The local area is full of historical and interesting places to visit.
In the immediate vicinity...........   On your doorstep you have plenty of walks to keep you occupied, one of these starting at the nearby village of Mirabel, a village used by the French Resistance in the Second World War. The walk takes you down through the woods on the outskirts and then continues back along the banks of the river Aveyron.    Another walk could include the medieval village of Peyrusse le Roc the former stronghold of the Dukes of Aquitaine and the Counts of Toulouse. The magnificent remains of Peyrusse le Roc with its twins towers perched in the middle of the valley, which can be climbed or just admired from a distance. After visiting the village you walk down to the valley stopping from time to time to read  the history of various 12 century buildings, the tomb of King and Castle, the synagogue and remains of the hospital walls....a magical historical place.
Najac	Peyrusse le Roc
The Marcillac valley	With 7000km of rivers and close to 40 lakes, the Aveyron is a real paradise for those who love fishing. With its superb lakes, its great rivers (the Lot, Tarn and Aveyron) and its numerous streams, the Aveyron offers something for all fishing techniques. Numerous zander, pike, perch, carp, and of course wild trout live in the waters of the Aveyron.   Whether you are an experienced angler or simply a beginner, the Aveyron, will introduce you to fishing in magnificent natural surroundings. You could fish in the river at the nearby Belcastel - named as "one of the most beautiful villages in France"  with its chateau and Michelin star restaurant.    Alternatively, there is always the option of horse riding in the Marcillac valley , the children could  go horse riding while the adults sit down in the fantastic restuarant next door and watch their lunch being cooked over a spit or they could pop into the village and sample the local wine at the various surrounding vineyards.
The medieval bastide town of Villefranche de Rouergue holds a weekly farmers' market and is said to be the best in the region. There you will often hear the regional language of Patois spoken. After the market you could choose to walk down the river for a lazy lunch or have a look around the nearby Abbaye de Loc Dieu where the Mona Lisa was secreted during World War II.    For the children there are plenty of animal parks, my favourite being the Chateau Colombiers. You can take a picnic and  eat it in the grounds of the chateau while the children play with the various games scattered around such as an oversized chess and draughts board. Then you have the opportunity to visit the chateau and then tour the park while the wolves, bears and lions are being fed in a natural environent......... a fantastic day out...alternatively  you could canoe or Kayak from the bases of Villefranche or Najac amd view the scenery from a totally different perspective.   Places of interest that are within easy driving distance for a pleasant day out......   Najac is a must to be visited, with its imposing chateau placed high above the village. There is also Conques, which has been classed as a world heritage site,  St Antonin Val Noble with it's Sunday market , Cirq Lapopie, and Rocamadour - famous for its eagles , Bozouls , Brousse le chateau, La Couvertoirade, Sauveterre du Rouergue with it's arched market square and Cordes sur ciel to name but a few ...    We find that wherever you drive in the Aveyron it is always pleasant due to fantastic scenery and very , very little traffic and therefore further afield but again a lovely day out.....    The Tarn gorges are only 1 hr 30 minutes away  or you could drive into the mountains of Aubrac, and visit the town of Languiole famous for it's knives.    The civil engineers of the family could visit the viaduct at millau, while others may decide to take the picturesque train journey to Toulouse for some serious shopping and have lunch on the banks of the Midi canal. History surrounded by tranquillity ....the choice is endless

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