Viaduct Millau and two Plus Beaux Villages

Saturday, June 1

We continue our Plus Beaux Villages visits this morning with the goal of ending in Millau, which is about one third of the way from Rodez south to Montpellier.  The villages, however, take us west of Rodez.  We are ambitious in our desires to not only see some villages but to visit some other noteworthy sites; however, after our second village, which has taken us even further west, and it is almost 1 pm, both Tom and I note that we need to turn eastward.  Tom really wants to see the Viaduct at Millau, which is why we are stopping in Millau this evening. 

Rodez has two cathedrals, one of which we can view from our hotel room windows.  The other church is made of a red stone and is what one could call a more flamboyant gothic style.

The first village we visit is Belcastel.  The village borders a river, and there is an old stone bridge you can cross to get to the church.  This seems to be a popular place for camping because we see quite a few caravaners (people who are pulling trailers or driving small motor homes).  A castle is built high above the village, and there appears to have been some restoration work.

It is busy this morning, and I watch one of the villagers who has come to sit in front of the Office de Tourisme.  

We have begun noticing the presence, somewhat subtly, of labyrinth designs.  Tom pointed out one at the south end of the bridge.  

We then found another at the north end.

The second village we visit is Najac.  

Mom and Tom have been there before, but they notice that a lot of work has been done in the village.  We are not able to go in the church since it is closed during the time we are there. 

When Mom and Tom had visited before, they spoke with a Danish couple who were working on their home and garden. 

 The Danish couple told Mom and Tom that legend has it that Richard the Lionhearted slept in the tower next to their house.

One couple of the villagers come out of their house to tend their garden, and they start conversing with a group of Japanese women we had also seen at Belcastel.  Tom is in the mix as well.  I tell the couple that their house is plus belle, and they point out that the well in their garden is an old Roman well.  Their Siamese cat lolls on the porch, and the Japanese women and I bid au revoir.

They are pleased to point out their well which they say dates from Roman times.

On the way back to the car, Mom stops to talk to a woman who had been sitting on a wall since we arrived. There is a cat on the wall as we go back, and the woman tells Mom that the cat crept up on her and scared her.  Mom and the woman have quite a long conversation, and since the woman had been sitting there for so long, Mom was worried that she might need some help. It turns out that this woman is taking herself on a trip to Plus Beaux Villages via train.

As we near Millau, Tom starts getting excited, and I ask if we are going over the Viaduct.  He says, you bet we are!  Mom is a bit worried because the Viaduct crosses a deep gorge.  Tom says, Kathy will take lots of pictures.  I guess I will!  There is an Aire or rest stop set up for people to take pictures of the view, which we circle, then head across.  We have to go a ways in order to turn back and descend into Millau.  There is another view area in which we stop, and we are able to get pictures of the Viaduct and the town.

Once we get into town, there is a traditional festival going on.  People are dressed in costumes.  They are dancing and playing music.  A man at the back carries his bass fiddle.  The police are escorting them, so we know it is something official.  It is nice to watch until we realize they are blocking the street on which we need to go for our hotel.  

Talk about circulading!  The hotel is tucked away on a one-way street.  After parking in their secured area, which takes some doing to get in and out, we ask about restaurants nearby, but we are all tired, and I say to Mom and Tom that they can go out if they want,  but I will stay at the hotel and have a Croq Monsieur (grilled ham and cheese).  They decide to do the same which we take to my room because it is cooler in my room than in theirs.  I also have a view of Millau’s cathedral is, basically, right out my window!  I have a sliding glass door which I would like to leave open, but there is too much light coming in, so I shut it and the curtain.