Places to visit

Places to Visit: Rodez

This month, after a short break, the Places to Visit series is back! We took a day off earlier this month, to escape from DIY (not that we should be doing that but sometimes you just need a break) and work and headed out to visit Rodez, a hilltop medieval city just over an hour away from us.

We drove past Rodez in 2018 on our way to view a property in the Aveyron and at the time said we must visit. So, fast forward 3 ½ years and finally we were on our way. Fortune smiled on us and the day was partly sunny, a little chilly but nothing like it has been. We had planned to leave after breakfast but the best laid plans… Work called, plus the dog needed a walk, then Anya, our grey cat, came in and had a lot to tell us and then worried at one of her paws, which she had seemingly scraped a little. Anyway, eventually we set off and enjoyed a pleasant drive to Rodez.

The approach to Rodez is rather wonderful, as it sits on a hill so you can’t miss it. In addition the impressive cathedral is at the very top, so almost seems like it is floating above the town.

Rodez has a long and interesting 2000 year old history. There has been a settlement here since the 5th Century BC. It became Segodunum under Roman rule and the remains of a roman amphitheatre have been found in the centre. It has had several names, changing to Rogomatus Ruteniis (which means “the market of the Ruthenians”, after the Ruthenes who first settled in this area) and then Rudez in medieval times. Over the centuries the city has been occupied by many, but at one point it was divided in half by a wall and intense rivalry: the Cité was ruled by the bishops of Rodez and was where the clergy lived, the Bourg by the counts of Rodez and was the commercial centre, home to merchants and nobility. There are even two squares to remind you of the centre of each of these strongholds, Place de la Cité and Place du Bourg. These two squares are a great place to watch the world go by but also serve as the location for the large Saturday market.

We parked in the centre and enjoyed a wander around the streets in the old part, before hunger struck. Our timings were a bit out for lunch, so we settled on some delicious goodies from a rather lovely boulangerie/patisserie near the cathedral. We found the perfect spot in the sunshine surrounded by amazing buildings and plants and enjoyed our coffee, croissant au jambon et fromage and a crumble aux poires et chocolat, plus a Florentine! Max and I shared the cakes so we got to try both. Fab bakery.

Now fortified with coffee and food, we strolled past a beautiful church on our way to visit the Cathedral. The church we passed was originally part of the former Jesuit College, built between 1619 and 1649.

The cathédrale Notre Dame de Rodez is a truly spectacular building, built between the 13th and 16th centuries. It looks quite austere from the west side as it also had a defensive role to play. Two huge towers flank the cathedral, linking it to the city’s ramparts. The inside is just as stunning with numerous chapels around the edges and an impressive organ.

We also visited the Eglise Saint-Amans, another amazing church, which was apparently originally built in the 12th century on the site of the tomb of Saint Amans, the first bishop of Rodez. It fell into disrepair in the 16th century and was rebuilt in the 18th century using the materials from the original church. The church is baroque in style outside but retains its Romanesque interior. The painted ceiling is breathtakingly beautiful.

One of the things we really enjoy is just roaming around places, up and down streets, through narrow alleys, of which there are plenty in Rodez. We window-shopped and popped in and out of a few places too.

The architecture in Rodez is stunning. The juxtaposition of old and not so old, medieval, 18th and 19th century, art deco and modern is quite amazing. I really love buildings and especially enjoy looking up, where you get to see beautiful windows, gables, details that are not apparent at street level. I also love old abandoned buildings or buildings that hint at their past lives.

We stopped to admire the Maison d’Armagnac, built for a nobleman on the site of the castle of the Counts of Armagnac, now a shop but with the stonework, structure and decoration surviving.

We admired other former noble or merchants’ houses, former shops with Art Deco signs, an old cinema now a book shop and the Hotel Broussy (now part of the Mercure group) but retaining the art deco façade and decoration.

After hours of walking around enjoying the views on either side of the city as well as the city itself, we were in need of food and drink. Just as we had almost lost hope, we happened upon a gorgeous Salon de Thé, near the Musée des Beaux-Arts, another stunning building. The tea room was empty which was perfect as I still worry about being in spaces with others, courtesy of the pandemic. We ordered a Thé Gourmand, which basically means tea with a lot of cakes (usually 3), and settled down to a beautiful Russian blend tea and a delicious selection of three cakes – a lemon tart, a gooey chocolate cake and another pear and chocolate tart, all freshly baked. Just what we needed and a real treat, plus a welcome rest for feet that had definitely done their steps that day!

We loved Rodez and will return; there is still so much more to see. This place is a must to add to the list if you visit this area.

(Title photo courtesy of tourisme-aveyron.com)

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