Aveyron

You don't know Aveyron well (or at all)? A change of scenery is guaranteed!

At the crossroads of the Auvergne, Sud-Ouest and Languedoc regions, this land of contrasts reveals its beauty at every season of the year.

A true source of inspiration for nature lovers, history buffs and gourmets in search of authentic flavours, this little corner of France is full of surprises.

Its must-see sites, its vast territories, its warm-hearted inhabitants with their rolling accents, its cultural and sporting activities and its events make it a country where there's never a dull moment!

Come and discover Aveyron and rediscover the emotion of true sensations!

Top 5 Charmhotel

1 - The Soulages Route

From Rodez to Conques, from the Soulages Museum to the Abbey of Sainte-Foy: an artistic and historical journey to meet Pierre Soulages.

Rodez, Pays d'art et d'histoire and Grand Site Occitanie

The narrow streets and squares of the historic town center, the Corten steel of the Soulages museum and the pink sandstone of Notre-Dame cathedral, combine tradition and modernity.

Marcillac Valley

This region is like no other: at once a rougier and a labyrinth of valleys. Terraced vineyards, bluish lauzes, hazelnut tuff and red sandstone make up the timeless charm of the valley's villages. Salles-la-Source, with its famous waterfall, and Marcillac, with its red sandstone houses, are the jewels in the crown.

Conques en Rouergue, a major stopover on the road to Compostela

In the heart of the Lot valley, this village, listed as one of France's Most Beautiful Villages and an Occitanie Grands Sites, nestles in an unspoilt natural setting. It hides many secrets: a thousand-year-old treasure, a jewel of Romanesque art, a medieval monastic village...

20 km - 30 minutes

2 - Gourmet day in the heart of the bastide towns

Villeneuve d'Aveyron

Nestled in the heart of the Causses mountains, this bastide unfurls its labyrinth of narrow streets interspersed with vaulted passageways. On Place des Conques, with its medieval and Renaissance houses, time seems to stand still! You can also stop off at the Maison de la Photo, where Jean-Marie Périer exhibits his most beautiful shots of the stars of the 60s, the period of the yéyés and "Salut les copains".

Monteils country table

Classified as an exceptional terroir by Gault et Millau, this is a world that gourmets thought had disappeared forever: a place where people still cook in copper cauldrons (unique in Europe).

Jacky is the Raimu of Aveyron, a truculent cook full of good-natured kindness. A visit to his farm, followed by a tasting, is a real "duck therapy" treatment. Lunch, served in a friendly atmosphere, is a timeless moment of indulgence and joie de vivre.

Najac

Along a rocky ridge, dominated by a fortress once coveted by the Kings of France and England, this bastide stretches its lauze-roofed houses over the wild Aveyron gorges.

90 km - 1h30

3 - Aubrac, land of wide open spaces

Between lakes, waterfalls, burons and cows, magical landscapes emerge, where the ever-changing light sculpts the curves and rocks, creating a unique atmosphere.

At the crossroads of Aveyron, Cantal and Lozère, the vast desert expanses of Aubrac take on a different face every season. Not only is this plateau a major breeding ground for Aubrac cows, it is also the birthplace of a legendary knife, a cheese and an emblematic village: Laguiole.

The regional nature park is home to a rich and authentic cultural heritage. Burons and isolated farms rub shoulders with picturesque hamlets and villages. The village of Aubrac, with its domerie, is inseparable from the via Podiensis, one of the most popular routes from Le Puy-en-Velay to Santiago de Compostela.

90 km - 1h30

4 - The jewels of southern Aveyron: Peyre, Millau Viaduct and Gorges du Tarn

With 12 listed villages, Aveyron is France's champion of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France". Peyre is one of them. Its church and most of its houses are troglodytic. Its narrow, flower-filled streets are reminiscent of Mediterranean villages. In the heart of the village, a square offers a breathtaking view of the Millau Viaduct. This steel giant is the viaduct of all records, a true architectural feat. Its light, slender appearance blends perfectly into the landscape.

