Photo : HAF 932 / Wikimedia Commons (domaine public)
Villages · Aveyron
Espalion
Espalion, in the Aveyron, grew up along the Lot, crossed in its centre by the Pont-Vieux, a 12th-century fortified bridge listed as a historic monument as early as 1888. The façades of the old tanners' houses along the water make one of the most photographed views in the Rouergue.
The town also has the old bishop's palace, housing the Joseph-Vaylet museum, and the Romanesque chapel of Perse on its outskirts. A stage on the route to Santiago de Compostela, Espalion is also the starting point for the château of Calmont-d'Olt, which overlooks the valley from the nearby heights.
