Undiscovered France: A Weekend in Rodez

Until recently, it was nearly all farmers you'd see pootling around the Aveyron Department in France's South West, its €10 million agriculture business being quite enough to keep them occupied. But now there's a steady stream of visitors too, discovering the delights of proper markets, quiet countryside, and outdoor pursuits, at a fraction of the price elsewhere.

Rodez is leading the way, with 35,000 Brits landing there last year, holidaying, buying up property and generally enjoying their new found secret. This really is an area overlooked by passing traffic as it shoots down to the Cote d'Azur on the autoroutes or on the superfast TGV trains.

But the slow life has its own attractions.

How to get here
Flights several times a week from Dublin and Stansted by Ryanair plus Air France via Charles de Gaulle.

The green alternative is Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord then change stations to Austerlitz (Metro line 5 - 15 minutes) and onward from there direct to Rodez. Sleepers leave at 22.56 and arrive at 06.41, just in time for breakfast. Rail Europe for details of services and passes. Driving is a good 10 hours from Calais.

OK. WE’RE HERE.
Rodez is the centre of it all, a medieval walled city dominated by an enormous Gothic cathedral. Its little streets are narrow and walkable in all weathers - shaded from the sun, narrow enough to fend off the rain. It's a small, very attractive place with few tourists, amazing really given how cheap everything is, so occasionally you find yourself being the object of curiosity by a couple of elderly beret-and-blue-smock locals. Quite a rarity in modern France. The rest of the population, the students and 50,000 Ruthenois just greet you with a smile.

The attractions are many and varied but outdoor pursuits are hugely popular, with devotees of mountain biking and serious carp fishing well catered for. Hill walking and rambling are excellent too, with maps for hiking in the publication "Les Belles Balades de l'Aveyron: le Pays Ruthenois" available from an excellent tourist office in the city centre.

Gastronomy is one of the main reasons people visit France and in an age of homogeneity it is refreshing to arrive in a place where the street markets and restaurants are chock full of regional specialities, a good deal of which you will never have heard, let alone tasted. Aligot anyone?

STAY WHERE?
A few minutes from the airport is one of the great finds of undiscovered France - Chateau de Labro - a fully restored castle brought back to life by two former opticians who clearly have an eye for good taste and comfort. The attention to detail in the rooms - they're all different - is quite staggering. The oldest parts of the building date back 400 years and have been restored beautifully, complemented by interior design of modern simplicity and minimalism. No room has any more than one "object" as a focus and all creature comforts, beds, crisp white linens, bathrooms are tip top. For example, in one room the corner turret has been converted into a wet room. Just a toilet and shower inside your own personal castle bathroom. The four posters and antique furniture were sourced at brocantes and auctions nearby, they fit well, exuding character and charm. The Jacuzzis and spa facilities fit well too.

The chateau sits in its own grounds and consists of two main buildings, both with bedrooms looking out over distant pastures and hills or the vineyard and swimming pool. A third building, converted from the byre, houses a wedding suite which combines rustic charm with airy sophistication. Fabulous really, tres chic. The whole place can be found in the website secret rooms.

The incredible thing is the price. If Chateau Labro were on the Cote d'Azur it would be €500 per night. But it's not. Prices can start as low as €100 depending on season and availability - it is regularly booked out whole for weddings and parties.

Finally, a word about breakfast. Deliciously light home made bread and preserves, fresh yoghurt, served with fruit, coffee and tea in a room that's quite beguiling, an antique hunter's valhalla. One wall has the chateau's original entrance (found on a nearby farm), another a huge, pastoral canvas painted by some long forgotten local artist, and a third some ancient  complex arrangement of bottles and shelves for the preservation of grapes which, had Marcel Duchamp discovered it first, it would be sitting in the National Collection of Modern Art in Paris. Breakfast is good and reflects the sophisticated simplicity of the whole place.

In Rodez itself, of the more typical hotels, the Mercure Rodez Cathedral is central, modern and spacious, and turns out to be one of the city's oldest, as evidenced by extensive art deco mosaics declaring its 30's heritage as the Grand Hotel Broussy. Room 308 has the best view (of the Cathedral itself) and the staff are absolutely charming and helpful. The rooms have recently been refurbed so fittings are ultra modern, with the emphasis on comfort and practicality. Room keys aren't keys at all, but magnetic passes which are simply waived over the door lock, possibly after you've spent five minutes trying to find a slot! At breakfast, don't break the eggs to quickly - they're raw - a self boiling contraption will do them to the exact timing you require.

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL, 1, 2, 3….
(1) French markets can sometimes lose their appeal as traders make their way from one to another, offloading produce of questionable provenance. Not in Rodez. Everything is local and three times a week, the population comes out to buy. Saturday is the biggest, but midweek markets on Place du Bourg are good too. Fresh fruit and vegetable in season, plus all manner of regional specialities such as Gateaux a la Broche, a multi layered pancake made in conical shapes of various sizes and Aligot, an unappetising sounding mixture of cheese and mashed potato which is surprisingly tasty. Farcous, the local stuffed patties are griddled alongside various other pans and containers of local dishes and in the middle sits the tiny, bustling Cafe Simone, run by a woman of charm and industry whose clientele come to discuss matters of import over good coffee and croissants.