The other emblematic site is the Tarn gorges. With their ruiniform rocks sculpted by time, their exceptional views over the causses and cliffs, they offer breathtaking scenery! Between troglodytic villages and perched medieval fortresses, they are home to a remarkable built heritage, proof of a past rich in history. You'll never cease to be amazed!

125 km - 2h00

5 - The land of gastronomy

One of Aveyron's enduring traditions is that of "eating well"!

From wine to cheese, meat to pastries, Aveyron is a land of gourmet delights.

In the last century, Curnonsky, nicknamed "the Prince of Gastronomes", said:

"Rouergue is one of those countries blessed by nature that makes people love life on the planet".

Aveyron specialities include aligot, farçous, tripoux, veal from Aveyron and Ségala, estofinado, roquefort, cheese soup, spit-roasted cake, fouace and flaune.

Wines from the Marcillac valley: an authentic wine, a terroir with character, a unique grape variety: mansois. Developed by the monks of Conques over 1,000 years ago, the 200-hectare terraced vineyards lie between Conques and Rodez.

Anaïs PORTES, directrice de L’Hôtel des Bains

A friendly hotel in Aveyron, nestled in the heart of the Vallon de Marcillac

Between Conques and Rodez, in the commune of Salles-la-Source, the 2-hectare Hôtel des Bains estate combines the charm of old stones with the verdant nature of the Vallon de Marcillac.

Just 15 minutes from Rodez, on the Soulages road, with a train station and airport nearby, it's the ideal place to explore the roads of Aveyron.

A multitude of spaces are at your disposal: from the park to the heated outdoor swimming pool, not forgetting the bar with its terrace, the restaurant, the seminar rooms, the 300m² reception marquee for special events, as well as a large, secure, private parking lot.

The Hôtel des Bains also boasts an experienced team able to offer you a tailor-made program of sporting, cultural and leisure activities, as well as a wide choice of entertainment and themed evenings for groups.

Whether you're with your whole tribe, a group of couples, friends or your club, or simply two in cocooning mode for a moment of pleasure and serenity, come and share the essentials, revitalize yourself and have a good time in the heart of Aveyron.

For many years now, our group service has been at your disposal to design a tailor-made trip with you, including visits and evening entertainment. Our listed villages and major sites will immerse you in our ancestral history. Our professional guides know the region inside out, and will be the highlight of your stay.

Aveyron, the land of wide-open spaces, is warm and gourmet: it has everything to seduce your customers!

We can also welcome you for stop-lunch during your days in Aveyron.

Our parking lot has spaces reserved for coaches.

The roads of Aveyron, with their grandiose landscapes, are made for lovers of classic cars and vehicles! The Tarn, Jonte and Aveyron gorges, the Grands Causses, Aubrac, the Lot valley, the Marcillac valley and the Route des Seigneurs are itineraries where every bend holds a surprise.

Our seminar rooms can accommodate your briefings. Our reception marquee is ready for your general meeting or gala dinner.

Our private parking lot is secure (code access) and under video surveillance. It can also be made private.

Our entire team is on hand to ensure that your Aveyron rally runs smoothly.

Aveyron: motorcycle touring for all tastes! From winding mountain roads to vast valleys, Aveyron's roads and breathtaking scenery make for a great motorcycle session. Built heritage, cultural and culinary riches, preserved nature, rare and authentic make for an unforgettable road trip.

Our fully-equipped seminar rooms can accommodate your itinerary preparations or club meetings.

Our private parking lot is secure (code access) and under video surveillance.

Our team is at your disposal to help you organize your stay.

Aveyron's varied terrain will appeal to cycling enthusiasts of all kinds!

It's a veritable parade of picturesque and varied roads, allowing you to discover an omnipresent and verdant nature with a great diversity of landscapes.

Aveyron also offers gravel biking: a unique cycling experience. With its varied, unspoilt landscapes, this region offers breathtaking gravel routes.

Our certified instructors can design your tours so that you can make the most of your outings, or come along for the ride.

Our bike garage is secure and has a water point for cleaning bikes. Bike battery recharging is free.

