Rodez
Famous as the departmental Capital of the Aveyron, this quiet medieval city has more on offer to the tourist than might at first appear. Now that Ryanair are flying in regularly to its airport from both Stansted and Dublin, more people are becoming aware of its existence but many still fail to call in, as they head for pastures further a field.
If you are travelling by car then I suggest you head in for the town centre towards the imposing cathedral of Notre Dame, take a right hand turn in front of the cathedral and head for the Foch underground car park. Fees are reasonable and when you emerge from underground you will find yourself in an open square, next to the excellent Tourist Office where you can pick up lots of handy leaflets for visits and events both in the city itself and the surrounding area.
To appreciate the architecture at its best you can’t go far wrong if you pick up a map from the Tourist Office with a walking tour which will lead you around the historical core where key places to see are conveniently marked with numbered plaques.
High on the list of must sees is the Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame (built in C13th to C16th ) Built in red sandstone it towers over the surrounding city, forming part of fortifications added at a later date.
Behind the Cathedral the old medieval streets sprawl through little alleyways and pedestrianized shopping lanes studded with gothic wall art. You will find an excellent range of boutiques and chain stores here, but be warned, you will need your cheque book to go on a good spending spree! If markets are more your thing then there are open air markets 3 days a week throughout the year.
If shopping is not really you then two great cultural visits are on offer: the Beaux-Arts Museum which exhibits local sculptor Denys Puech; and the newly renovated Fenaille Museum of History and Archeology which houses amongst other artefacts, a unique collection of Menhir stone statues and has a Renaissance Mansion incorporated in its centre.
Because Rodez is a departmental capital it is possible to find events all year around with theatre and music concerts held on a regular basis. Annual events which are well worth attending if you are around at the right time, are held in the public gardens below the cathedral, the most notable being the firework display for Bastille Day (July 14th), the Music Festival, ‘Estivada’ (held mid July), and not to be missed, ‘the Pétagne championships (held late July early August).
Rodez is also a great place to visit to eat out. There is a huge choice of restaurants, and generally the quality is good. There are many cheap and cheerful ‘Menu du Jour’ restaurants around the Cathedral, but you can also find some super fine dining too. Three restaurants I have visited and can recommend are: Goûts et Couleurs who offer quality cuisine, not your cheapest option, but served in an elegant setting and well worth the price tag; La Taverne, tucked away up a side street, where you eat down in atmospheric cellars, with a wide range of local dishes cooked to perfection and good value too; and for a nice change from French Cuisine the Vietnamese influenced Royal Saigon where food is freshly cooked to order and be warned, when you are advised that the dish is spicy-hot you had better believe it!
Scenery and countryside around Rodez
Villages to visit not mentioned elsewhere include Entraygues (follow the signs for the campervan parking for a nice picnic spot) and Espalion, and the many others you will come across as you travel around.
As you heard north from Rodez you will see signs for the 'Trou de Bozouls'. A curious village well worth the detour for a quick look, Bozouls is set on either side of a rocky canyon, with the houses built along the edges. Hard to imagine who thought it was a good idea to build a village where the two parts are separated by a large precipice but impressive all the same.
Apart from the many beautiful villages, it is the countryside of the region that is the big attraction.
If you follow the Lot Valley from Grand-Vabre (just north of Conques) towards Entraygues it is all very attractive, and the last few kilometres especially so. Likewise if you head west from Grand Vabre.
The valley of the Viaur River to the south of Sauveterre-de-Rouergue is also very attractive. Wherever you go you won't find it hard to find beautiful scenery in the region.
While you are driving around you should come across Peyrusse le Roc, to the west of the region. The 'modern' Peyrusse le Roc is a normal small village, but below the village, set into the cliffs is another, much older, village. Since its 'discovery' in the 1970's volunteers have enthusiastically cleared paths and removed debris to the abandoned village, and you can now descend by path passed various rediscovered buildings - including a synagogue and a belfry. Very interesting.
Visit Rodez (Midi-Pyrenees, Aveyron) travel, gites and hotels
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The Rodez hotels listed feature descriptions, guest reviews, ratings, location maps, online booking etc. as well as the 'best-price' guarantee. The search for hotels in Rodez is provided by booking.com. General holiday / vacation options- See Aveyron gites for Rodez holiday rentals - Holiday villages in Midi-Pyrenees Holidays nearbyLooking for something close by? See a wide choice of hotels, holiday villages and holiday rentals at: VisitSee Visit Rodez for places to visit near Rodez including: a detailed map, villages in bloom and most beautiful villages DiscussAsk questions or leave a comment about Rodez in our Midi-Pyrenees forum Airports near RodezCarcassonne airport at 128 km Rodez airport at 12 km Rodez property for saleSee Midi-Pyrenees property for sale
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Places to visit near Rodez, France
Explore places of interest within about 70 kilometres on a map at places near Rodez.
Some places to visit within 30 km: 
27 km: Belcastel (Most beautiful village) 34 km: Conques (Most beautiful village) 25 km: Estaing (Most beautiful village) 12 km: Rodez airport (airport) 32 km: Saint-Come-d'Olt (Most beautiful village)
See also Rodez (version Francais)
