The Aveyron and the Tarn

4 days · ~8 h 25 driving ·Rivers, Castles, Hill towns

North-east of Toulouse, the Tarn and the Aveyron are a land of bastides, river valleys and castles. Cordes-sur-Ciel, founded on a hilltop in 1222, Monestiés and Sauveterre-de-Rouergue, a bastide around an arcaded square, lead north to the Lot valley, where Sainte-Eulalie-d'Olt, Saint-Côme-d'Olt and Estaing sit by the river; Olt is the old name of the Lot. Conques, with its abbey church on the pilgrim road to Santiago, is the high point, and the way back follows the Aveyron to the castles of Belcastel and Najac.

Day by day

Driving times are approximate, from OpenStreetMap roads without traffic; long legs are rougher estimates. The Google Maps links give up-to-date times.

Day 1
~2 h 20 driving · 6 h visiting
1. Toulouse AirportLeaving from
2. ~1 h 15 driving · 95 km
  Cordes-sur-CielOccitania
3. ~15 min driving · 15 km
  MonestiésOccitania
4. ~50 min driving · 44 km
  Sauveterre-de-RouergueOccitania
5. Overnight in Sauveterre-de-Rouergue
Day 2
~1 h 55 driving · 6 h visiting
1. ~1 h 15 driving · 80 km
  Sainte-Eulalie-d'OltOccitania
2. ~25 min driving · 21 km
  Saint-Côme-d'OltOccitania
3. ~15 min driving · 14 km
  EstaingOccitania
4. Overnight in Estaing
Day 3
~2 h 25 driving · 6 h visiting
1. ~45 min driving · 39 km
  ConquesOccitania
2. ~45 min driving · 43 km
  BelcastelOccitania
3. ~55 min driving · 53 km
  NajacOccitania
4. Overnight in Najac
Day 4
~1 h 45 driving
1. ~1 h 45 driving · 120 km
  Toulouse AirportReturning to

Day by day

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4