Roquefort, the Gorges du Tarn, or even a trip to the "center of the Earth" ... Aveyron is full of riches just waiting to be discovered. To convince you to go and spend part of your summer there, the columnist of the show Et si on departait? on Europe 1, and author at Lonely Planet , Jean-Bernard Carillet, shares this Tuesday his tips for making the most of this department.
Visit the Roquefort ripening cellars
It is one of the most famous French cheeses, and you must surely eat it. But visiting the cellars where Roquefort is produced is a fascinating experience. Of the seven manufacturers present in Soulzon, three offer tours of their ripening sites: Gabriel Coulet, Papillon and Roquefort Société.
Photo credit: REMY GABALDA / AFP. The Roquefort ocean in the ripening cellars.
We go down into the cellars, into the bowels of the rock, and we discover galleries arranged under the plateau. It's 10 ° C, it's dark, and the ocean of cheeses in the ripening phase is really impressive. A trip which is naturally accompanied by a tasting.
Along the Tarn on foot or by bike
But Aveyron is not limited to Roquefort, far from it. The department is also home to the famous Gorges du Tarn, one of the most spectacular landscapes in France, straddling the neighboring Lozère. But rather than taking the only existing road to explore this 600-meter-deep canyon and its small villages, it is possible to follow the gorges on foot, or by bike, thanks to a very pretty trail. along the Tarn. A mode of travel that will allow you, in addition, to enjoy beautiful swimming spots.
And if you're not afraid to get a bit wet, you can go kayaking! Over the water and paddling, you can discover remote and inaccessible sites.
>> Gastronomy, music, tourism: discover all our summer topics here!
A journey "to the center of the Earth"
Unlike other departments, Aveyron is not limited to its surface, and has a very rich subsoil. Fans of Jules Verne, you will be delighted: the trip to the center of the Earth is possible (well almost). To do this, you have to go to the Causses, a limestone plateau pierced like a Gruyere by the erosion which has dug out huge underground caverns. And some can be visited, such as Aven Armand, which offers a magical world, and the largest concentration of stalagmites in the world, several tens of meters underground. Some are even 30 meters high and weigh more than a ton. A rock in shades of gray, brown and white sublimated by lighting effects, not to mention sometimes bizarre shapes.
It is an ideal place to let yourself be transported to another universe, and attend a concert, since the acoustics are similar to that of a cathedral.
Music and stained glass
Photo credit: PASCAL PAVANI / AFP. Sylvanès Abbey has exceptional acoustics.
Fortunately, music lovers have other places to visit to enjoy their favorite art. Like the Abbey of Sylvanès, totally lost in a valley on the southern borders of the Ardèche, which has exceptional acoustics. Every year, it hosts high quality concerts with internationally renowned artists. Friday August 14th, you will be able to discover Corsican polyphonies there, Sunday 16th the music of Argentina, and on Sunday 23rd, that of Georgia… This is another invitation to travel.
Another abbey, another atmosphere. Direction Conques, a masterpiece of Romanesque art built in the 11th century, with a sculpted tympanum [the part above the portal, editor's note], a sort of stone comic book recounting the Last Judgment. And once you have passed the main portal of the building, you can admire the stained glass windows by Pierre Soulages, in colorless glass and streaked with parallel lead lines. Admirable and impressive works created by an exceptional artist who also has a museum dedicated to Rodez.