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The Tarn valley - The Tarn Gorges

Lisle sur Tarn
Gaillac
Albi
Ambialet
Brousse
St Rome de Tarn
Millau
Le Rozier
Gorge de
la Dourbie

Download route and contact information in pdf format.

From the Tarn Gorges upstream of Millau,
the Tarn gradually leaves its steep-sided canyons carved from the limestone of the Causses and widens out into a gentle valley, bordered by cliffs as far as Ambialet, then wide and calm down to Albi, where for centuries the cathedral of Sainte Cécile and the Palais de la Berbie, which houses the Toulouse Lautrec Museum, have been reflected in the sparkling mirror of its green waters. A very attractive road follows the river from the Gorges down to Albi, then continues on into the Tarn et Garonne.

Towns not to be missed

Lisle sur Tarn
This 13th century bastide possesses the largest square surrounded by couverts (covered arcades) in the South-West. Half-timbered houses with passages passing below their upper storeys lead us down to the water. Like all these villages linked to the Tarn, Lisle sur Tarn is best seen from the opposite bank ; its terraces and ramps cascading down to the former port.

Gaillac
Stroll around Foucaud Castle, which houses the Fine Arts Museum, taking its ease on the vast French-style lawns and in its terraced gardens embellished with pools and fountains. Beside the abbey church, the Musée de l'Abbaye Saint Michel has various galleries linked to the theme of the history of the city and of the Gaillac vineyards. Gaillac wine… pride of the South-West !

Albi
Go along the banks of the Tarn, under the Pont Neuf and the Pont Vieux to enjoy unusual views of the Palais de la Berbie, which houses the Toulouse Lautrec Museum, the old town, full of Renaissance houses, and the flamboyant cathedral, where Italian artists painted hell and heaven as nowhere else.

Ambialet
Here, the Tarn forms a wide loop around the hill and the former priory. The isthmus is attached to the bank by a narrow hill crest against which nestle the houses, and on which stand the ruins of the castle, the Romanesque church perched on a rock and the old priory.

Brousse le Château
Into the "Parc Régional Naturel des Grands Causses", here is Brousse le Château, indistinguishable from the rocks, access via the span of a Gothic bridge. Lanes which become flights of steps lead us to the feudal castle. The village is "one of the most beautiful in France" - I can easily believe that.

Millau
This bridge sets world records for height, with masts reaching 340 meters (higher than the Eiffel Tower). The Millau Viaduct is multi-span, cablestayed, 2,460 meters long, and provides 2 driving lanes in each direction, skipping over the Tarn Valley touching down at only 9 points. It fits very nicely into the surrounding countryside, thus meeting the requirements of the architect. To meet these requirements, however, highly advanced technologies were employed, including a streamlined steel bridge-deck supported by cable-stays and resting upon 7 very slim piers constructed with high-grade concrete. It climbs a gentle slope of 3% from north to south, and has a slight curve on-plan.

Where to go ?

Saint-Sulpice la Pointe
Souterrain du Castela
Ruine du château du Castela
Eglise du XVIe siècle
Marché le mercredi matin.

00 33 (5) 63 41 89 50

Rabastens
Eglise Notre Dame du Bourg
Musée du Pays Rabastinois
Marché samedi matin.

00 33 (5) 63 33 56 90

Giroussens
Maison de la céramique contemporaine.

00 33 (5) 63 41 68 22

Lisle sur Tarn
Musée d'Art du chocolat
Musée Raymond Lafage
Marché dimanche matin.

00 33 (5) 63 40 31 85

Gaillac
Musée de l’Abbaye, de la Vigne et du Vin
Musée des Beaux Arts
Museum d’Histoire Naturelle
Train Miniature du Gaillacois
Marché mardi, vendredi et dimanche matin
Tél. 05 63 57 14 65

Albi
Cathédrale Sainte Cécile
Musée Toulouse Lautrec
Musée Lapérouse
Maison du viel Alby
Jardin de la Berbie
Marché tous les jours sauf le lundi

00 33 (5) 63 49 48 80

Saint Juéry
Musée du Saut du Tarn
Marché le jeudi matin

00 33 (5) 63 45 97 07

Ambialet
Méandre du Tarn. Prieuré.
Marché mercredi matin en juillet/août

00 33 (5) 63 55 39 14

Coupiac
Visite du Château fort.

00 33 (5) 65 99 79 45

Brousse le Château
Visite du Château fort des IXe et XVIe siècles, un site exceptionnel dans la vallée du Tarn.

00 33 (5) 65 99 45 40.

Le Truel
Visite du barrage EDF sur le Tarn. Escapade des Raspes

00 33 (5) 65 62 58 21

Montpellier Le Vieux
Circuit pédestre ou en petit train d’un chaos rocheux ruiniforme surplombant les gorges et les grands causses.

