed, this is a scenic drive back to Estaing. Continue on the D22 to Estaing, and get the camera ready if you have not taken a picture of Estaing from the “other” side of the river.
You will probably have some more time left in the day, so visit some of the villages along the Lot that I mentioned.
Saturday
It’s market day in St Geniez. Part of the market is in a parking lot, part under the arcades at the Marie & Hotel de Ville, and part runs through the streets. Wander around a bit, pick up an International Herald Tribune and have a Café au Lait at one of the café’s.
Here is another pretty drive you can adapt for a half-day trip (3-4 hrs) or a whole day trip (7 hrs or so). Head towards Entraygues again and go over the dam on the river. This time, turn right once you cross the river. This driving itinerary is detailed in the Green Guide under “Truyere**”. It is also the route that was followed by the ’04 Tour de France. Richard Virenque won this stage that ends in St Flour – he is French & he won it on Bastille Day. Follow the D904 towards the village of Rouens, and then turn right to Rouens – there isn’t much of a village there. When you get to the lookout, park the car & spend 30 mins or so looking out over the valley at the very picturesque ruins of Chateau Vallon. We probably spent 45 mins just sitting on the bench & admiring the view – it’s a very restful spot. My wife wanted to return here several days later just to relax, write in her diary, and soak in this pretty view (we didn’t make it). After you drag yourself away, continue north on the D904 and at Lacroix Barrez, take the D97 south to Vallon. This route will take you around the Chateau. At the southern end of the Chateau, you will encounter another lookout. The view from there is the one pictured in my version of the Green Guide – it looks out over a pretty bend in the river & there is a farm sitting on a peninsula. Continue over the river & head north on the D621 and follow the GG itinerary to the Sarrans dam** (barrage in French). Either the French have a fascination with dams, or the Michelin people do, or I really don’t see the interest in dams. They are not anything special to me. Anyway, continue on to Mur de Barrez+. This is a cute town worth exploring. As you approach a large central square, park the car. We visited this town on a Thursday, and their farmer’s market was just finishing up. Explore the town and try to find the “Rue du Chateau”. Follow the Rue up to the chateau ruins. You will have a hard time recognizing that a chateau was once there, but the views from this plateau are quite nice. There is an orientation table and some nice benches where we rested for 30 mins or so (this was a big bench day for us). From this spot, we could see a couple taking their lunch (bread, salad, wine, cheese) on a small deck of an old building – all set up with their little table & shaded by an umbrella – what a life. Go back to where you parked the car & continue on the drive.
From Mur de Barrez, you can either head back to Lacroix Barrez (see the GG itinerary) and then back to your hotel on the Lot river for a half day drive, or continue on for an expanded drive.
To expand the drive, retrace your way back on the D900 to Brommat. You will be heading out of the region that is included in the Languedoc Green Guide, and into the area included in the Auvergene & Rhone Valley Green Guide. From Brommat, take the D18 to Therondels and then the D236/D39 to the D990. This D236 & D39 is the same short road. It crosses the boundary between the departments of the Aveyron and the Cantal. The French road people like to confuse us tourists by renaming the road when it crosses a department boundary. Anyway, take the D990 northeast to Pierrefort and then to where it hits the D48, and take the D48 to the much larger D921. This entire drive from Mur de Barrez is the route the Tour de France followed. The tour’s route headed north to St Flour on the D921. When you hit the D921 turn left towards St Flour, but don’t go to St Flour. Take this road only about 2 ˝ K until you see a nice view of St Flour in the distance (I think the view is about where the D10 hits the D921). You can certainly go into St Flour**-- for a visit (it adds about 1 hr to your trip). We found this town to be a little dark & somber – lots of vacant storefronts and the town lacked the “perkiness” of many other towns. If you visit St Flour, when you leave, head out of town east & then take the small D40 south to Chateau d’Alleuze**. If you don’t go to St Flour, then take the D10 to Lavastrie and then the D48 & D40 to Chateau d’Alleuze**. This is actually a chateau in ruins, but the setting & the silhouette is quite picturesque. If you approached the chateau from the south (you didn’t visit St Flour), then continue north past the chateau towards St Flour a little, until you get a good view of the chateau from the road. If you reach Barry, you have driven too far. Explore the chateau. There are no tours and no admission. We did not get out of the car to visit, so I don’t know if there is much to see – several tour busses were stopped here so there must be something.
