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Experience (my) France is a custom small group guided and hosted boutique touring experience in Aveyron, France, specialized in food, wine, heritage, history, architecture, and culture. - Your complete French immersion as you'll be guided by your host, a fully bilingual local, hosted in her art-déco home. No buses, no hotels. - Off-the-beaten path as no other organization offers a tour in Aveyron, France's southwest hidden gem. - Share your experience with your family, friends. You'll be with like-minded travellers, in groups of 8 at maximum. - Designed to your desires, as each tour is all-inclusive and customized to your interests. - Live like a local. Aveyron is where food, wine, culture, and heritage are all part of the day-to-day. More information, photos, videos, stories on our website www.ExperienceMyFrance.com
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TOURS
Your tours overviewAre you looking for a different, an authentic and intimate guided/hosted tour experience?
You’ve come to the right place! Aveyron is France’s hidden gem, if you love food, wine, culture, and heritage,
you’ll be delighted; you’re about to experiencing France, not only seeing it!
What sets us apart from other tour organizations?
You’ll be hosted by your guide, a true Aveyron local, you won’t be travelling in large buses and hopping from • one hotel to another every night,
You won’t have to worry about learning French, your host/guide is fully bilingual, after living for 15 years in the • Canadian Rockies, TherearenootherorganizationsofferingasimilartouringexperienceinAveyron,•Every tour is customized to each group’s interests,•You’ll be with like-minded travellers, in tiny groups, 8 maximum,•Thisisasmallorganizationandassuch,flexibilityisourstrength.•Aveyron is one of the most unusual place in France, where food, wine and heritage are all part of today’s life!•
During your next experience, you’ll be delighted by the local cuisine and food specialties, delicate restaurants,
smallcafés,orlocalproducersfairs.You’lldiscovertheastoundingAveyron;heritage,scenery,culture,markets,
crafts,artisans,ormuseums.
Sauveterre-de-Rouergue
Your typical experience in Aveyron
Tour• through one of the most
scenically wonderful regions of France,
dominated by the lovely river valleys of the
Aveyron, Lot, Tarn and Dordogne;
Experience• Cathar cities and castles ambiance,
where you will learn about the extraordinary
Cathar ‘heresy’ and the Albigensian Crusade that
destroyed the Cathars;
Explore• some of the grandest pilgrim churches,
at Toulouse, and Conques built on the great
medieval pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela;
Learn• about the development of unique medieval
frontier towns, bastides, by visiting some of the
most interesting, splendid examples in France;
this region has by far the highest concentration of
France’s most beautiful and historic villages and
towns;
Amble• through local weekly markets, held in
market squares dominated by lovely old market halls;
Savour • the delights of local cooking in a number of
renowned local restaurants;
Visit • a number of châteaux that were once castles
defending French or Plantagenet territory during the
Hundred Years War but later became majestic palaces
surroundedbyfinegardens.
Belcastel
Philippe Teullierand his mother, vintners for generations, holding some of their Marcillac red, rosé andwhite bottles.
Your home for ten days
Theplaceyou’llbestayingatisveryspecialtoVéronique.AtthecrossroadsofthebestplacesofAveyronand
beyond,itisalsoaplaceshecherishes,asit’salmosthernativehouse.It’safamilyhouse,whereshespentalarge
partofherchildhoodandsome.
This three-story art-déco house, built in the early 1930s,
has just been entirely refurbished with top-of-the-line ma-
terials, thus the best in-class comfort but so cozy!
Each double-bed bedroom has its own private and
spaciousfullbathroom.
For your comfort, we’ve added
a separate two-people jacuzzi,
providing you more relaxing
opportunity, after a well-spend
daytouringAveyron’streasures.
Onthemainfloorisaverylarge
open space, with kitchen, dining,
and living room where you’ll be
able to chat, share your best
moments, have breakfasts, or
evenoneortwodinners.
This house will be your ‘base’ for
yourten-dayexperience.
Rougier de Camarès
Paris
Location of Aveyron in France
Véronique, your guide and host, chose surrounding areas
rich with beauty, heritage, and distinct culture, areas she
knowssowell.Mostofyourexplorations'focuswillbe
within a two-hour drive of your home village, Baraqueville,
locatedtwentykilometressouth-westofRodez.
