Twice a thousand years old, the capital of Aveyron, called Segodurum ("victorious fortress") by the Rutenes, a Gallic people, is a city that immediately captivates visitors with its Gothic cathedral, Notre Dame de Rodez, and its superb 87-metre-high red sandstone bell tower.
Completed in the early 16th century, it dominates the entire urban area, including the pedestrianized streets of the historic center.
Place de la Cité, rue de Bonald, rue Neuve, Place du Bourg and Place Foch are just some of the places to visit, with their fine Renaissance residences and splendid private mansions (Maison d'Armagnac, Maison de l'Annonciation, Hôtel Delauro, Hôtel d'Adhémar, Hôtel de Bonald),
Rodez also boasts two excellent museums: the musée Denys Puech, named after the Aveyron sculptor, and the musée Fenaille, which houses a collection of menhir statues that is unique in Europe.
And since spring 2014, Rodez has been home to another eagerly-awaited museum, the Musée Pierre Soulages a local child and renowned painter.
The Musée Pierre Soulages houses 21 of his paintings on canvas, 100 paintings on paper, all of his engraved work, all of the preparatory work for the stained glass windows in the Conques abbey church, and many other treasures that the artist donated to the city.
Rodez is also renowned for its Occitan festival, l'Estivada, now known as F'Estivada.
A festival that took place every last week of July, bringing together 60,000 participants, 400 artists, 60 free shows, 3 nationalities, 8 regions and 30 departments. So today we're talking about F'estivada.
Last but not least, Rodez is home to one of France's finest national stud farms, located since 1809 in a former Carthusian convent dating from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Its listed buildings house stallions of various breeds (Thoroughbred Arabian, Anglo-Arabian, French Saddlebred, Comtois and Breton traits), as well as numerous facilities dedicated to the horse.
Rodez Town Hall
Place Eugène Raynaldy,
12000 Rodez
Tel.: 05 65 77 88 00
http://www.ville-rodez.fr/
http://tourisme.grand-rodez.com/
Translated with DeepL.com
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