After the chateau, take the D40 south and then the D13 north in a counterclockwise route around the lake. Near Faverolles, you will see the Chateau le Chassen+. My Michelin Green Guide said that the chateau was open from the end of June to mid Sept (actually, almost all of the 20 or so chateaux you can visit in the Cantel department are only open in July & Aug). We were there on Sept 15, and we were hoping that this would still be mid Sept. However, the chateau seemed to be closed. We wandered around and a door was open so we peeked in & did a “excusez-moi”. An older lady approached us from behind & said that the chateau closed on Sept 10. She chatted with us a bit & found out that we were Americans (rare in this area). She said that she loved Americans and that her late husband (she was in her late 70s) received a plaque from an American General for his efforts during WWII. She then proceeded to give us a customized tour (in French) of the chateau, which had been in her family for 17 generations. I enjoy visiting chateaux like this because they are not museums, but places where people actually live. I would recommend that you visit this chateau when you pass by (open 2-6pm & it’s a 30 min tour). After the chateau, continue on the D13 north past the Viaduc de Garabit**-- (again, I don’t understand the French’s fascination with bridges, dams, viaducts, etc), and then get on the A75 Freeway heading south. Parts of this freeway drive are actually quite scenic. If you have time to spare, get off the freeway at exit #38 & visit Marvejols* (see “Marvejols” in the Green Guide). You could also visit the Chateau la Baume, but it’s best to call ahead to confirm opening days & times (see the GG). We found this chateau to be fascinating. You could also return to the hotel on a smaller scenic road by taking exit #39 & heading west on the D56. This is actually a portion of the Green Guide’s itinerary through the eastern Aubrac. It’s the section that I earlier said was the most scenic. The D56 eventually connects with the D988, which is the road you took into the Lot River region from the Tarn.
Sunday
Ahhhh – Sunday in France again. Remember Sunday morning in St Geniez? Give it a try if you feel like it.
Here is a pretty drive. You can add in a visit to the city of Aurillac* if you like, but remember that things will be closed up tight on Sunday. If you want to add Aurillac to this itinerary, swap this drive with the drive I recommended for Saturday.
Go to Entraygues again. Cross the dam, turn left on the other side, and this time take the D920 to Montsalvy, instead of the D107 you previously took to Conques. Take the D19 west to Maurs (this route to Maurs from Entraygues was also the Tour de France route). I really liked this drive from Montsalvy to Maurs – I don’t know why, but the small farms, pastoral setting, and wondering what life is like in this section of France intrigued me. Get out & explore Maurs a little. After visiting Maurs, briefly take the N122 north towards Aurillac, but less than 1 K outside of Maurs, veer right on the D417, and then immediately right on the D217 towards Marcoles. This is a somewhat difficult route to get on, which has been made more difficult by the Michelin people who have marked the road to Marcoles as the D217 on the map, when it is actually the D617. At this N122/D417/D217/D617 mess, it’s perhaps best just to follow the signs to Marcoles (it may say Boisset too for part of the way there). Anyway, this is a pretty drive. When you get to the D64 from the D217 or D617, take it to Marcoles+ and then explore this village. It has undergone much restoration and it was truly lovely – all the buildings were quite old, yet in pristine condition. From Marcoles, take the D66 and then the mismarked D217/D617 towards Aurillac. Just before Aurillac, you will pass the Chateau Conros, which you can visit if you are there at the right time of year & time of day. Return to the Lot River area on the D920 from Aurillac, which is a scenic road.
If you are real ambitious, you can add a visit to Salers** (see below) to this day’s drive. However, there is a lot of sprawl around Aurillac, and it takes more time than you might think to get through or around Aurillac. It took us about 45 mins longer than I had calculated prior to setting out for Salers. If you do this drive on a Sunday, there will be less traffic on the road and it will take you less time to drive through Aurillac. Salers seems like one of those tourist towns that has its shops open on a Sunday.
Other things to see & places to visit if you have extra time
1. Rodez* This is a nice work-a-day town with a church that has an interesting bell tower. Our best dinner was in this town. You won’t find many American tourists visiting. We found it easy to park near the “Tour Corbiers” on two occasions, and the flow of traffic seems to push you there. As I said before, we had some difficulty finding our way out of Rodez. Follow the walking itinerary in the Green Guide. There is a nice market on the Place du Bourg on Wed & Sat – we purchased some wonderful cepe mushrooms there & cooked them for dinner. There are also some interesting shops in this area. There is a pretty drapery store on one corner of the place, and a Genevieve Lethu store is next door. My wife bought some place mats (easy to get home) at a store just off the square. I wanted to visit the Musee Fenaille, but it was closed for lunch when it was most convenient time for us to visit
2. Chateau de Calmount d’Olt. This is described in the “Espalion” section of the Green Guide. You will undoubtedly see it as you drive along the Lot River near Espalion – it sticks up high on a spur just west of Espalion. It’s a castle ruins, but it’s nicely maintained for the tourists. They have demonstrations on how the various siege instruments were used – I particularly liked the rock catapult demo.
