Annotation 2022 07 06 100017Annotation 2022 07 06 100017
©Annotation 2022 07 06 100017

Villecomtal Petites Cités de Caractère

  1. Welcome to Terres d’Aveyron
  2. Explore
  3. Journey to the heart of our villages
  4. Villecomtal
It’s said to be singular, with its gingerbread-colored houses and small bastide layout! It has now become a ®Petite Cité de Caractère, like 5 other villages in Aveyron. Wind your way through the Dourdou Valley and you’ll come across the pretty village of Rougier, nestled in the heart of a lush forest.
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©Img 6996|Mairie de Villecomtal

    Villecomtal A story of character

    In Villecomtal, the audacity of the people who made the town’s history can be seen even within its walls. It was Henry II, Count of Rodez, who founded the Villa Comtalis in the early Middle Ages. Pass through the Portal Bas and discover its heritage to the soothing rhythm of its clock. In the cobbled alleyways, half-timbered houses line up on a plan as rectilinear as a checkerboard. Below, the Dourdou river brings a touch of freshness to the serene village. Take your time lounging on the terrace, or why not take a hike for a breath of fresh air?

    Le Rougier

    Villecomtal is located in the Rougier region, an area where iron oxide-laden soil takes on beautiful garnet hues. It is over these porous soils that the Dourdou Valley flows. In winter, when its waters are high, the river is sometimes said to be red with anger as it carries away this ferruginous earth. Occasionally, the river encounters limestone boulders into which it has carved vertiginous gorges, as in theCanyon de Bozouls.

    What to see in Villecomtal The must-haves

    • Le Portal bas
    • L’Espace des Enfarinés and its mineral collection
    • Its spinning mills
    • Its gardens: scents and Vinhn Luu
    Let us guide you! The village is waiting for you to reveal its secrets through a digital tour.
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    ©211villecomtal Clt
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    ©Villecomtal 4
    Villecomtal Comtal Lot Truyere Tourisme Aveyron Photo Maxime Authier 27Villecomtal Comtal Lot Truyere Tourisme Aveyron Photo Maxime Authier 27
    ©Villecomtal Comtal Lot Truyere Tourisme Aveyron Photo Maxime Authier 27|Maxime Authierlex.A
    In Villecomtal, the Portal Bas marked the entrance to the village and features a clock. On the left, the building houses the Espace des Enfarinés.In Villecomtal, the Portal Bas marked the entrance to the village and features a clock. On the left, the building houses the Espace des Enfarinés.
    ©Portal Bas in Villecomtal|S.Beauchamp - OT Terres d'Aveyron
    Espace Des Enfarines 2Espace Des Enfarines 2
    ©Espace Des Enfarines 2
    Espace Des Enfarines 1Espace Des Enfarines 1
    ©Espace Des Enfarines 1

      The Enfarinés Qu'es acho?

      Don’t get me wrong, it’s nothing to do with a mill, although between the streams and the Dourdou around Villecomtal, water is everywhere! It’s the story of the rebellious Enfarinés, who powdered their hair to attend church. Fiercely opposed to the religious powers of the time, they created their own movement, the Petite Église, which had a repercussion throughout the region.
      Are you interested in this story? Visit the Espace des Enfarinés. This exhibition space also houses an impressive collection of minerals and fossils.

      Take an enchanting leap Vinh Luu Garden

      On the outskirts of the village, this garden of wonders was created by local residents as a tribute to the scientists Claudine and Vinh Luu. Influenced by his wife, this physicist by training devoted his life to research into the memory of water through the study of plants. Between its paths, medicinal plants and scented arbors will lead you to a water lily pond. And if botany fascinates you, follow Vinh’s pathways, which he made his open-air laboratory.

      Jardin Vihn Luuot Terres Daveyron 3Jardin Vihn Luuot Terres Daveyron 3
      ©Jardin Vihn Luuot Terres Daveyron 3

        The V86 cycle route of the lot valley

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        ©Villecomtal Vdl Velo Smbl@joeldamas 7590

           To your pedals

          Villecomtal is crossed by a variant of the V86, the Véloroute de la Vallée du Lot. This will take you to Conques, with its remarkable abbey church. In the other direction, the Dourdou will be your guide to picturesque Rodelle, perched on its rocky outcrop, or the spectacular Bozouls Canyon. With one pedal stroke (or several!), you can reach the Lot Valley via Espalion or Estaing. Get on your bikes and enjoy the gentle countryside along the river.

          Organize his getaway in Villecomtal

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          ©Addon Starter Image 4
          Woolen mills

          An ancestral practice full of common sense, the exploitation of local wool has nevertheless unraveled over the decades. Aware of its value, our craftsmen have updated a practice that has all but disappeared.

          Today, there are two wool spinning mills in the village. An activity that is coming back to life through a material that is regaining its nobility in the valorization and local production. From time to time, they open their doors to you to share their passion. Perhaps you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the cozy atmosphere of their workshop and hear the gentle hum of the machines?

          Discover the portrait of Guillaume, from Maison Jouin

          Towards further discoveries