Founded in 1252 by Alphonse de Poitiers, Count of Toulouse and brother of St Louis, the royal fortified town of Villefranche-de-Rouergue in the Aveyron Valley boasts a remarkable and picturesque range of buildings. At the heart of the town is Place Notre-Dame, a listed Historic Monument which is simply superb, with its medieval archways, beautiful old houses and an imposing bell-tower standing 54 metres high on top of the Collegiate Church of Our Lady. The latter contains carved wood stalls and a stone pulpit from the15th century.
On a tour of Villefranche-de-Rouergue you can also admire the details on the façades of its splendid houses, like the houses of Armand, Combettes, Dardenne and Gaubert.
Opposite the charming Place de la Fontaine, the Urbain Cabrol Municipal Museum, based in an 18th-century mansion, displays collections about local history: mineralogy, archaeology, baroque art, popular arts and traditions...
Don't miss the local produce market that takes place every Thursday morning on Place Notre-Dame!