3. Salers** This is one of the TMBVoF, and it’s easy to see why. It’s perfect, and out of the way enough so it’s does not get the mobs of tourists that seem to spoil a town, although it certainly caters to the tourist. We visited the Maison des Templiers and found it interesting. We hoped to visit the Ancien Baillage, but it was closed for repairs and it seemed that it had been closed for quite some time. Follow the signs for the “panorama”, where there is a large park with benches and, of course, a panoramic view of the countryside surrounding Salers. The ’04 Tour de France passed through Salers.
4. Chateau de Conros. This was not open in September when we were there. It’s only open July & August from 2:00 to 6:00 (but remember, the last tour probably starts around 5:00).
www.chateau-conros.com
5. Aurillac*+. I liked this town more than St Flour, which is “rated” higher in the Michelin guide. It has some nice shops & old buildings to wander about. Get out the Red Michelin Guide and look up Aurillac. You will probably approach the town center (centre ville) from entrance #3 (from Rodez). Just before you go under a large old bridge that carries the trains, veer right on the Rue Paul (see the map). Most traffic will flow that way. Continue on Rue Paul until you see a large parking lot (it’s marked on the map). Turn right & then left to enter the lot. Get a ticket and park the car – taking the ticket with you to pay at the machine when you leave. The old section of this town is west of the parking lot, shaded in green on the Michelin Red Guide map. There is a walking itinerary outlined in the Michelin Green Guide for the Auvergne & Rhone Valley. To leave Aurillac, follow the sights to “Autres Directions” which will take you over the bridge, north on the Cours d’Angouleme, and it will eventually loop around heading south, past the large park where the tourist office is located and then south on the R. des Charmes & exits town on the #3 exit to Rodez (follow the signs to Rodez as soon as you spot them). Aurillac is worth a visit, but be prepared for some heavy traffic & not-so-pretty sprawl.
Stu Dudley
Here is an excerpt from my "Languedoc" itinerary (e-mail me at [email protected] if you want the full 35 page copy)
Thursday
Leave the Tarn & proceed to the next area –the lovely Lot River region – perhaps our favorite in the Languedoc.
If you are staying in Meyrueis, take the D986 over the Causse Mejean to Ste Enimie. If you’re staying at la Caze, drive to Ste Enimie along the Tarn. From Ste Enimie, head north on the then D998 to La Canaourgue. It’s a little difficult to get on the road from Ste Enimie, so pay attention & look for road signs. After the D998 crosses the D32, this route will become quite scenic all the way to La Canourgue.
La Canourgue+ gets our award as the cutest village never to be mentioned in any guidebook. It is a meticulously restored medieval village. It even has several artisan shops that lured my wife. As you drive into town, you will pass a large parking lot on the right in the middle of town. The old town is on the right & the not-so-pretty newer section is on the left of the road approaching the lot. Park the car in the lot & explore this town. Spend at least 45 mins in the village – if you spend any less time, then you have missed a section of town. The interesting part of the village is along traffic free cobbled roads. You will encounter a river rushing through town that is sometimes underground, and sometimes above ground. Keep exploring every section of town that has cobbled streets – you may have to cross a paved section that intersects the lot where you parked the car. Be brave – try to explore all the streets you can possibly access. Along the way, you may see some beautiful gardens behind a gate. I believe this is an assisted care facility & you probably can’t go in there.
After visiting La Canourgue, head west towards the A75 freeway & look for the signs to St Geniez d’Olt. Proceed along the D988, and then take the D45 and then the D202 west (do not continue on the D988 to St Geniez – although the Michelin map shows this as a green scenic road, it mostly goes through forests & all you see are tree trunks – another complaint I have with the Michelin people). Follow the signs to St Geniez, and at St Martin, turn right onto the D95 (well marked) and proceed into St Geniez.
You are now in the Vallee du Lot**+. See “Lot” in the Green Guide. We stayed in this area for 2 weeks in Sept ’04, and it’s probably our favorite spot in the Languedoc. We enjoyed if for two reasons: 1. The landscape of the area – beautiful river, some of the cutest villages you will find anywhere, fantastic and varied terrain, the feel of “real France” (as opposed to “tourist France”). 2. The food – probably the best quality/creativity per dollar that we have found anywhere in France (remember, we dine out about 30 to 40 times each year in France).
