The original medieval townscape of Conques has been preserved in its essential features. In addition, it has been classified as one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France.
Culture
The Sainte-Foy Abbey Church was built between the 11th and 12th centuries. Its interior contains 250 Romanesque capitals distributed across two levels: in the lower section and in the galleries. The façade features a tympanum depicting the Last Judgment, dating from the same period as the church.
The abbey church’s 104 stained-glass windows create a special combination of medieval architecture and modern art: Pierre Soulages designed them between 1987 and 1994. The Trésor de Conques is one of the five major European treasures of medieval goldsmithing and the only one in France to bring together such a wealth of objects from the Early Middle Ages.
Landscape
The Lot and Dourdou rivers and their tributaries have created a network of winding, deep valleys in the undulating plateaus made of schist or granite, forming the Ségala de Conques. Since 15 January 2021, the Conques site and the Dourdou gorges have been classified. This classification recognises the high value of the landscape and protects its beauty and authenticity in the long term.
Sightseeing and Trails
Guided tours of Conques are offered to individual visitors during school holidays and regularly from April to October. For groups, they are available year-round by reservation in French, English and Spanish. A guided tour provides access to the galleries of the Sainte-Foy Abbey Church, close to the Romanesque capitals and Pierre Soulages’s stained-glass windows.
Conques is also the starting point for numerous circular hiking trails, allowing visitors to explore its historical, cultural, architectural and natural heritage.
Transport
The regular Bus LiO route 223 connects Rodez, Marcillac and Conques from April to October.
Finding a holiday apartment in Conques can be part of your personal travel planning.
Other destinations: Coubisou, Les Angles, Estaing, Salvagnac-Cajarc, Auriac-Lagast, Colombiès, Rivière-Sur-Tarn, Agen-D'aveyron
