Conques France is indeed a worthy road trip destination. Meander to Conques, France on a twisting two-lane country road as it carves its way through hills and river valleys. Stop to take a picture of a church on a hill and anything can happen!
1. Where Is Conques France?
The tiny town of Conques France is in a valley in the region of Aveyron France. My daughter and I leave from Sarlat-le-Canéda with a plan to stop in Conques for a few hours.
2. The Encounter In Aveyron, France
The approaching car slows right down and pulls up within hand’s reach of the driver’s window. I am pulled off to the side of the road in Aveyron, France while my daughter Emily snaps a few photos.
The window unrolls and a curious, age-lined face looks me straight in the eye. “Étrangère?” he asks.
Just one word. I smile. Yes, I am a foreigner although in my heart I wish it was different.
With his rural accent, he asks if I speak French. My nod unleashes a volley of chatter. I am lost. So much this trip has been lost in translation.
I realize that he is insistent we make a detour on our way to Conques, one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France.
3. La Vinzelle | Worthy Stop Near Conques France
Ten minutes later as we are driving through a town, our French guide passes us again. He rolls down his window and calls out the name of the village he has suggested, La Vinzelle. The twinkle in his eye accompanied by his serious demeanour have it duly added to the itinerary in seconds.
We turn tight corners and lose speed on the hills with our little gutless rental and then all of a sudden there is a sign for La Vinzelle. It’s a hard left off the road and a narrow laneway leads straight towards the heavens.
We continue to climb wondering what lies ahead. There is not a soul about.
We spy the bench first.
And there, tucked into the side of the gloriously green gorge is La Vinzelle, France. A quaint sight in the middle of nowhere hanging over the lush valley.
We have stumbled on a piece of paradise in the countryside of Aveyron France. A slight breeze is rustling the branches and the orchestral strains of birdsong fill the air.
I tip my beret to serendipity and a stranger fiercely proud to share a hidden gem in his own backyard.
Conques France is calling.
Read More| Nearby is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Rocamadour France. Visit the Black Madonna and climb the Grand Staircase where millions of pilgrims have ascended.
4. Conques France | Aveyron’s Jewel
The road continues its serpentine route and I pull off to let some cars pass. Below, we treasure our first glimpse of Conques France. It is a precious view of this sacred, medieval town.
Conques France is indeed nestled into a peaceful gorge shaped like a shell, after which it is aptly named. In Latin the word “concha” and in Occitan “concas” both mean shell.
We continue winding our way down towards Conques Aveyron and pay the €5 fee for parking (good for an entire year). A short walk into the village, accompanied by an ensemble of cheeping and chirping, is the perfect segue to slip back into medieval times.
The tiny cobbled streets of Conques France lead past half-timbered houses that are still lived in today.
It’s tranquil in Conques, France. The rushing River Dourdou heard but not seen, the joyful birds calling to one another and the ringing bells of L’Abbaye Sainte-Foy are the background accompaniment to a stroll through Conques.
Read More | Another Plus Beaux Village de France in the Aveyron Region is Peyre. Carved into a rock cliff, it is truly unique. It’s a one hour and 40-minute drive from Conques.
If you love medieval villages like Conques France, you might also like Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and Colmar!
These two “Most Beautiful Towns of France” are also charming. Locronan in Brittany is very quaint as is La Flotte on Ile de Ré.
5. The Abbey Church Of Sainte-Foy In Conques France
The Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy has been the centre of life in Conques for centuries.
The relics of Saint Foy, a young girl martyred in the 4th century, were brought to Conques in 883. With the remains of St. Foy, Conques became one of the main stops on the Saint-Jacques de Compestelle pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It’s over one thousand kilometres from Conques France to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
The relics of Sainte-Foy are held in a golden reliquary that is housed in the cloisters of the monastery beside the Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy. Many pilgrims make their way to Conques France to visit her remains for a blessing.
Over the western entrance to the Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy is The Last Judgement tympanum. Traces of colour can still be seen on the carved figures (apparently 124 in all). It’s fascinating to study what’s going on. Christ sits in the middle with heaven on his right and hell on his left.
Conques is tiny in size but mighty in spirit. The tranquil reverence felt in Conques France, cloistered in the Aveyron hills, is unforgettable.
More Travel Info
Travel Tips:
- Here are suggestions of where to stay in Conques on Booking.com.
- If you are staying in or close to Conques, there is a sound and light show in the Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy in the evening.
- Below Conques, there is an old bridge over the River Dourdou. Pilgrims hike here to ring the bell and wait to hear the monks reply. Close to the bridge is a wonderful view of Conques from the valley below.
