Date: 19th July 2023
Travelled: 70 kms from Cabrerets to Conques
Visited: Capdenac-le-Haut and Conques-en-Rouergue
Stayed: Camping le Temps, โฌ22, N44.59890, E02.39280
Budget: 57 days @ โฌ85 per day
We escape Cabrerets via the D41 which follows the River Cรฉlรฉ upstream away from its confluence with the Lot. This is canoe country and we follow a small truck towing a trailer with a dozen or more canoes which no doubt will be back at Cabrerets later today sometime.
Iโve told your before the French love a day drifting along in a plastic canoe.
Itโs a long slow drive to Capdenac, the road is narrow, old tunnels and single lane bridges.
From our guide book the Most Beautiful Villages of France youโll find Capdenac-le-Haut on page 179. Capdenac stands on a rocky outcrop overlooking the River Lot as it meanders its way through the valley below.
From a historic perspective everyone from Julius Caesar to Hitler has called Capdenac home at one point.
Capdenac has a motorhome parking area close to the old city gate so thatโs a good start to our exploration.
Having wandered Capdenac for 45 minutes the village is done. The keep has a museum but it doesnโt open until 2pm so weโll not see that.
We make our way back to the Hymer setting the GPS for Conques. We do a little Google Maps check and find a slightly longer but much faster route road. How can we tell, it has a broken white line down the middle !
From our guide book the Most Beautiful Villages of France youโll find Conques-en-Rouergue on page 188. Conques stands just above the confluence of the Rivers Ouche and Dourdou. Its abbey church the Abbatiale Saint-Foy, is an important way-point for pilgrims or just walkers doing the French Comino.
The day is getting away by the time we arrive so we pop into the campsite located on the Dourdou getting a spot for the Hymer in the shade. It was a beautiful spot, plenty of shade and a big roomy site.
Despite our best intentions to walk up to Conques at 5pm we weaken and decide a drink would be a better option. So we enjoy our evening in situ watching the waters of the Dourdou go past with the odd canoe.
Next morning after coffee and fruit we start the long walk up the hill to Conques. Itโs actually only a kilometre although steep, we make it easily in the cool morning air.
The Abbatiale Saint-Foy is magnificent, cathedral like in its statue. The original 8th century church was deconstructed to be rebuilt in the 11th century. In the late 11th century five additional chapels were added radiating behind the altar . The addition of relics added to its importance and it became part of the pilgrims journey to Saint de Compostela in Spain..
Conques is a gem. We considered ourselves lucky to have been here early before the tourists arrive in force. Weโve been able to walk the laneways by ourselves and get some great photos. Did you know you can hire a donkey to walk the pilgrims path with you ?
Weโre done and itโs time to continue east to our next adventure.
Michael + Pam