(2) Old stuff / New stuff
The preposterously large Notre Dame Cathedral took three hundred years to build and sits aside one of the tallest and most ornate bell towers in France. Awesome barely covers it. Inside nooks and crannies are filled with scenes of religious import, the iconography suitably serious and dating back hundreds of years. All the more surprising then to find seven new stained glass windows of striking modernity and originality which were commissioned from Stéphane Belzère in 2006 and installed amid great controversy. They're fascinating.

Around the corner is Musee Fenaille, a sleek and modern building of delicate proportions, filled with natural light, but which actually conceals the original premises, the Hotel de Jouery, whose two buildings date from the Middle Ages. The subject matter of archaeology and history is well laid but on the top floor is the must-see, a unique collection of statues called menhirs which date back to 3000 BC and were the first depictions of man (and woman) to be created full size. Their origin is still shrouded in mystery, and they have been found all over the northern Mediterranean (and as far away as Ukraine), but the 17 collected here are Europe's finest.

In the rarefied atmosphere of contemporary art, Pierre Soulages is a veritable household name, whose abstract work can be seen worldwide in over 150 collections. He was born in Rodez and as a result he is to have his own spectacular gallery in 2012. Until then, his works - mostly in black - can be seen at the Musee des Beaux Arts and out of town at Conques where his controversial black and white stain glass windows adorn the ancient Abbey.

(3) Horses for Courses
For 200 years, Rodez has housed one of France's finest stud farms, where retired racehorses and rare breeds are brought to rest, and reproduce to keep their precious lines alive. Haras National de Rodez covers nearly 60 acres of pleasant open land (in the middle of town) with buildings from the 16th century, commandeered when the military required more horses. It's a relaxing walk (telephone +33 05 65 73 84 00 for details) in the midst of which is the most entertaining troupe of miniature horses who accompany the main breeds to shows around Europe as the entertainment - trotting in formation, pulling little carts, and generally being cute. 

LET’S DO LUNCH
Cheap: The markets on Place du Bourg will satisfy the most severe pangs of hunger for a couple of Euros. Try the Gateaux a la Broche (a slice will cost you about €2) or any of the paella, stews, or farcous (3 for €2) which are cooked throughout the morning.

Not so cheap: A charming and dainty addition to the Rodez lunchtime scene, two sisters Cecile et Aime have opened a Salon de The for inexpensive soups, salades and sandwiches served in traditional surroundings, with a small garden for sunny al fresco lunches. Hidden away on Rue Louis Oustry (+33 05 65 69 57 97).

Worthwhile: L'Aubrac brasserie and restaurant is modern, plain and simple, occupying the corner of Place de la Cite. It's lunchtime fixed price menus displayed outside (salade gourmande, terrine de foie gras, etc) change regularly but inside a cheaper regional menu (ask!) offers local specialities of entree, plat, and dessert for about €12, plus wine. Excellent.

AN APERITIF
The local wines, AOC Marcillac and Entraygues-le-Fel (VDQS) are cheap and pleasant, but for a romantic non-alcoholic alternative go to Le SaintJust, a very pleasant cafe/bar at 23 Rue St Just where you can share a gigantic 'Maxi-Diabolo' which comes in a variety of sirop flavours with two straws. Lemonade €3, water €2.50. WiFi too for email if you're not feeling romantic.

DINNER IS SERVED
There are restaurants the world over which attempt to create various themes on 'olde worlde' and 'traditionelle'. La Taverne is the real thing. Concealed in one of the oldest parts of town, down the increasingly narrow rue de l'Embergue, the decor and menu is an exercise in historical and traditional exactitude, owned and run by Philippe who will greet and charm and seduce you before you've even noticed. The menu is a mock exercise jotter giving a lesson in the establishment's history, as well as various recipes and school exercises. The walls are adorned with cartoons and family memorabilia, and the plates local slates.

Start with the house aperitif, Rince Cochon, a spiced up red wine (not unlike mulled wine - except cold!) then take advice on the house specialities displayed on the menu itself or the blackboard.

Les Petit Farcous are in fact a substantial portion of 3 patties to start, galettes of minced pork with a variety of vegetables and spices. Or Picaucel, a terrine served with bechamel and prunes.

Mains include Confit de Canard Aligot, perfect local duck with a portion of the house mash and cheese, or Coufidou de joue de porc and Choux Farcis Maison, the recipe for which appears later in the menu.

If you can manage cheese, try Rebarbe, a help yourself pudding bowl of Roquefort creamed with Creme fraiche and eau de vie. Three courses for either €19 or €25. Unique and thoroughly enjoyable.

DRIVE BY
The area around Rodez, the Aveyron, is well worth exploring by car. These are some of the most interesting villages which can be visited in an hour or two.

Onet-le-Chateau: Contains the converted 16th century Le Chateau de Fontanges, now a 3 star hotel with good traditional restaurant offering local specialities and overlooking the pool. Beside the Rodez Golf Course.

Inieres: 14th Century church with dungeons, cells etc.

Conques: A major staging post on the pilgrim way to Santiago de Compostela, a 'masterpiece of Romanesque Art', with Abbey and Cloisters dating back centuries. Stained glass by modern abstract artist Pierre Soulages and gold treasures from 1200 years ago.

Sauveterre-de-Rouergue: Regarded as lone of the most beautiful villages in France, from the 13th century, a Royal bastide (one of five in the region) with half timbered houses and pretty village square.

Peyre: Carved into the rock, with volcanic 'tuff' houses and a troglodyte church. Spectacular views of the Millau Viaduct too.
 
Further details from Aveyron Tourism.