She will carefully prepare a list of the places and
experiencestobeplannedforyourvisit.Wemightbe
adding more to your trip, depending on your
ownpreferences.
Laguiole knivesTypical Aveyron “charcuterie”
About Aveyron
Alandofinspiration,ofverdantscenery,rollinghillandrockycrags;alandunspoiltbymanandunaffectedbythechangingpatternsofmoderndayliving.
Authentic,originalandundiscovered,Aveyronistruly“laFranceprofonde”atitsmostenchanting.
Alandofcontrastslocatedinsouth-westFrance,itliesinthefoothillsoftheMassifCentral,influencedbytheMassifCentral,thesouthandthesouth-west.
Alandofheritageandauthenticitywhere’ssomuchtoseeanddo.
TheAbbayedeConqueshousesanexhibitionofmedievalgold,oneofthefinestcollectionsofthegoldsmith’sartintheworld.Conquesisoneofthe
ten villages in Aveyron to receive the élite award “Les plus beaux villages de France” —the most beautiful villages in France— as well as Najac, Belcastel,
Sauveterre-de-Rouergue,LaCouvertoirade,andEstaing,areamongothersofthisprestigiousgroup.
ButAveyronisnotonlyaruralmuseumofprettyvillagesandbeautifulscenery;itisavibrantdépartement,proudofitstraditionsandheritage.
“Last Judgment” tympanum (sculpted 1107-1125) — Conques
La Couvertoirade, an old Templar city
Inthesouthofthedépartement lies the unassuming village
of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon whose world-wide fame has been
madeby“thekingofcheeses”.
A land of tradition and modernity, close-by is the town of
Millau,renowncentreforglovemakingandsuppliertothe
haute-couturehousesofParis.
Laguiole, in the north Aubrac, is famous in for its cheese and
throughout the world for its Laguiole knife, a rural tradition,
sincerevived.
Laguiole has become a fashion icon thanks to designers such
asPhilippeStark,orSoniaRykiel.
A land of exceptional food and wine, Aveyron has a reputa-
tionofgastronomy,rusticbutrefined.Foiegras,charcuterie,
stockfisch(driedcod),aligot(apotatopurée,Laguiolecheese,
andahintofgarlic),gâteauàlabroche...andthelistgoeson
andon. Najac
Totopitup,AveyronboastssomeofthefinestMichelinstarsrestaurantsin
France,themostnotablebeingtheMichelBras’hotelrestaurantinLaguiole—
atruegastronomicexperience.
A land of nature as among ramblers, Aveyron is a favoured destination; with its
900 km of footpaths which form part of the national “Grande Randonnée”
network,theramblerisspoiltforchoice.
Aubrac plateau landscape
Millau Viaduct
Laguiole Cheese
RoquefortCheese
“Transhumance” at Saint-Côme d’Olt. See the unique twisted church steeple.
Note-Transhumance is the seasonal movement of people with their livestockbetweenfixedsummeramdwinterpastures.Inmontane regions it implies movement between higher pastures in summerandlowervalleysinwinter.Source: Wikipedia
Producers/farmers’ market degustation at Sauveterre-de-Rouergue
Conques and its Romanesque abbey, more than a thousand years old.
Experiencing Saint-Cirq Lapopie
Producers/farmers’ market degustation at Sauveterre-de-Rouergue
Villefranche-de-Rouergue market
Villefranche-de-Rouergue market
Valady market
Statues Menhirs, as displayed at the Fenaille Museum, at Rodez
Testimonials
Iwanttoexpressmydelightandcompletesatisfactionwitharecenttourin
the “province” of Aveyron, a relatively undiscovered jewel of France which
contains an abundance of cultural and aesthetic attractions to please the
seasonedtraveler.Forthosewithleisuretocombineacosmopolitanstopover
inPariswithbucolicserenityandMedievalwonders—orforthosewhohave
alreadyseenParis—Aveyronhasmuchtooffer.Thecombinationofsweeping
natural beauty, indescribably picturesque villages, and ancient architectural
treasureswillprovidealifetimeofhappymemoriesandoffersawelcome
changefrommore-touristeditineraries.Véronique,our“hostess”(toobubbly
andaffabletobecalledatour-guide),delightedtosharethehospitalityofher
cheerfully renovated home and squire us through the length and breadth of
Aveyron.Thepeoplearequitefriendlyandapproachable:Irecalloneproud
villager inviting us into his home to view his collection of antique motorcycles
(hemusthavehadmorethan50).