Stay in this area for four nights.
As an option, it takes about 1 hour to get from St Geniez to Ste Enimie. It’s possible to stay in this Lot area and visit the Tarn & Jonte gorges from here. That will give you 6 days in one place instead of packing up & 2 days in the Tarn & 4 days in the Lot. Remember the Gite I described earlier – it is about 500 E per week (except July & Aug) and it’s the same price for 1 or 7 days. There is definitely some overhead to renting a Gite (you clean it yourself, and arriving/departing consumes more time than a hotel), but if renting a house with lots of room seems appealing to you, give it some consideration. It’s the only way we travel.
There are two hotels I would recommend in this area. We have dined at both (more about that later), but we have never stayed at either of them.
Hotel Poste in St Geniez It has a pool, and the rooms run 30 to 48 E. St Geniez is one of my favorite towns on the Lot. It’s not a tourist town, although a tourist can find much to like about it. There are many café’s, boulangeries, and interesting shops in town. There is a very nice farmers market on Saturday in a parking lot and in a very scenic arcade at the town hall (Hotel de Ville). On Sunday, there is a lot of activity in town. The church is just across the river from the main square in town, and when the church lets out, the people walk into town, shop (many stores are open – a rarity in France), buy bread & meat from the boucherie for dinner, chat with the other residents, have a coffee at a café, etc. It’s quite a sight to watch. The town center of St Geniez is next to the bridge over the Lot River (that goes to the Church). There is a fountain in this square and several cafes around. The square where the Hotel Post is located, is the first square you will encounter when you walk into town, but it’s not the central “hub” of town.
St Fleuret in Estaing. Rooms run 44 to 47E. Michelin gives it both a “red man” (good food at moderate prices) and a “blue man” (good accommodation at moderate prices). This was probably our best meal. It’s a mom & pop place, where the family (children too) live on the second floor (first floor in France) next to the restaurant entrance. We watched the mother & kids come & go while dining. Estaing is the cutest/most scenic town in this section of the Lot River. There is a picture of it in the Michelin Green Guide. It is one of TMBVoF. It’s almost perfect. I dare anyone to take less than 3 pictures of the castle perched at the entrance to this town as you approach it from the east, and it’s hard to take less than 5 pictures of the streets in town. At least 3 pictures are “de rigeur” from both the west end of town, and from across the bridge and on the road heading out of town to the east. One weekend when we were there, they were having a medieval festival, and they had straw covering the streets, lots of people dressed up in medieval clothes, jugglers, musician, artisans, and a giant spit where pigs were roasting.
Touring the Vallee du Lot**+
I’m going to describe some villages to visit along the Lot, and then some drives to take to explore the area. The villages can be visited on any day that is convenient, although I would recommend Espalion*- on a Friday when they have a farmers market, and St Geniez+ on Saturday for the market or Sunday to witness the town gathering after church.
Villages – going east to west
St Geniez+ I already described this village
Ste Eulalie+ A real gem. It’s classified as one of “TMBVoF”. Here is a “must do”. As you drive along the main road north of the Lot River, there is a turnoff for Ste Eulalie. Turn on this road, and immediately on your right there is a parking lot. Park there and walk a few paces across the road to some benches on a bluff over the river & below some shade trees. Try to take fewer than 3 pictures of Ste Eulalie from this spot. Even better, pick up a croissant or a sandwich and have breakfast or lunch here – you won’t want to leave. After dragging yourself away, head into town. As soon as you cross the bridge, turn right & proceed into town. Find the Tourist Office (there are a few nice artisan stores in the office complex), and grab a map of town. There are 6 historical buildings on this map. Walk through town & find these buildings and “soak in” the ambience of this village while you do. There is a nice boulangerie where you can pick up something. Warning - there is a simple hotel in town with the cutest restaurant associated with it. We dined there & it was the only disappointing meal of our visit to the Lot.
Mandailles Another gem of a hamlet. Park the car next to the church along the main road on the Lot. Take the road that goes down to the river (don’t attempt to drive there, like we did). Walk along this road slowly & look at all the very old cute houses that have been turned into what I suspect are really elegant residences with killer views. Further down this road you will encounter a furniture maker’s shop and then you will end the short walk at the ruins of a chateau. This is another good spot to squander away some time. Notice how another structure has been cloned into the ruined chateau. Walk back to the car.