A hiker's paradise! To walk in Aveyron is to discover a mosaic of terroirs, each with its own landscape and identity, its own buildings and its own way of life. More than 5,000 km of trails criss-cross the region... Two renowned itineraries, the GR 65 or Chemin de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle, and the GR 62, which crosses Aveyron from Gard to Conques, are among the must-sees. Gorges, valleys, hills and plateaus: the great outdoors is yours!
Our mountain guides are ready to share their secrets with you. Whether you come in your own car or by coach, they can adapt their tours to suit your needs.

For solo or club golfers, Aveyron's only 18-hole course is just 15 minutes from the hotel. The Bluegreen Rodez Agglomération golf course is a modern, undulating course offering exceptional views over the city of Rodez and the surrounding countryside.

Whether you're a one-day golfer or an avid golfer, you'll have access to a 22-station driving range, an 18-hole course, a 6-hole compact course, a putting green, a pitching green and 2 practice bunkers.

Our luminous reception tent with stage and parquet flooring is ideal for yoga and wellness courses, dance workshops or musical breaks. The 2-hectare estate offers a multitude of spaces: shady, flower-filled parks, a heated outdoor swimming pool and even a delightfully bucolic spot: a meadow nestled between woodland and river, filled with the sounds of birds...

Dare to take a break in an unspoilt valley, a region like no other!

09-bridge With its various seminar rooms and reception marquee, the Hôtel des Bains is perfectly equipped to organize your stay or your bridge, scrabble or board game event to your specifications.

Our team is ready to help you make your event an unforgettable experience.

Conventions, team-buildings, study days or private evenings, L'Hôtel des Bains puts all its know-how at your disposal to make your corporate seminar a memorable and unifying experience.

On a two-hectare estate, with shady, flower-filled parks, a multitude of modular spaces will be at your disposal to facilitate the organization of your event. We can accommodate seminars of up to 200 people.

To help your staff get to know each other better, our qualified partners will enable you to take advantage of a wide range of sporting and non-sporting activities accessible to all levels of ability.

Our 2-hectare estate is the ideal place to organize family events (family reunions, cousin parties, birthdays, christenings, etc.) or associations. It offers a multitude of spaces: a park, a heated outdoor swimming pool and the icing on the cake: a meadow nestled between woodland and river, with an accrobranches course... You'll be able to liven up your afternoons with family games or a sporting activity with a qualified instructor, and your evenings with dancing, singing or cultural entertainment.

An ideal destination for outdoor activities, whether alone, in a group or with the family.

Between gorges, valleys, mountains and plateaux, the Aveyron landscape offers a wide range of sporting activities:

hiking, Nordic walking, canoeing, swimming, canyoning, paragliding, trail running, climbing, caving, via ferrata, accrobranche, cycling, gravel.

Throughout the year, our team works with local partners to program your activities, so you can make the most of your outings.

In 2016, Conques and the Marcillac vineyards were awarded the precious Vignobles & Découvertes label.

The Hôtel des Bains***, a partner with the label, offers an original wine tourism experience: a visit to an estate followed by a wine tasting with local products (Soleil de Marcillac, fouace, apple juice, etc.).

In Aveyron, between heritage and nature, there's something for everyone to see, and then there are the little-known and surprising treasures to discover...

Listed villages, monuments, castles, religious buildings... There's no resemblance between a medieval château in the Aveyron valley, a tiled-roofed house in a Rouergue bastide, an opulent residence in the Marcillac valley, a dry-stone farmhouse in the Larzac and a slate-covered buron on the Aubrac plateau.
But they all have one thing in common: authenticity and character.

Caves, canyons, ruiniform rocks, peat bogs, rougiers, valleys and gardens: sites that are off the beaten track and sometimes even unusual!

In the heart of the Marcillac valley, it's easy to take your time :

appreciate nature, peace and quiet.

to push open the doors of the artisans to discover their world.

let yourself be carried away by the lilting accents of the producers who talk about their products, and listen to the locals talk about their villages...

Aveyron is a land of festivities: the Aubrac transhumance festival, the Flagnac son et lumière, the Lanternes festival, not forgetting the multitude of traditional festivals and music festivals that brighten up the villages.

For New Year's Eve, we invite you to share a festive moment at the Hôtel des Bains.