Atypicaldaymightbeginwithalightbreakfast(orayummyhomemade
quiche)followedbyadrivetooneofthemanygloriouslyquaintancient
villagesortownswithamplefreetimeforindividualexploration.Weather
permitting, lunch might consist of a group picnic on a scenic overlook where
lively conversation and local wine enhance the relaxed atmosphere and group
bonding.
Afternoons would be spent exploring other remarkable sites with dinner at
around7or8pm.Particularlyalluringtomewasthemultitudeofancient
churches, castles and village architecture which recalled both the simplicity
anddangersofMedievaltimes.Andwhilewesawabouta
dozen of these incomparable villages, there was ample
varietyandanassortmentofotherattractions.Museums,
dinner at local farmers’ market, wine tastings,
a comprehensive visit to a working farm and &mdash my
personal favorite &mdash a tour of the Roquefort cheese
caves are just a few of the treats in store for the Aveyron
adventurer.Myfinalthoughts:wearcomfortableshoes,
enjoythelocalwinesandtrythealigot…thisisatripIwill
rememberwithpleasure.”
~ Tom Mockler, New York, U.S.A.
Testimonials
Quelle belle visite en Aveyron!
MyhusbandandIloveinternationaltravel,and
Véronique has found an ideal niche for people like
us.Experience(my)Francegaveustheopportunity
to explore the back roads of an unsung region of
France with someone who knows the area
intimatelyandcouldtakeusoffthebeatenpath—
in true French style!
Véronique,ashost,wasterrific.Shenotonly
knows the towns and countryside, but also many
interesting people, like vintners and other local
producers.She’sevenrelatedtooneofthem!
Itmadesuchadifferencetohaveherasourguide,
translatorandfellowtraveller.Sheopeneddoors
for us in a way we could never have experienced
otherwise.
The towns we visited were incredibly picturesque,
and often situated in beautiful or dramatic
landscapes.FromourbaseinBaraqueville
(handilylocatedinthecentreofAveyron),
we were able to take day trips to every part of the
region.Wewerestruckbyhowvariedthe
landscapewasfromonecornertotheother.
Every day was a new and aesthetically rich treat
whether we were exploring medieval villages,
ancient sites, artisans’ studios or natural wonders
liketheRoquefortcaves.
And every day we ate and drank the best that the
regionhadtooffer.Mostafternoonswestoppedin
a scenic place for a delightful picnic of local wines
andcheeses,sausagesandpâtés.Intheevenings
wewoulddineatadifferentrestaurant,or
occasionally gather with locals at a weekly
producers’marketinavillagesquare.Thefoodwas
delicious,withmanyregionalspecialties.Wemade
itourpersonalmissiontotryeverything.
We have never been drawn to large organized
group tours, so the idea of travelling with a
maximumofsixpeoplewasveryappealing.It
allowedforsomeflexibilityanddown-timeinthe
itinerary,whichwasgreat.Andoneoftheamazing
things about this trip was how few other tourists
we saw—and no tour buses!
We loved our visit to Aveyron, and we would
whole-heartedly recommend it to any other
independent-mindedtravellers.”
~ Heather Walter and Patrick McCloskey, Canmore,
Alberta, Canada.
Albi and the cathedral Sainte-Cécile
Belcastel
Peyrusse-le-Roc, now a small village,counted during the Middle-Ages
more inhabitants than Paris!
Testimonials
MytourofAveyron.
Ispent10lovelydayswithVéronique,exploringtheAveyron.Aveyronhas
10oftheofficial“mostbeautifulvillagesofFrance”andwevisited9of
them—andseveralothervillagesthatwereatleastaspretty.Oldcastleson
the hilltops with stone houses clustered at the base, winding old streets,
flowerpotsandhangingbaskets,oldbridgesoversmallorlargerivers,
large and small churches…the Aveyron has lots of them!
