Aveyron

The main cities in Aveyron are:

• — known for its abbey on the ways of Saint James

Aveyron is in the South West of France.
You can reach the area by air:

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

By car:

• 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 via A68 and N88 (about 2 hours from Toulouse)

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.

• 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

• Enjoy nice landscapes
• Eat local specialities (roquefort cheese)
• Outdoor activities (hiking, rafting...)

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.