Rodez Walking tour 1h and 17 audio comments

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Behind these walls lies more than fifteen centuries of religious history. You are in front of the old Bishop’s Palace of Rodez. The diocese was founded in the 5th century with Saint Amans, the first bishop, on the lands of the ancient Gallo-Roman city of Rutenes.

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2. In front of you stands one of the largest Gothic monuments in the south of France: Notre-Dame de Rodez Cathedral. Built entirely of pink sandstone, it has dominated the city for more than seven centuries. Its fortified silhouette, once integrated into the ramparts, reminds us that it served as a place of worship as well as a refuge.

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3. You are here on Place de la Cité, in the heart of Old Rodez. Since the Middle Ages, this space adjacent to the cathedral has always been a center of religious power. Completely renovated between 2018 and 2020, the square now offers a vast granite carpet, discreet lighting and integrated benches, creating a modern meeting place within the Episcopal Quarter.

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4. Galerie Sainte-Catherine is a place where history and contemporary art meet. The building you see was once only part of the great Dominican convent, founded at the end of the 13th century on the ruins of the Roman forum in Rodez. Only the north wing, which was used as a refectory for the monks, remains of this huge complex.

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5. This is Place du Bourg, one of the historic hearts of Rodez. In the Middle Ages, this square was the domain of the Counts of Rodez, in opposition to the neighboring city controlled by the bishops. Here trade beat: fairs, markets and shops were the wealth of the Bourg, and beautiful bourgeois houses are still witnesses.

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6. Here you are in the Place Raynaldy, in the heart of the old center of Rodez. In front of you stands the Fenaille Museum, housed in the Inn de Jouéry, a remarkable private Inn mixing medieval and Renaissance architecture.

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7. While you’re quietly crossing Robert Taussat Alley, this is the perfect time to make a little room for gastronomy. Rodez is a city that can be enjoyed as much as it can be visited. Here, the cuisine is a real pride, inherited from the terroir of Aveyron and its centuries-old traditions.

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8. On your left stands the Royal Chapel of Rodez, one of the most beautiful remains of the prestigious Jesuit College. Founded in 1562 by Cardinal Georges d’Armagnac, this institution was very successful: 800 pupils were already there the following year!

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9. This is the monument to the dead of Rodez, at the entrance to the Foirail garden. Created in 1923 by the Aveyron sculptor Denys Puech, this bronze statue represents Victory, erected in tribute to the Ruthenian soldiers who fell during the First World War.

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10. You have here a building that does not go unnoticed. The Museum of Fine Arts was born in 1910 from the will of its founder, the Ruthenian sculptor Denys Puech, who dreamed of offering his hometown a real sanctuary dedicated to Aveyron art.

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11. Next to the Royal Chapel is the Foch Gallery. This 17th-century building was part of the same complex, but it had another destiny. Long integrated into the buildings of the Jesuit College, then reused with the nearby Foch High School, it ended up threatened with demolition in the 20th century.

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12. In the heart of the Foirail garden, let yourself be seduced by the Rodez bandstand. Its elegant and light cast-iron octagonal silhouette dates from 1894. It was designed by the architect Besse and made by the founder Barthe de Rodez, whose signature still appears at the bottom of a column. At the time, it housed the military orchestras of the nearby 122nd Infantry Regiment.

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Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 1 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in France, outside the cities

• Its from-price is 95% below the median of the 59 city tours we list in France, outside the cities.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 24 of 59.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.