00 33 (5) 65 60 66 30

Millau
Visite du Beffroi.
Musée de la peau et du gant. Site archéologique de la Graufesenque. Viaduc de Millau

00 33 (5) 65 60 02 42

Compeyre
Maison de la Vigne et visites
de caves troglodytes.

00 33 (5) 65 59 03 06

Rivière sur Tarn
Visite du château de Peyrelade, vestiges d’une forteresse moyenâgeuse.

00 33 (5) 65 59 74 28
ou 05 65 59 81 37

Le Viala du Tarn
Bateau promenade Le Héron des Raspes, à la découverte des « Raspes du Tarn ».

00 33 (5) 65 62 59 12

Where to stay ?

Albi
• Hôtel restaurant La Réserve****
Relais et Châteaux
Route de Cordes

00 33 (5) 63 60 80 80

00 33 (5) 63 47 63 60

• Hôtel Mercure***
41, rue Porta

00 33 (5) 63 47 66 66

00 33 (5) 63 46 18 40

• Hôtel Le Vieil Alby**
Logis de France
25, rue Séré de Rivière

00 33 (5) 63 54 14 69

00 33 (5) 63 54 96 75

• Hôtel Chiffre***
Logis de France
50 rue Sérè de Rivière
81000 ALBI

00 33 (5) 63 48 58 48

00 33 (5) 63 38 11 15

• Hôtel Le St Antoine****
Châteaux Hôtel de France
17, rue Saint Antoine

00 33 (5) 63 54 04 04

00 33 (5) 63 47 10 47

• Grand Hôtel d’Orléans***
Restaurant Le Goulu
Best Western
Place stalingrad

00 33 (5) 63 54 16 56

00 33 (5) 63 54 43 41

• Hôtel restaurant Hostellerie du Vigan ***
Logis de France
16 Place du Vigan

00 33 (5) 63 43 31 31

00 33 (5) 63 47 05 42

• Hôtel Les Pasteliers **
Logis de France
3, rue Balzac

00 33 (5) 63 54 26 51

00 33 (5) 63 54 91 12

Ambialet
• Hôtel restaurant du Pont **
Logis de France
La Moulinquié

00 33 (5) 63 55 32 07

00 33 (5) 63 55 37 21

Villeneuve sur Tarn
• Hôtel des Lauriers **
Logis de France

00 33 (5) 63 55 84 23

00 33 (5) 63 55 94 85

Brousse le Château
• Le Relays du Chasteau**
Logis de France.

00 33 (5) 65 99 40 15

00 33 (5) 65 99 21 25

Gaillac
• Hôtel restaurant La Verrerie**
Logis de France
1 rue de l’Egalité

00 33 (5) 63 57 32 77

00 33 (5) 63 57 32 27

Millau
• Hôtel-Restaurant La
Musardière*** Châteaux et
hôtels de France

00 33 (5) 65 60 2063

00 33 (5) 65 59 7813

• Hôtel-restaurant Le
Château de Creissels**
Châteaux et hôtels de France

00 33 (5) 65 60 1659

00 33 (5) 65 61 2463

Compeyre
• Chambres d’hôtes et ferme auberge
de Quiers (3 épis)

00 33 (5) 65 59 85 10

00 33 (5) 65 59 80 99

Mostuéjouls
• Au bord du Tarn
Grand Hôtel de la Muse et
du Rozier***.

00 33 (5) 65 62 60 01

00 33 (5) 65 62 63 88

Peyreleau
• Chambres d’hôtes de charme l’Ermitage (3 épis)

00 33 (5) 65 62 61 91

00 33 (6) 08 51 23 65

• Chambres d'hôtes La Grange Templière, Table d'hôtes

00 33 (5) 65 61 82 09

00 33 (6) 77 05 78 35

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Discovery offer

Albi - Tarn Gorges tour
Following the river, explore a lovely, scenic route : the Tarn Valley and Gorges. Visit Albi and its prestigious cultural heritage, including the museum dedicated to the painter Toulouse Lautrec and the fortress-cathedral of Sainte Cécile. See the Tarn Gorges, a spectacular natural site where the Jonte and the Tarn flow in deep, precipitous ravines.

5 day / 4 night tour (2 nights in Albi, 2 nights in the Gorges, half-board in 3 star hôtels). From 289 euros /pers.

Reservation : Loisirs Accueil Aveyron : 17 rue Aristide Briand - BP 831 - 12008 Rodez Cedex - Tel. : 05 65 75 55 50 / Fax : 05 65 75 55 89

Contacts :
sla.aveyron@wanadoo.fr
www.reservation-aveyron.com

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