Day Three – It’s mid-morning by the time we leave Rodez, the sleepy hilltop administrative capital of the Aveyron, the little known region isolated on the remote southern edge of the Massif Central.
The Aveyron is a land of remote medieval villages.
Soon, we enter what the French call la France profonde (the deepest of the deep heartlands), a sparsely populated land of forested hills, fortified villages perched on ridges and ancient hamlets pressed into the sides of steep valleys. Little seems to have changed here since the Middle Ages, when Christian pilgrims were walking the Camino de Santiago route toward the northwestern reaches of Spain.
The Priory of Comberoumal
The small chapter house features a Romanesque vault.
At the end of a narrow country road, we reach the ancient priory of Comberoumal, founded in the 12th century by hermits of the Order of Grandmont. Built according to the rules of the order, the ensemble consists of a cloister, a square chapter house with a Romanesque vault and triple arched door, a common room and a dormitory. The church features a single nave with a barrel vault, lit only by four Romanesque windows in the semi-circular choir.
The farming complex is still occupied today,
After the order was abolished during the French Revolution (in 1772), the monastery, along with its adjoining farming buildings and lands were declared a national property. It was eventually acquired (in 1820) by the family of sheep farmers who still owns and operates it today, producing ewe’s milk destined to the production of Roquefort cheese. Sheep scattered through the lush surrounding meadows add to the timeless bucolic charm of the priory.
Castelnau-Pégayrols
Castelnau-Pegayrols is a maze of cobbled narrow alleys and arched passage ways.
A little further on, we reach the village of Castelnau-Pegayrols, a medieval gem also still inhabited today. Perched on a hilltop and crowned with the 11th century feudal castle that gave it its name, “Castel-nau” (I.e. new castle) has remained almost intact within its rampart. Its Saint Michel church (circa 11thth century), a fine example of early Romanesque style, remains the village’s parish church. The small Benedictine priory nearby with its lovely mullioned windows is now the village history museum.
The Church of our Lady is surrounded by the village cemetery.
In the lower part of the village, the Church of Our Lady of Castelnau is surrounded by the cemetery. Deconsecrated long ago, it is now used for occasional artistic events. Built for the parish around 1082, after the Benedictine monks settle here and appropriated the church of Saint-Michel, this second purely Romanesque church somehow acquired Baroque mural paintings in 17th century.
Also not to be missed are the remains of a unique medieval hydraulic system that supplied Castelnau with water, operated its three grain mills and controlled the irrigation of the fields.
A millennium of Cheese-making
The village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon abuts limestone cliffs.
Although it only counts around 600 inhabitants, the ancient village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon is known worldwide for its ewe’s milk cheese, seeded with a specific mold called penicillium roqueforti and aged in caves where fleurines (natural cracks in limestone cliffs) allow ideal ventilation. The international reputation of the cheese dates back to the writings of the Roman scholar Pliny the Elder (1st century A.D.). Then in 1411, King Charles VI granted a monopoly to the village for refining it in this manner.
Roquefort cheese is ripened in ancient limestone caves.
The cheese even has its own legend, that it owes its origins to a young shepherd who, while eating his lunch of bread and plain ewe’s milk cheese, noticed a beautiful maiden in the distance. Abandoning his lunch in a nearby cave, he ran off to meet her. We can assume it was a satisfactory encounter since he didn’t return to the cave until several months later, when he discovered that blue mold had transformed his plain cheese into Roquefort.
The aged Roquefort is marbled with penicillium roqueforti mold.
Roquefort cheese is made entirely from the milk of the Lacaune breed of sheep, herded on some 2000 local farms. Today, there are seven producers. The largest volume brand by far is Roquefort Société which hold a 12,000 square meters (130,000 square feet) network of caves several stories high, constructed in the middle ages. The caves and tunnels are still in use today for the ripening of the cheese and account for around 60% of all production. The caves welcome visitors for guided tours year round.
A Link to the Future
The Viaduct of Millau unobstrusively spans the Tarn Valley.
As we wander around this land of ancient villages, we come across a surreal vision. In the distance, anchored to the rim of two high plateaux, the Viaduct of Millau spans the rugged Tarn Valley below. Inaugurated in 2004, this cable stay bridge is a masterpiece a modern technology. In addition to its total length of 2.5 kilometers(1.50 miles), it is also one of the tallest bridges in the world, soaring 343 meters (1,125 feet ) into the sky, supported by seven tapered concrete pylons and a latticework of cables.
The viaduct is supported by slick concrete pylons and a latticework of cables.
Its architect, the celebrated British lord Norman Foster, used light, ultramodern materials to give drivers crossing the bridge the feeling of flying over the valley. He insisted that the roads used to haul materials and equipment during the three-year construction be covered over to ensure that the bridge would be surrounded by unspoiled terrain and blend seamlessly into the timeless Aveyron landscape.
Much is being made of the fact that at its highest point, the bridge is 19 meters (62 feet) taller than the Eiffel Tower. But beyond its impressive height, the viaduct is breathtaking for its sleek, aerodynamic beauty and minimal impact on the surrounding landscape.
Aveyron- Viaduct of Millau.
Good to Know
- Getting there —The Millau Viaduct is part of the A75 highway axis from Paris to Béziers and Montpellier, which itself is part of the E11 highway network that connects Calais to the Mediterranean coast.
- Visiting — The Priory of Comberoumal is a privately owned property. Individual visitors are welcome year round. Guided visits for small groups are by appointment only. Contact Mr. or Mrs. Bastide. Tel. +33 (0)5 65 62 08 75. The Roquefort Société Caves are open year-round for guided visits. Check website for opening hours. The Millau Viaduct features a visitor center located near the north side of the bridge. In addition to an exhibit covering the construction of the bridge, it offers access to a viewing belvedere with a unique panoramic view of the viaduct (via a long, steep flight of stairs).
A Few Souvenirs
