Rodez
Rodez, its cathedral and Musée Soulages.
The story of Rodez begins in 500 B.C. when the city of Segodonum, meaning ‘victorious fortress’, was founded by the Celts. The impressive cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece with amazing stained glass and organ casing, shows they were right to choose this name ! Rodez is the capital of the Rouergue area and an Art and History town. Its historic centre with narrow pedestrianised streets is a marked contrast to the modern Jardin Public and buildings like the Musée Soulages.
Against the backdrop of a flaming sunset, admire the pink sandstone cathedral of Notre Dame with its filigree bell tower and the little squares of the historic centre next to the vast pavements of the Esplanade des Ruthènes and you realise that Rodez is a skilful blend of traditions and modernity.
Families are made very welcome in Rodez and its many sporting and cultural infrastructures are the venues for a wide choice of activities for both children and adults. Art lovers can enjoy the Musée Denys-Puech followed by a visit to the Musée Soulages.
One of the best ways to explore the town is by following a tour of the historic centre.
We put together this tour of the centre to recount its history. Start from the Office de Tourisme on the Place de la Cité where you can pick up a plan of the historic streets showing how to get to the cathedral, bishop’s palace, and the Maison d’Armagnac as well as the marvellous hidden secrets of Rodez.
The Gothic cathedral Notre Dame de Rodez is an absolute must to visit. It took no less than 300 years to build ! The atmosphere inside is enchanting with a monumental organ, ancient and modern stained glass windows, richly decorated stalls, altarpiece, chapel… The facade used to form part of the town walls. If you climb up the 400 steps to the top of the 87m high belltower, you have a splendid 360° view of the whole of Rodez and the surrounding countryside as far as the Plateaux of Lévézou and Aubrac. You can stop several times on the way to the top to visit ‘les terrasses’, the bell room and the furnace room. A great place to visit for wonderful holiday memories for you and your children !
Two museums : Musée Soulages and Musée Fenaille
Whether you are an art lover or not, the Musée Soulageswhich combines art, remarkable architecture and gastronomy under one roof, is well worth a visit.
Pierre Soulages is a major figure of contemporary painting. His museum, a work of art in itself, displays more than 500 works donated by the artist. In the same building the Café Bras, supervised by chef Sébastien Bras, promises a memorable lunch break, near the park and children’s play area. Continue your tour of Rodez at the Musée Fenaille which houses, amongst other things, the largest collection of statue-menhirs in Europe and at the Musée Denys-Puech. In each of these museums, the buildings themselves are also exhibits.
Enjoy some good local food while you are here ! Stroll around the stalls of local producers to discover regional specialities at the Wednesday and Saturday markets. You will be quickly drawn by the delicious smells of farçous and aligot which are cooked at the market. Treat yourself to a picnic of local specialities and walk down the footpath to the River Aveyron at Layoule to eat it beside the cool water. If you have time, sit down at a pavement café to watch the world go by and listen to the lovely ‘singing’ accent of the locals.
Rodez heritage
Visit the town centre of Rodez with its emblematic cathedral, stroll around its historic narrow streets to discover their mysteries and secrets.
Rodez culture
Rodez is also a dynamic cultural centre so don’t miss the Estivada (festival of occitan culture), Musée Soulages (contemporary art), Musée Fenaille (archaeology and history of Rouergue) and its unique collection of statue-menhirs, Musée des Beaux-Arts Denys-Puech (Fine Arts), and a full programme of events throughout the year.
Rodez nature
There are excellent facilities for numerous outdoor activities on the outskirts of Rodez, including golf, horse riding, walking, swimming and mountain biking.
Rodez gastronomy
Like many southern French towns, gastronomy has an important place in the hearts of the people of Rodez. Discover the ""art of eating well"" and specialities such as aligot and farçous as you walk around the town’s markets and visit the numerous restaurants.
« When I come back to Rodez, I feel like I belong among the locals, rough country folk in appearance, but who are very refined, humble and with great sensitivity. » Pierre Soulages, artist born in Rodez whose museum was opened in 2014
How to get to Rodez,
BY AIR : Paris to Rodez
BY RAIL : to Rodez
BY ROAD :
Autoroute A20 northbound, exit 59 (Caussade and Saint Antonin Noble Val)
Autoroute A20 southbound, exit 58 (Cahors-sud /Villefranche de Rouergue) exit 54 (Gouffre de Padirac, Gramat and Rocamadour) then follow Figeac and Rodez
Autoroute A75southbound, exit 42 (Séverac le Château)
Autoroute A75 northbound, exit 45 ( Millau, Saint-Beauzély, Castelnau-Pégayrol"
