Sightseeing along the way
In the footsteps of ‘local boy’ Pierre Soulages
Pierre Soulages was born in 1919 in the heart of the old town, at 4 Rue Combarel to be precise (just 150 metres from the start of the walk). This 19th century house with foundations that are probably much older (it has a barrel-vaulted cellar) is of a very unusual design. With a steeply pitched hull-shaped roof and three rows of windows topped by very tall dormer windows in the roof, the house stands out clearly from the others in the street.
The world-famous French artist Pierre Soulages opened the museum dedicated to him, to which he has given more than 500 of his works, in 2014. Opened in June 2014 and built on a vast esplanade aligned with the cathedral, it forms a link between two eras.
The historic centre packed tightly around the cathedral
Begun in 1277, the construction of the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Rodez was not completed until the 16th century. Three centuries of building work resulted in one of the most imposing Gothic cathedrals in the South of France. Built entirely of red sandstone, the cathedral has a distinctive fortress-like west façade, which once formed part of the town ramparts, and an unusual bell tower. At 87 metres high, this delicately worked tower is officially the tallest flat-topped bell tower in France today. It remains in sight all along the walk and serves as a useful reference point.
The cathedral interior, meanwhile, is remarkable for:
• its richly decorated stalls (15th century)
• the monumental retable in the ‘Gaillard Roux’ Chapel
• the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament (16th century)
• the great organ case (17th century)
• the contemporary stained-glass windows by Stéphane Belzère.
You will have the opportunity to look around the cathedral after the walk.
Around the cathedral, the historical centre has retained its narrow medieval streets lined with red-sandstone buildings. A number of squares add interest to the town centre, such as Place du Bourg, which is particularly worth seeing on market days (Wednesday mornings and Saturday mornings), while various opulent buildings serve as reminder that this quarter was once rich indeed:
• The Chapelle Royale: built in the 17th century, this Baroque-style chapel is part of the remains of the former Jesuit school established in Rodez in 1562. The interior boasts a remarkable collection: a monumental stuccowork retable, painted-wood galleries, a splendid pulpit and more.
• The bishop’s palace (17th century), recognisable by its brick façade, grand double flight of steps and fortified terraces
• The canonical house, the former residence of the cathedral canons (15th century) and the Maison de Benoît (15th century), which you will come across as you explore the narrow streets.
• The Hôtel de Jouéry (now the Musée Fenaille) is home to a haunting collection of late-Neolithic menhir statues which is unique in Europe.
The walk then takes you into the quartier du Bourg, where the Église Saint Amans (18th century) is dedicated to one of the town’s first bishops, who converted the Rouergue to Christianity. Among other things, this building contains a remarkable collection of 16th century tapestries depicting the principal miracles attributed to Saint Amand.
You now leave the old town and enter the town’s residential area, heading steeply downhill to the river and on to a much more rural part of the walk.
The River Aveyron and surrounding countryside and villages
With the exception of Rodez in the centre and Millau in the south of the département, Aveyron’s two main urban centres, the département is mainly rural and known for its lovely countryside and hundreds of unspoilt villages of character. This countryside extends either side of the River Aveyron, whose source is at Séverac-le-château not far from Rodez, from where it crosses the entire département. After wending its way for 290 km, it flows into the Tarn not far from Montauban.
The countryside you walk through offers some superb views of Rodez with its jumble of grey slate roofs and the cathedral dominating it all.
The walk takes you to Le Monastère, a character village full of medieval charm. It is named after the Benedictine abbey founded here during the Carolingian era. The 15th century Gothic bridge over the Aveyron bears witness to the village’s economic history as a centre for fulling, dyeing and tanning. One of the factories is still working today, supplying goods for France’s top luxury brands.
Climbing a little further, you are treated to a completely new panorama of the town; then you descend through the woods back to the river, which you cross before joining the last part of the walk back into town.
Practical information
Start and end point Place du Maréchal Foch (Rodez town centre)
Parking Foirail car park
Length 9 km
Duration 2 hrs 45
Total ascent 350 metres, from 519 metres to 636 metres altitude
Waymarking Yellow (PR®), red-and-white (GR®) then yellow (PR®)
Level Intermediate (steep footpath on the return)
Best time to go All year round, except in wet weather - slippery on the way back
Note Accessible by train (TER) from Toulouse
Getting there
Rodez is 150 km from Toulouse via the A68 and N88.
Information
Greater Rodez Tourist Office
Tel.: +33 (0)5 65 75 76 77- http://tourisme.grand-rodez.com
On both sides of the River Aveyron, explore the Capital of the Rouergue, a harmonious collection of houses built on terraces on a promontory that dominates the surrounding countryside.
2,000 years of history
From the top of its rocky peak at an altitude of 627 metres, Rodez boasts 2,000 years of history:
This was once a city of the Gallic Ruteni tribe, from which today’s inhabitants of Rodez derive their name (they are known as ‘Ruthénois’), and some interesting remains from that period are on display in the Musée Fenaille
The Middle Ages left the legacy of the Cathédrale Notre Dame, an exceptional monument built of red sandstone.
The Renaissance produced the fine town houses that show off their architecture in the maze of narrow streets making up Vieux Rodez.
The largest town in the Aveyron département has now attained worldwide fame with the opening of the Musée Soulages in summer 2014.
This walk explores the heart of the old town and then ventures onto the plateau on the other side of the river to give you the best appreciation of Rodez in all its glory, a town that was recently admitted to the prestigious club of France’s ‘Pays d'Art et d'Histoire’.
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