St Come*- As you approach this village, do you notice anything strange???? That’s right, the church steeple is twisted & slanted. We got a chuckle every time we passed by. This is another town to explore on foot, and it’s another TMBVoF. Driving east to west, pass by most of the village and then turn left into a large square with a café outside. Park the car & explore this village. Lots of nooks & crannies. There are several boulangier/patisseries where you can pick up a quiche for lunch.
Espalion*- This is the busiest village in this section of the Lot. There’s perhaps too much ugly commerce along the perimeter of town, but there are also some lovely sections. The most famous is the view of the houses directly on the Lot River between the new bridge and the old bridge. There is a picture of this in the Michelin Green Guide. This town has several shops that might attract the tourist. Walk east along the Lot on the north side of the river (there’s a walkway) and admire the pretty chateau next to a park.
Estaing*+ I have already described this town. It’s a TMBVoF. The Chateau is open for visits. We toured several years ago, but didn’t this past trip.
Entraygues* Another scenic village, although I think this village looks better from the outside than from the inside. There is a walking itinerary in the Green Guide. There are picturesque views of the village from across the Lot River on the D904 south of town, where there is another great bench to sit & take in the views. There’s another scenic view from the D904 as you drive north of town. However, to get there you need to proceed north on the D34, which is the main traffic road through town. When you get to the barrage (dam), cross the barrage and take the D920 back towards town. There are nice views from several spots along this drive. To get back to Entraygues, cross the “old bridge”, which is a one way road back towards town.
Restaurants.
If you want to see why I think this area has some of the best dining we’ve experienced in the last several years, visit these places. I will list them in order of my preference. I am considering price/value when I rate these places.
Goutes et Couleurs* in Rodez. This is a bit of a drive & Rodez is a somewhat large city. We got lost trying to return after dinner.
St Fleuret in Estaing
Poste in St Geniez
Aux Armes d’Estaing in Estaing. If you stay at this hotel/restaurant, make sure you do not get ˝ pension.
Grand Hotel Auguy* in Laguoile.
Mejane in Espalion
Rest l’Eau Vive in Espalion
Domerie in Aubrac
See restaurant descriptions at the end of this itinerary
A specialty in this region is Aligot – read about it in the Green Guide. Auguy, Domerie, & probably Eau Vive serve this dish.
It’s still Thursday
L’Aubrac* See the Michelin Green Guide under “Aubrac” and take the Western Aubrac route #1. This is a very pretty drive and takes you through some countryside that is quite different from the terrain you’ll see along the Lot River. It is much higher in altitude than the Lot (4,225 Ft vs. 3,152 Ft) and there are actually ski resorts for cross-country skiing. This route will take you through Laguiole, which is the home of the famous Laguiole knife. There are dozens of shops in town where you can buy them or even watch them being made. The countryside is very pastoral, with lots of cows grazing. The proprietors of our Gite have 50 head of Aubrac cows in this range. I think that almost all the cows you will see are this Aubrac breed. They are tan with black eyes. I rarely eat beef while in France. I have almost always been disappointed when I have. Paul Bocuse (the dean of French chefs) has said that our beef in America is much better. However, I had some of this Aubrac beef on several occasions and WOW – it’s as good as anything I have had in the US. The only difficulty is if you like your beef cooked any way other than rare (“saignant” in French). Luckily, I like mine rare or medium rare. We watched a waitress at one restaurant refuse to take the order because the guest wanted it to be cooked more. Both times that I ordered it at a restaurant, the waiter told me that it would be cooked rare. I bought some at the boucherie in St Geniez and cooked it rare at our Gite. If you want a good dosage of Aubrac beef, dine at the Domerie restaurant in the town of Aubrac – see the restaurant section of this itinerary for details.
The Eastern Aubrac route #2 was not as scenic as route #1 except for the section around the town of les Hermaux.
Friday
If you are a market junkie, visit the farmer’s market in Espalion. If you only want to visit one market, I would recommend the Saturday market in St Geniez. Remember that these markets don’t have the Provence fabric, crafts, soap, & other stuff that might be more attractive to the tourists. These markets are probably attended by 90% residents, whereas the Provence markets are probably 35% residents & 65% tourists (just guessing at these numbers).
Drive to Entraygues along the main road. At Entraygues, take the route I described to get across the barrage (dam) and back toward Entraygues. However, pay attention when you get to the one way “old bridge” that goes back to Entraygues. Take the lower D107 road to Conques (leftmost road), not the larger D920 to Aurillac (we missed it the first pass). Continue along the D107 west and then the D901 south towards Conques***. The route to Conques is well marked.
