This page to discover the Aveyron
AVEYRON
Most beautiful department of France?
What to do when it is impossible for you to go far for the good and unique reason that you have no one to look after your 2 and 9 year old daughters.
Well, they have four legs and one barks and the other meows, which proves the complexity of the problem.
Tour details
Well, it was on television that we found or rather saw the solution: the motorHome.
Ideal for enmener the small family everywhere, without any worries of caretaking, allowing to discover skylines much less distant than ordinarily.
So off to the North of Aveyron.
We rented from hertz, for a week, a sufficiently spacious and practical vehicle for the uninitiated like us.
Then return to the Home for its equipment of the week, the dinnerware being provided: food, linen, sleeping arrangements, produced by maintenance, essentials for the animals, etc...
Bozouls
Our set off direction Bozouls (
) by the freeway because we did not want to arrive too late to find an aerie of parking adapted in camper and preferably local to use unwarranted nature.
The following day after night refreshing, but annoying (the vehicle was parked descending), it is sky with a filling which received us at our exit and followed us all day.
But the clemency of the temperature broadly compensated for this aspect and made that visit of Hole of Bozouls a true pleasure.
Not long ago having inscribed among the seven marvels of Rouergue, “ Hole of Bozouls ” is a natural circus, a canyon in the form of iron on horseback, dug in secondary limestones of Limestone plateau Comtal, and in the bottom of which casts, sometimes impetuous, sometimes peace, a modest torrent, Dourdou.
Espalion
Departure for Espalion (
) which establishes itself little by little as the capital of Haut Rouergue and passage of numerous pélerins en route to St Jacques de Compostelle.
We pay a short call there to see in most near église de Perse and the Bridge - Old to make a short stopover then to Calmont d'Olt to visit his castle ...
Closed because visitable only afternoons.
Saint Geniez d'Olt
Next step, Saint Geniez d'Olt (
) where we are struck by the architectural richness of this city
The homogeneity of built sound is translated by big places, churches and chapels, of classified monuments, of numerous particular hotels, of bridges , old typical quarters.
Check, supporting, it is one of the longest junctions between cities that waits for us on a narrow and snaky road which links up Ste Geniez in Laguiole, all over the world known for the pocket knifes with forced notch, with lightly bent back handle and lengthened blade.
Laguiole
But Lagiole (
) it is also its situation in 1000 metres in altitude in the middle of l ' Aubrac, mythical and wild tray for urban put on edge and anxious.
But what imposes in Laguiole, it is not the cheese of the same name or its gastronomy, the famous surplus Aligot and Volume, its religious buildings, castles or natural beauties, no, it is to pay the full call of a workshop (without forgetting the store) of manufacture of his extremely famous knifes.
Sainte Geneviève/Argence
) where let us be only crossing.
Mur de Barrez
Stuck in 800m of altitude, Mur-de-Barrez (
) is an ancient castral village regrouped at the foot of a castle.
This building controlled from XIIth century the constriction of the tray between Lacroix-Barrez and the mounts of Cantal.
It is absolutely necessary necessary to go for a walk smallly on the narrow streets of the old town centre by entering by the door of Monaco (dite lo Portal, in spite of its name, evidence of time after 1643, when Mur-de-Barrez had become with everything Carladez the ownership of the princes of Monaco.).
Saint Amans des Cots
What waits for us in Saint Amans des Cots (
), it is the calm of a small town located at the confluence of the Truyère and the lot.
According to the legend, the inhabitants of Saint-Amans would have fought as cockerels, where from the origin of the name of the village.
Côts being the ancient writing of cockerels.
Entraygues sur Truyère
) 
Conques
Our walk in Aveyron continues with still overcast weather, we take a photo break in front of the Moulin de Sanhes and its spillway where it seems that all activity has ceased.
Conques (
) ne se trouvant qu'à quelques kilomètres, nous y parvenons en quelques minutes et stationnons à l'entrée du bourg.
Conques est niché dans un cirque naturel à la végétation luxuriante et est, depuis le XIIème siècle, une étape majeure sur les chemins de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle venant du Puy-en-Velay.
We strolled through the rather winding alleys, some of which are still cobbled, and took a break (a good crepe to warm up) in front of the church, or rather the abbey.
