Aveyron

 

We’ve recently returned from a holiday in France. We spent 10 days at private home in a small town, Baraqueville in the Département of Aveyron. Aveyron  is the 5th largest départment in France in terms of area (8,735 km² (3,373 sq mi)) but is not heavily populated, with approximately 278,000 inhabitants. It’s largest city and préfecture is Rodez.  Although not as well known for tourism as other parts of France, it’s a very scenic area and boasts ten towns that fall within the classification of a 1901 association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (the most beautiful villages in France).

We were accompanied on our trip by longtime friends, Stephanie and Bill McAdam. We stayed at the home of Véronique, a proud native of the area and since 2012, an official Aveyron Ambassador. Véronique is a resident of our home town, Canmore who opens her home in France to visitors during the summer. She acts as hostess, guide and translator to guests seeking to experience her France(http://www.experiencemyfrance.com/tours_overview/).

 

 

 

Of course, I did take a few pictures and today’s post will feature a variety of photographs chosen to display the range of experiences we enjoyed.

 

 

 

 

Firstly, here’s a view of a typical village, photographed from above. The area is quite hilly and offers some excellent vantage points for photography.

Every village has an old church. This one in Saint-Côme d’Olt, in addition to being very scenic is unusual in that it has structurally deformed over time. If you look carefully you’ll notice that the main tower’s roof is twisted. Despite this imperfection, it’s a beautiful old church, centred in a charming, little village.

Not everything in Aveyron is old and historic. The Viaduct de Millau is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the gorge valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France. It is the tallest bridge in the world, with one mast’s summit at 343.0 metres above the base of the structure. Construction began in 2001 and was completed three years later. It’s an engineering marvel and an architectural masterpiece.

Rodez is Aveyron’s principal city with more than 83,000 inhabitants in the urban area. It’s a modern city with a very long history. I like this photograph of modern day transportation in the setting of Rodez’s enduring architecture.

Albi is another, nearby city. Although not within Aveyron it is within easy reach and well worth a visit. This photograph features a beautiful, urban neighbourhood with the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Cecilia, also known as Albi Cathedral in the background. It is the most important Catholic building in Albi, France, and the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Albi. Built in the 13th century, it is the largest brick building in the world.

I went out early one morning near our lodgings in Baraqueville, hoping to photograph a nice sunrise. The sunrise didn’t materialize but as an alternative I was pleased with the opportunity to capture some moody, misty morning scenes.

I conclude today’s post with this picture of the beautiful village of Conques, photographed from a hilltop on the opposite side of the valley. Nestled in the hills, it’s very typical of the many charming villages to be discovered in Aveyron.

My first post from our visit to France. I hope to follow with a few more before too long.