Conques*** is by far the biggest tourist attraction in this neck of the woods. Read about it in the Green Guide. It’s one of TMBVoF. As you approach the village & park the car, there will be a “village fee”. You will get a decal, which you can attach to the car, and will allow you free access to the village for the rest of the year. I hope the people who got our rental car after us appreciate this “gift” to them. Conques is really quite an attractive village – explore it as much as you can. Don’t just go to the church and the area around the church. Remember the lunch closings – all the tacky souvenir stands will be open and the more unique artisan places will be closed. I had a quiche there that was barely edible. There is another “bench” way above the town where you can get fantastic views out over the village and also the surrounding hills, which are quite photogenic. The bench is a little hard to find. I remembered kinda where it was from a prior trip to Conques. It is close to a school. I think that you need to walk to the school, and then go higher up behind the school and find a large paved road (most of the other roads are cobbled). You will know when you find this spot. It’s another of those places where it’s hard to leave. It would be a fantastic place for a picnic. We went through about 3 photos, which we will compare with the 3 photos we took the last time we were there. As luck would have it, when we departed town in the car going south, we passed right by this “view” bench – darn, and I huffed & puffed to walk to this spot.
Leave Conques on the D901 going south. When you pass Nauviale, take the D22 east towards Estaing. There are two chateaux along this road that are open for tours, but as quite often happens in remote areas of France, it’s almost impossible to visit them. You’re ability to latch on to a tour depends on what time of year you are traveling. I threw away the flyers we got, but they were not accurate anyway. The two Chateaux are Ch Pruines in the town of Pruines (the town is kinda cute), and Ch Mouret. Both are well marked from the D22. As you leave Ch Pruines on the western most road leading to the D22 (there are 2 exit roads), there is a fantastic view of the other chateau. Both Chateaux are open frequently in July & August, less frequently in early Sept & June, and not too often other times. Ch Pruines had a large sign saying it was open when we were there, but we banged on the gate, pried the gate open, and pounded on the chateau door - to no avail. Even if both chateaux are closed, this is a scenic drive back to Estaing. Continue on the D22 to Estaing, and get the camera ready if you have not taken a picture of Estaing from the “other” side of the river.
You will probably have some more time left in the day, so visit some of the villages along the Lot that I mentioned.
Saturday
It’s market day in St Geniez. Part of the market is in a parking lot, part under the arcades at the Marie & Hotel de Ville, and part runs through the streets. Wander around a bit, pick up an International Herald Tribune and have a Café au Lait at one of the café’s.
Here is another pretty drive you can adapt for a half-day trip (3-4 hrs) or a whole day trip (7 hrs or so). Head towards Entraygues again and go over the dam on the river. This time, turn right once you cross the river. This driving itinerary is detailed in the Green Guide under “Truyere**”. It is also the route that was followed by the ’04 Tour de France. Richard Virenque won this stage that ends in St Flour – he is French & he won it on Bastille Day. Follow the D904 towards the village of Rouens, and then turn right to Rouens – there isn’t much of a village there. When you get to the lookout, park the car & spend 30 mins or so looking out over the valley at the very picturesque ruins of Chateau Vallon. We probably spent 45 mins just sitting on the bench & admiring the view – it’s a very restful spot. My wife wanted to return here several days later just to relax, write in her diary, and soak in this pretty view (we didn’t make it). After you drag yourself away, continue north on the D904 and at Lacroix Barrez, take the D97 south to Vallon. This route will take you around the Chateau. At the southern end of the Chateau, you will encounter another lookout. The view from there is the one pictured in my version of the Green Guide – it looks out over a pretty bend in the river & there is a farm sitting on a peninsula. Continue over the river & head north on the D621 and follow the GG itinerary to the Sarrans dam** (barrage in French). Either the French have a fascination with dams, or the Michelin people do, or I really don’t see the interest in dams. They are not anything special to me. Anyway, continue on to Mur de Barrez+. This is a cute town worth exploring. As you approach a large central square, park the car. We visited this town on a Thursday, and their farmer’s market was just finishing up. Explore the town and try to find the “Rue du Chateau”. Follow the Rue up to the chateau ruins. You will have a hard time recognizing that a chateau was once there, but the views from this plateau are quite nice. There is an orientation table and some nice benches where we rested for 30 mins or so (this was a big bench day for us). From this spot, we could see a couple taking their lunch (bread, salad, wine, cheese) on a small deck of an old building – all set up with their little table & shaded by an umbrella – what a life. Go back to where you parked the car & continue on the drive.
