Rodez (Aveyron)
One of the few notable cathedrals in Gascony looms up in the public square in Rodez, a medieval hill town which was once the scene of bitter strife between the nobility and the Church. The cathedral Façade has the air of an immense fortress, sprinkled with architectural finery on the top. Beyond it rises the central tower built of reddish-brown stone, as joyous a bit of flamboyant Gothic as you will find in many a day.
One of the best places to admire this imposing edifice is from the cafe terrace of the HÔTEL BROUSSY, and. incidentally. it is a very good place to spend the night as well. Monsieur and Madame Broussy are genial and very efficient hôteliers. The food is good, the atmosphere is pleasant, and the town provides shaded avenues for a postprandial stroll.
The BUFFET OH LA GAPE in Rodez is one of the best in France, in case you are motoring through and want to be served expeditiously.
Espalion (Aveyron)
The valley of the River Lot is one of the mast beguiling stretches of French countryside, alternately savage and placid. The picturesque town of Espalion is on the placid side and is a favorite spot for fishermen and painters. In fact, we observed one riverbank artist who was both. He kept two fishpoles dangling in the water while working on his canvas. There is much to paint here—a particularly graceful and ancient bridge built of red stone (the title picture) and a serene Renaissance château at the water's edge. The neighboring towns of St. Côme and Estaing are almost as tempting to the watercolorist. etcher, or painter. As a consequence, Espalion has been for generations a favorite site for summer art schools.
Another reason for its popularity is the charming hotel which shelters most of the artists. This is the HÔTEL MODERN, a large and comfortable inn with a pleasant bar and cafe terrace co greet the canvas-laden painter after a day's daubing. Better still, the rustic dining room greets him with a topnotch dinner, and at very acceptable prices. Monsieur Berthier, the affable patron, is a true artist's friend, and the walls of his colorful hostelry are covered with paintings, mostly dedicated to him.
Millau (Aveyron)
Half of the kid gloves for which France is famous are manufactured in the animated valley town of Millau. Not far away is the hillside village of Roquefort-sur-Soul/on, sole producer of authentic Roquefort cheese. How are the two related? By the simple fact that Roquefort cheese is made from ewe's milk. The neighboring bills and prairies for miles around are doited with herds of sheep, but there are few youngsters among them. They have generally made an early sacrifice, to conserve the milk for more gastronomic purposes, to provide the countryside with tender young gigots, and to supply the Millau tanneries with the very special leather which makes kid gloves. This sort of thing has been going on for a long time, since the twelfth century, in fact. It is nor surprising that the town of Millau, in spite of its industrial aspect, contains a shrine of good food, where the leg of lamb and the slab of Roquefort are supreme. It goes under the trite name of the HÔTEL DE COMMMERCE, but there is nothing banal about the cooking. Monsieur Canac presides over an estimable kitchen. Mis cheerful dining salon faces a garden, and his Gaillac white wine is something to rave about. Millau is at the southern end of the famous Gorges du Tarn, and motorists who make this dramatic valley trip will find at this hotel a toothsome terminal.
Roquefort-Sur-Souzon (Aveyron)
Gascony makes no greater contribution to the contentment of mankind than the familiar silver-clad disks of cheese which are shipped to every corner of the world from this isolated village. It is a gray and unbeautiful settlement, crouched against the side of the dramatic Rocks of Combalou, which, if less imposing than Gibraltar, ate far more fragrant. A prehistoric prank of nature made a well-ventilated chaos out of the inner base of (his rock. When caves were dug in them centuries ago, this vigorous humid ventilation had an extraordinary effect on newly made cheese. Pliny was chanting praises of the caves of Roquefort back in the first century, so they are no novelty. but they are fascinating places to visit, and you will be too interested to be aware of any cold, humid draft. You will see how the ewe's milk is treated with the Penicillium roquefortii, which is later transformed into the familiar blue spotting. You will see the cheeses being formed, then rubbed with salt, then poked with holes to allow the humid air to penetrate. After wandering through acres of vaulted caves, one can't help but have an added respect for this king of cheeses and for the hospitality of its producers.
As an aftermath (or a prelude) to this memorable experience, a monumental meal awaits you at Roquefort's celebrated hostelry, the GRAND HÔTEL. It is a copious repast, carefully planned, beautifully prepared and served, so you shouldn't mind if they offer this and nothing else. In the summer the menu follows a path of brilliance something like this: a little Midi melon half filled with port, pâte feuilleteé roquefortaise, being a gossamer flaky pastry with a mild Roquefort stuffing, truite amandine, volatile à la brocbe (chicken on the spit), haricots verts au beurre. (green beans brought scalding hot to the table, whereon they immediately melted a large lump of butter), salade de lailue, the divine Roquefort itself, of course, a delicious ice, and coffee. The tariff, exclusive of wine and service, was about three dollars, and eminently worth it.
Monsieur Lautard, who has been actively in charge of the Grand Hotel for decades, is very much of a personality—alert, attentive, but in the old tradition. From his manner, he might easily be the manager of the Savoy. His hotel is being modernized step by step, and the refurbished quarters are very comfortable indeed. In addition, he has converted some of the low-vaulted underground Cellars into banquet halls and dining salons where one may escape the summer heat.
Pinterest
