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Cities steeped in history and soul: Villefranche-de-Rouergue & Villeneuve-d'Aveyron from Les Hauts de Sauliès

From Les Hauts de Sauliès, set off to explore the bastides and sauvetés of Rouergue, witnesses to a Middle Ages that was both spiritual and commercial.
In Villefranche-de-Rouergue, let yourself be enchanted by the arcades of Place Notre-Dame, the splendor of the Chartreuse Saint-Sauveur, and the baroque fervor of the Chapelle des Pénitents Noirs.
Continue on to Villeneuve-d’Aveyron, a former fortified town and peaceful bastide, where golden stones and legends mingle in the light of Quercy.
An itinerary combining faith, art, and authenticity in the heart of Occitan heritage.

  • Villefranche de Rouergue – 1 hour and 4 minutes
  • Villeneuve d’Aveyron – 17 minutes
  • Return to Les Hauts de Sauliès – 1 hour 5 minutes

Villefranche de Rouergue – Travel time: 1 hour 4 minutes

Founded in 1252 by Alphonse de Poitiers, the bastide town of Villefranche-de-Rouergue charms visitors with its regular layout, typical of new medieval towns, and its rich heritage. Listed among the Grands Sites Occitanie and the Villes et Pays d’Art et d’Histoire, it has 28 protected monuments, from the Place Notre-Dame and its arcades to the Gothic collegiate church and its 15th-century merchant houses.

Saint-Sauveur Charterhouse

A masterpiece of flamboyant Gothic architecture, the Chartreuse Saint-Sauveur (15th century) boasts a monumental cloister, one of the largest in France. This place of silence and prayer for Carthusian monks invites contemplation through its refined and luminous architecture.
Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Notre Dame Collegiate Church

Built over three centuries, Notre-Dame Collegiate Church impresses with its massive bell tower and single nave, typical of southern Gothic architecture. In the choir, the carved stalls by André Sulpice (62 seats) form an exceptional ensemble combining biblical scenes and everyday life. From the top of the bell tower, the view of the city is breathtaking.
Opening hours: free access from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Chapel of the Black Penitents

Sober on the outside but sumptuous on the inside, the Chapel of the Black Penitents amazes visitors with its gold-leaf altarpiece, brightly painted wooden vaults, and Baroque décor dedicated to the worship of the Cross. It is a place steeped in history and fervor, bearing witness to the devotion of the brotherhoods of Villefranche.
Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Chapels of Treize-Pierres

Built in the 16th century along the stream of the same name, the Notre-Dame de Treize-Pierres chapel houses an exceptional painted decoration: polychrome frescoes created in the 1950s by Nicolaï Greschny, a painter from the Tarn region of French origin, inspired by Orthodox art. This ancient pilgrimage site was long associated with protection against the plague and agricultural disasters.
Opposite it stands the Notre-Dame des Champs chapel (1695), built as a votive offering by Jean de Pomairols and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, protector of harvests. Until the 20th century, the faithful would leave ears of wheat and wildflowers as offerings, perpetuating a tradition of rural devotion still marked by fervor and poetry.
Opening hours: free access

Villeneuve d’Aveyron – Travel time: 17 min

Founded in the 11th century around a religious sanctuary dedicated to the Holy Sepulcher, Villeneuve-d’Aveyron charms visitors with its labyrinth of medieval streets and golden stone houses. This village, born under divine protection, later expanded with the creation of a geometrically planned bastide town by Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse, in the 13th century.

The bastide and its towers

Around Place des Conques, the bastide reveals its regular structure and streets lined with shopping arcades. The Cardalhac and Soubirane towers, pierced with machicolations and arrow slits, are reminders of its military past. Today, the elegant residences house galleries and cafés, such as the Galerie Jean-Marie Périer, dedicated to the famous photographer.

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Built on the site of an ancient pagan place of worship, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher combines Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Its murals illustrating the legend of the Hanged Man make it a unique place, steeped in emotion and mystery. Visitors can also explore the adjoining chapter house, accessible via a peaceful garden.
Opening hours: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Pre-Romanesque church of Toulongergues

Located nearby, the church of Toulongergues impresses with its pre-Romanesque layout with a flat chevet and rounded corners, built on a Merovingian necropolis. Its unique architecture, with openings inspired by Moorish art, and its absence of buttresses bear witness to a time when spirituality and Mediterranean influences mingled in medieval Rouergue.
Opening hours: Wednesdays at 3pm in July and August – The rest of the year, guided tours are available by reservation on +33 (0)5 36 16 20 00.

Return to Les Hauts de Sauliès – Travel time: 1 hour 5 minutes

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