From Mur de Barrez, you can either head back to Lacroix Barrez (see the GG itinerary) and then back to your hotel on the Lot river for a half day drive, or continue on for an expanded drive.
To expand the drive, retrace your way back on the D900 to Brommat. You will be heading out of the region that is included in the Languedoc Green Guide, and into the area included in the Auvergene & Rhone Valley Green Guide. From Brommat, take the D18 to Therondels and then the D236/D39 to the D990. This D236 & D39 is the same short road. It crosses the boundary between the departments of the Aveyron and the Cantal. The French road people like to confuse us tourists by renaming the road when it crosses a department boundary. Anyway, take the D990 northeast to Pierrefort and then to where it hits the D48, and take the D48 to the much larger D921. This entire drive from Mur de Barrez is the route the Tour de France followed. The tour’s route headed north to St Flour on the D921. When you hit the D921 turn left towards St Flour, but don’t go to St Flour. Take this road only about 2 ˝ K until you see a nice view of St Flour in the distance (I think the view is about where the D10 hits the D921). You can certainly go into St Flour**-- for a visit (it adds about 1 hr to your trip). We found this town to be a little dark & somber – lots of vacant storefronts and the town lacked the “perkiness” of many other towns. If you visit St Flour, when you leave, head out of town east & then take the small D40 south to Chateau d’Alleuze**. If you don’t go to St Flour, then take the D10 to Lavastrie and then the D48 & D40 to Chateau d’Alleuze**. This is actually a chateau in ruins, but the setting & the silhouette is quite picturesque. If you approached the chateau from the south (you didn’t visit St Flour), then continue north past the chateau towards St Flour a little, until you get a good view of the chateau from the road. If you reach Barry, you have driven too far. Explore the chateau. There are no tours and no admission. We did not get out of the car to visit, so I don’t know if there is much to see – several tour busses were stopped here so there must be something.
After the chateau, take the D40 south and then the D13 north in a counterclockwise route around the lake. Near Faverolles, you will see the Chateau le Chassen+. My Michelin Green Guide said that the chateau was open from the end of June to mid Sept (actually, almost all of the 20 or so chateaux you can visit in the Cantel department are only open in July & Aug). We were there on Sept 15, and we were hoping that this would still be mid Sept. However, the chateau seemed to be closed. We wandered around and a door was open so we peeked in & did a “excusez-moi”. An older lady approached us from behind & said that the chateau closed on Sept 10. She chatted with us a bit & found out that we were Americans (rare in this area). She said that she loved Americans and that her late husband (she was in her late 70s) received a plaque from an American General for his efforts during WWII. She then proceeded to give us a customized tour (in French) of the chateau, which had been in her family for 17 generations. I enjoy visiting chateaux like this because they are not museums, but places where people actually live. I would recommend that you visit this chateau when you pass by (open 2-6pm & it’s a 30 min tour). After the chateau, continue on the D13 north past the Viaduc de Garabit**-- (again, I don’t understand the French’s fascination with bridges, dams, viaducts, etc), and then get on the A75 Freeway heading south. Parts of this freeway drive are actually quite scenic. If you have time to spare, get off the freeway at exit #38 & visit Marvejols* (see “Marvejols” in the Green Guide). You could also visit the Chateau la Baume, but it’s best to call ahead to confirm opening days & times (see the GG). We found this chateau to be fascinating. You could also return to the hotel on a smaller scenic road by taking exit #39 & heading west on the D56. This is actually a portion of the Green Guide’s itinerary through the eastern Aubrac. It’s the section that I earlier said was the most scenic. The D56 eventually connects with the D988, which is the road you took into the Lot River region from the Tarn.
Sunday
Ahhhh – Sunday in France again. Remember Sunday morning in St Geniez? Give it a try if you feel like it.
Here is a pretty drive. You can add in a visit to the city of Aurillac* if you like, but remember that things will be closed up tight on Sunday. If you want to add Aurillac to this itinerary, swap this drive with the drive I recommended for Saturday.