The top of the front-door is magnificently sculpted and represents the last judgement.
Everything here exudes calm and serenity...
The bridge of Millau
And that's how our northern Aveyron journey ended, with a long descent towards the South, not forgetting to make the necessary stop to better admire this beauty that is the viaduct of Millau (
) and especially immortalize it.
A pause which lasted two hours because they are smart, in addition to charging for the crossing, there is a shop... And who says shop...
And then return Home quietly to return the motorHome the next morning!!
In summary, rather nice: the means of locomotion and the visited region.
I have a feeling that we are going to delay this within the foreseeable future!!
Weather forecast
What there is to know
History
The department of Aveyron was created in 1790 over most of the territory of the former province of Rouergue. Its first known inhabitants were the Ruthenians in the Gallic era, but the settlement is much older (first department of France for the number of dolmens: more than 1,000).
In 1808, it was amputated from the Canton of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val to create the department of Tarn-et-Garonne.
Policy
The department of Aveyron is, in the region Midi-Pyrénées, the only one not to have general advice governed by an elected representative of left, PS or Left left radical. It is historically to the right since the end of the Second World war.
Two parties of the department avoid this schema, historically, partly: on one hand, the region of Millau, famous for the industry of the glove and textile activities in general, where the development of an important working class led the left, every so often, to local responsibilities and on the other hand, the Rouergue Occidental and especially, the mineral basin of Decazeville-Aubin which has constituted for a long time the main pole of influence of the left.
In contrario, the country districts (those of Aubrac particularly and party of districts caussenards), always or almost, chose the representatives of right, monarchists first then republican, to represent them.
Geography
Aveyron is located in the south of the Massif Central. The highest point in the department is the place called Les Cazalets, culminating at 1,463 m, on the Aubrac mountains. The department of Aveyron is divided into several natural regions such as the Grands Causses or Rougiers.
The department of Aveyron is made up of ancient high rocky plateaus of great geological variety. The Truyère, Lot, Aveyron and Tarn rivers cut deep valleys here.
Source : Wikipedia
Additional information
When to leave?
They can leave visit this department all year long, alone weather forecast few dissuade you from it!!
Transport
Well-maintained roads, watch out for smaller, narrower roads (for motorHomes).
Sleep / Eat.
Any worries has be made of this quoting!!
Small +
The town of Conques, a very beautiful medieval town, place of passage and accommodation on the road to St Jacques de Compostela.
PS
Vyou have very nice walks to be made on foot, by bike or in camper (place of reception in almost all municipalities)
Useful Websites
- Le routard (In french)
- Lonelyplanet
Tourist information office
- Tourist information office (In french)
The Art of food
Cabbage soup
Ingredients3 liters of water, 1 kg of potatoes, 5 grams of lard, 1/4 cabbage, salt, pepper
Preparation
Boil the diced potatoes, the lard and the cabbage into small pieces.
Let the soup simmer for about 1 hour.
Cheese soup
IngredientsGreen or curly cabbage, 200 g Emmental cheese, day-old bread, ham stock, 2 or 3 potatoes, maggi, salt and pepper, butter, oil
Preparation
Cut the cabbage leaves into small pieces. Blanch them with the ham stock (leftover ham, ventrèche or duck fat). Meanwhile, grate the Emmental cheese and cut the bread into thin strips. Drain the cabbage. Line the bottom of a large ovenproof terrine, alternating a layer of bread, then a layer of cabbage mixed with the potatoes, a layer of Gruyère, and so on. Finish with the cheese and add a drizzle of olive oil on top. Sprinkle everything with the rest of the broth, salt and pepper. Put in the oven, when the surface is well browned, the soup is ready.
Gizzard salad
Ingredients1 beautiful curly lettuce. 200 g candied gizzards. 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil. 1 tablespoon of vinegar. fried croutons. 1 clove of garlic. salt and pepper.
Preparation
In a bowl, beat together the 2 eggs, the fresh cream or the butter, the crushed Roquefort cheese, lightly salt and pepper. Put this preparation in the lightly oiled mold. Cover with the rest of the dough. Border all around the mould, brown with the egg yolk. Bake 30 to 40 minutes in moderate oven. To be enjoyed right out of the oven with a salad.