Looking for more information on Aveyron, France? This site has lots.
What else have I written about France? Find all my posts right here.
Heading to Paris?
All my Paris resources are right here on this page.
If you love that village feel in Paris these areas might interest you:
Montmartre, much like Ile Saint- Louis, feels like a small village. This post on Montmartre leads you to the most popular sites as well as some lesser-known places on the hill.
Le Marais is one of the oldest areas of Paris. Once marshland, it is hopping with boutiques, cafés, gorgeous old mansions and museums. Read my full guide to le Marais.
Canal Saint-Martin is great fun to explore. Here is what to do in this Bobo quartier.
These hidden gems of Paris will lead you to uncover some super secrets in Paris.
Travelling around France? Here are three guidebooks that I recommend? This one by Rick Steves, this Lonely Planet guide and also this Eyewitness Travel guide.
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Incroyable !
Oui, c’est ça…vraiment incroyable! 🙂
Lovely post and beautiful photos! Looks like the perfect place to go and explore for the day 🙂
Thank you! Yes – it is a perfect, unforgettable day trip!
What a wonderful article about a stunningly beautiful and sleepy little medieval village. The countryside around Conques and La Vinzelle is so picturesque and your photographs are wonderful! I loved the part about the local who wanted to be sure you visited his village! Delightful!! Continue with this blog. It’s so inspiring!!
Thanks, Susan! It is a stunning part of France. The local was a treasure… My favourite part of travelling? The unlikely encounters with locals!
What a lovely post! It is always the little villages that surprise me the most, and I end up falling in love with 🙂 Your photos are amazing – really making me want to visit.
I know. I think I have left a little piece of my heart in a lot of little villages around the world!
I love your narrative journey. European capitals are amazing and can’t be missed, but it’s the small towns where you can find the soul of the country. Even if English isn’t common place, the broken speech will reveal the secrets in its own way.
So true. Confirms what I already know…spend LOTS of time in Europe to get to know the cities and also the small towns! 🙂
What amazing scenery for your road trip, being Australian our road trips consist of hours and hours of pretty much nothing!
I think it would be very difficult not to stop every 5 seconds to capture such amazing sites when road tripping through France. We try to get places fast as there’s pretty much nothing in between!
Canadian road trips can be quite similar to Australian. Hours and hours of driving to get somewhere! The fun thing about this road trip in France is that we did pull off to the side of the road many times and found lovely hidden gems!
There really is nothing better than chatting to a friendly local to get to the hidden secret spots! Long live serendipitous meetings.
Agreed!
It looks lovely, but pretty far from where my fiance has friends or family. So it’s gonna get wait-listed till we move there for good 🙂
I would love to move to France too!
What a beautiful medieval town you came upon. I would be so delighted to stumble upon this town as I love wandering through cobblestone streets. I never really ever thought about road tripping through France, but this has certainly changed my mind. I need to learn some French tho 🙂
Add road tripping through France to your list as it really is wonderful! Always having a little French in your back pocket is handy!
I am loving your France series. You also find the best, go-get-lost, quaint villages. How sweet of the man to want to show you something you might not have seen otherwise. And 5 Euro for a YEAR of parking? Um, that idea needs to spread like wildlife. L’Abbaye Sainte-Foy is absolutely gorgeous and totally worth the entire trip!
Thanks Heather! Much more on France is coming your way!! 🙂 I could have sat for hours by the L’Abbaye Sainte-Foy, both inside and out!
Serendipity … stop to take a photo and anything can happen. LOVE your writing style and narrative. You have a new follower! We’ve had locals we encounter by chance invite us into their homes, show us things we might not have otherwise thought to see, told us tales we might not otherwise have learned.
The serendipitous interactions with locals are always the most memorable part of a journey!
You had me at your response to the Frenchman’s “Étrangère” question! We are kindred spirits, as I wish I was a France local as well!
I could read your stories all day long. So lovely! I have pinned and will definitely add this to my list, as I am planning to go to this area in 2 years.
Such a great gem you have found. Thank you.
It is so great to find a kindred spirit. I am going to find a way to live there for a while. My next dream! Thank you for the feedback on my travel posts, so very much appreciated. We will have to share some stories about our mutual love of France!
I love road trips but we have only done them in North America where the roads are good and wide. Tried in the UK but they were so narrow and bumpy at times. France seems to be better/ And little medieval villages like Conques and La Vinzelle are so intriguing, especially with your photos!
You just might need to add France to the list. Some of the roads are pretty narrow, though!