Date: 20th July 2023
Travelled: 60 kms from Conques to Espalion
Visited: Estaing and Espalion
Stayed: Camping de Roc LโArche, โฌ17, N44.52230, E02.76940
Budget: 59 days @ โฌ87 per day
Weโve had a late breakfast and itโs time for the road once again. I set the GPS for Estaing another village on our list. The road looks like a goat track, so I check Google Maps and it looks like the goat track it is.
The road is narrow as it winds its way up and down the hills and valleys. Fortunately we only pass 4-5 cars in the hour it takes to reach Estaing.
Estaing, Rodez, Aveyron, Occitania, Metropolitan France, 12190, France
From our guide book the Most Beautiful Villages of France youโll find Estaing on page 194. Estaing stands on the River Lot, its castle overlooks the village and its magnificent 5 arch stone bridge. The Estaing family was synonymous with wealth and political influence in France from the 13th century for 300 years.
We cross the River Lot over this lovely old single lane Bridge, finding ourselves a spot with a few other motorhomes. The photo below shows a beautiful view of Estaing from our car-park.
Eventually we find the รglise Saint-Fleuret circa 15th century. Saint Fleuret is the patron saint of Estaing. The church is lovely but difficult to photograph from street level.
As we leave the church, the bells toll mid-day as we walk 50m further up the hill to find the castle is closed from 12-2pm. A little frustrating but we should know by now nothing happens in France between 12 and 2 !
Itโs a hot afternoon and the thought of sitting in the Hymer in the sun for 90 minutes doesnโt appeal to us. As thereโs no aire CC or campsite in Estaing we continue on another 10 kms to Espalion via a supermarket.
Espalion, Rodez, Aveyron, Occitania, Metropolitan France, 12500, France
Espalion isnโt in our guide book of beautiful French Villages and doesnโt rate a mention in our Rough Guide (circa 2012), but it has a nice campsite, with plenty of shade on a hot afternoon, unfortunately itโs run by a nasty old lady but thatโs a story for another day.
The town stands on the River Lot about 25 klm north of Rodez which is the largest city in the area, Google and Wiki show no interest so I havenโt added a link.
Standing on the Pont Roman (pictured above) we start chatting to Alison from Victoria of all places. After exchanging some colloquial barbs, sheโs explains sheโs walking the French Camino to Santiago de Compostela, 14 days into 46 day walk.
Dinner is mushroom and ham quiche from a little Boulangerie in Conques, it was better than good. We turn the AC on for a couple of hours before a cool change sweeps through just after mid-night. The forecast is a much cooler day tomorrow.
Michael + Pam
One thought on “Espalion, France ๐ซ๐ท 2023”
Great report I didn’t know you were famous as a champion skittles player .
Safe travels
Johannes