Itwasinterestingtocrossthepilgrim’spathfromtimetotime—wesaw
walkers with their sticks in the towns on the route from Puy to the Spanish
Camino.SometownslikeConqueshavereliedontourists[calledpilgrims!]
forcenturies.Apartfromthepilgrimsandanoccasionalbusload,there
werefewothertouristsonourtrack.Therewereplentyofpeoplearound,
though,atthemarkets,anartfair,sittinginsquaresorstreetcorners.
Insometownstherewerequirkydecorationsdescribedas“Landart”.
BeinginFrance,ofcourseweatewell.
Véronique’shouseiscomfortable.Baraquevilleitselfisaratherordinary
town,butexcellentlyplacedfortravelalloverAveyron.Andonmarketday,
themarketcomesrightuptothefrontdoorofVéronique’shouse.
Véronique grew up in the area and has explored it further, so her
knowledgeofplacesisamazing.Sheisagooddriverandhasanamazing
abilitytofindherwayalongthetwistingroads.shealsoseemstoknow
themostinterestingstreetcornersineverytown.Thetourwasaltogether
agreatexperience...
~ Effie Best, Adelaide, Australia
What’s included in the 10-day tour price?
Pick-upatRodezairportorRodeztrainstation.•
The accommodation in Véronique’s art-déco house for the 10 days/9 nights in Baraqueville, •
20minawayfromRodez,convenientlylocatedatacrossroadstoexperiencethemostofthearea.
Hand-pickedbyVéroniqueregionalwinesand/orotherbeveragesduringmeals.•
Privatetourswhereplanned,andaccordingtoyourneedandwants.•
Food(allbreakfasts,lunches,anddinners)and/orwinetastingswhereplanned.•
Entryfeestomuseums,castles,exhibitions,aswellasallotherplannedexperiences.•
Servicesofyourbilinguallocalguide/hostandpersonaldriver.•
Transportation during the tour in a comfortable air-condtioned van or •
equivalentdependingonthesizeofthegroup.
What’s the best way to arrive in Rodez?
Ittakesapproximately8hoursbytrainfromParisAusterlitz.Therearedailymultipletrains,including
overnightones.
Byplane,wheninFrance,there’sadailyone-hourflightfromParisOrly(AirFranceoperatedbyBritAir),
andanotherone-hourflightfromLyon(operatedbyHexair).
FromUK,therearetwodaily“cheap”flights,onefromLondonStansted,andonefromDublin(Ryanair).
Rodezisaverysmallairport,sawonly140.000passengersin2010,wedefinitelyrecommend.
How large are the groups?
ThegroupsizeonanExperience(my)Franceguidedandhostedtouris8guestsmaxi-
mumforeach10-daytour.Enrolmentiscappedat8guestsperexperiencetoensure
ourguestsreceiveapersonalbespokeexperiencefromourhostingguideVéronique.
Good to know, there’s no minimum required; the tour will run even with one person
registered.
When do you run tours?
ItypicallyruntoursfromJunetoSeptember
inclusive.HoweverImayruna10-daytour
justforyouandonspecialrequest(witha
minimumof4guests)atanotherperiodof
theyear.
AveyronisgorgeousinApril,May,and
Octoberaswell.
Will someone meet me at the Rodez airport or train station?Are transfers included?
Yes! Even though our guests participants from dif-
ferentcountriesondifferentflights,orthroughdif-
ferent means, some might be touring before and/
or after being in Aveyron, Véronique will meet and
greet you at one these two meeting points; either
RodezAirportofRodeztrainstation.Youwon’t
have to worry about any logistics for the 10 days of
yournextexperience.
Saint-Cirq Lapopie
Rodez Cathedral
Rodez Cathedral
Off-the-beaten path as no other organization offers a tour in Aveyron, France’s south-west hidden gem.
Rodez, home of contemporary artist Pierre Soulages,who just turn 94. The largest worldwide museum displaying hisartwork is slated to open in 2014, at Rodez.
Live like a local. Aveyron is where food, wine,culture and heritage are all part of the day-to-day.
Valady organic producers’ market
“Trou de Bozouls”
Share your experience with your friends and family.You’ll be with like-minded travellers, in groups of 8, often less.
Chateau du Bosc, childhood home of painter Toulouse-Lautrec
Designed to your desires, each tour is all-inclusive and customized to your interests.
Cordes-sur-Ciel
TOURSMore information, photos, questions/answers, videos, stories
can be found on:
www.ExperienceMyFrance.com