Roquefort soufflés
Ingredients
100 g of Roquefort. 2 tablespoons of fresh cream. 3 whole eggs. 4 ramekins.
Preparation
Whisk the Roquefort cheese, crème fraîche and whole eggs. Beat everything together until the mixture is smooth. Put the preparation in small buttered ramekins. Bake in a bain-marie in a moderate oven for around 40 minutes. Serve immediately.
Roquefort pie
IngredientsShortcrust pastry
Filling : 2 whole eggs. 250 g of Roquefort. 200 g fresh cream or 50 g butter. salt and pepper. 1 egg yolk to glaze.
Preparation
In a bowl, beat together the 2 eggs, the fresh cream or the butter, the crushed Roquefort cheese, lightly salt and pepper. Put this preparation in the lightly oiled mold. Cover with the rest of the dough. Border all around the mould, brown with the egg yolk. Bake 30 to 40 minutes in moderate oven. To be enjoyed right out of the oven with a salad.
Leg of venison with venison sauce
Ingredients
1 leg of approximately 1.7 kg. onions. carrots. 1 liter of good red wine. 2 cloves garlic. 1 bouquet garni. 6 peppercorns. a few juniper grains. 1 tablespoon of vinegar. oil.
Preparation
48 hours in advance, prepare the marinade: wine, onions, sliced carrots, crushed garlic cloves, bouquet garni, vinegar, oil and crushed peppercorns. Leave to marinate for two days. Drain the lamb then season with salt and pepper. Roast the leg of venison for 45 minutes in a hot oven. Reserve the marinade. Boil it with all the ingredients for one hour. Pass everything through a sieve, crushing well. Set aside a bowl of this juice to cool in which flour is mixed. Bring back to the boil then serve over the roast.
Hare stew
Ingredients
1 hare. 1 liter of good red wine
For the marinade : 2 onions. 2 carrots. 2 shallots. thyme, bay leaf, juniper.
Preparation
Preparation of the marinade :Cut the hare into pieces. Fry the pieces of hare as well as the liver and belly in the pan, salt. Put the liver, the onions, the shallots and a little belly in the mill. Sauté this mixture. Pour over the pieces of hare, adding herbs de provence and thyme. Leave to marinate for 48 hours in the fridge. Put everything to cook with a liter of red wine, add a little pepper and about ten juniper grains. Cook gently for 3 to 4 hours
Causse blue cheese gratin
Ingredients250 g of blue cheese from the Causses. 1 kg of potatoes. 200 g of smoked bacon. 100g of butter. 1 egg. 1 large onion. 1 bunch of parsley. breadcrumbs. salt and pepper.
Preparation
Cook the potatoes Brown the smoked bacon bits and the onions in a gratin dish, cut the potatoes into slices. Line the bottom of the dish. Make layers: potatoes, bacon bits + onions. Bleu des Causses cheese, bacon bits + onions, potatoes... Spread the beaten egg on top of the dish Add the breadcrumbs Put in the oven for 25 minutes
Walnut apple cake
Ingredients200 g of sugar. 300 g of flour. 3 eggs. 1 dl of milk 5 cl of oil. 5 apples. 120 g of butter. 150 g of sugar. 2 egg yolks. 100 g of chopped walnuts.
Preparation
Put sugar and flour in a terrine. Incorporate successively the eggs, then the milk and the oil, working the mixture well. Pour the batter into a buttered springform pan. Arrange the sliced apples. Bake for about 30 minutes in a preheated oven. Meanwhile, melt the butter and mix in the walnuts, then the sugar and the egg yolks. Mix until you get a homogeneous mixture. Remove the cake from the oven while covering it with this preparation. Return to the oven immediately for 10 minutes.
the fouace
Ingredients1 kilo of flour. 25 g of sourdough per kilo. 300 g of fresh butter, eight eggs. 400g of sugar. Orange tree Flower water. salt. 1 glass of milk
Preparation
Mix everything and knead for half an hour. The dough, once worked must release an air bubble. Wrap the dough in a tea towel and let it rest overnight. The next day, give the dough the shape of a crown. Place in the oven and take it out as soon as the crust appears cracked and golden brown. Beat an egg white until stiff, flavor with orange blossom water and brush the fouace with a brush.