Go to Entraygues again. Cross the dam, turn left on the other side, and this time take the D920 to Montsalvy, instead of the D107 you previously took to Conques. Take the D19 west to Maurs (this route to Maurs from Entraygues was also the Tour de France route). I really liked this drive from Montsalvy to Maurs – I don’t know why, but the small farms, pastoral setting, and wondering what life is like in this section of France intrigued me. Get out & explore Maurs a little. After visiting Maurs, briefly take the N122 north towards Aurillac, but less than 1 K outside of Maurs, veer right on the D417, and then immediately right on the D217 towards Marcoles. This is a somewhat difficult route to get on, which has been made more difficult by the Michelin people who have marked the road to Marcoles as the D217 on the map, when it is actually the D617. At this N122/D417/D217/D617 mess, it’s perhaps best just to follow the signs to Marcoles (it may say Boisset too for part of the way there). Anyway, this is a pretty drive. When you get to the D64 from the D217 or D617, take it to Marcoles+ and then explore this village. It has undergone much restoration and it was truly lovely – all the buildings were quite old, yet in pristine condition. From Marcoles, take the D66 and then the mismarked D217/D617 towards Aurillac. Just before Aurillac, you will pass the Chateau Conros, which you can visit if you are there at the right time of year & time of day. Return to the Lot River area on the D920 from Aurillac, which is a scenic road.
If you are real ambitious, you can add a visit to Salers** (see below) to this day’s drive. However, there is a lot of sprawl around Aurillac, and it takes more time than you might think to get through or around Aurillac. It took us about 45 mins longer than I had calculated prior to setting out for Salers. If you do this drive on a Sunday, there will be less traffic on the road and it will take you less time to drive through Aurillac. Salers seems like one of those tourist towns that has its shops open on a Sunday.
Other things to see & places to visit if you have extra time
1. Rodez* This is a nice work-a-day town with a church that has an interesting bell tower. Our best dinner was in this town. You won’t find many American tourists visiting. We found it easy to park near the “Tour Corbiers” on two occasions, and the flow of traffic seems to push you there. As I said before, we had some difficulty finding our way out of Rodez. Follow the walking itinerary in the Green Guide. There is a nice market on the Place du Bourg on Wed & Sat – we purchased some wonderful cepe mushrooms there & cooked them for dinner. There are also some interesting shops in this area. There is a pretty drapery store on one corner of the place, and a Genevieve Lethu store is next door. My wife bought some place mats (easy to get home) at a store just off the square. I wanted to visit the Musee Fenaille, but it was closed for lunch when it was most convenient time for us to visit
2. Chateau de Calmount d’Olt. This is described in the “Espalion” section of the Green Guide. You will undoubtedly see it as you drive along the Lot River near Espalion – it sticks up high on a spur just west of Espalion. It’s a castle ruins, but it’s nicely maintained for the tourists. They have demonstrations on how the various siege instruments were used – I particularly liked the rock catapult demo.
3. Salers** This is one of the TMBVoF, and it’s easy to see why. It’s perfect, and out of the way enough so it’s does not get the mobs of tourists that seem to spoil a town, although it certainly caters to the tourist. We visited the Maison des Templiers and found it interesting. We hoped to visit the Ancien Baillage, but it was closed for repairs and it seemed that it had been closed for quite some time. Follow the signs for the “panorama”, where there is a large park with benches and, of course, a panoramic view of the countryside surrounding Salers. The ’04 Tour de France passed through Salers.
4. Chateau de Conros. This was not open in September when we were there. It’s only open July & August from 2:00 to 6:00 (but remember, the last tour probably starts around 5:00).
www.chateau-conros.com
5. Aurillac*+. I liked this town more than St Flour, which is “rated” higher in the Michelin guide. It has some nice shops & old buildings to wander about. Get out the Red Michelin Guide and look up Aurillac. You will probably approach the town center (centre ville) from entrance #3 (from Rodez). Just before you go under a large old bridge that carries the trains, veer right on the Rue Paul (see the map). Most traffic will flow that way. Continue on Rue Paul until you see a large parking lot (it’s marked on the map). Turn right & then left to enter the lot. Get a ticket and park the car – taking the ticket with you to pay at the machine when you leave. The old section of this town is west of the parking lot, shaded in green on the Michelin Red Guide map. There is a walking itinerary outlined in the Michelin Green Guide for the Auvergne & Rhone Valley. To leave Aurillac, follow the sights to “Autres Directions” which will take you over the bridge, north on the Cours d’Angouleme, and it will eventually loop around heading south, past the large park where the tourist office is located and then south on the R. des Charmes & exits town on the #3 exit to Rodez (follow the signs to Rodez as soon as you spot them). Aurillac is worth a visit, but be prepared for some heavy traffic & not-so-pretty sprawl.
Stu Dudley
Jul 7th, 2005, 02:24 AM
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Several years back 3 of us were "doing" the Dordogne, Lot areas. We traveled to Conques. We did enjoy it. I remember sitting outside the Ste.-Foy Hotel for lunch. One of our group found a lovely painting that she bought in a most attractive store. Definitely worth a trip. Enjoy......
