A Week in Aveyron

What will a week travelling with us look like? While we have a lot of exploring and planning still to do, we've made up a week's adventures for the purposes of writing a business plan. D, an accomplished outdoorsman, will lead all of your outdoor adventures. He'll tell you about the region, translate for you (got your flashcards, D?!), and make sure everything goes smoothly (but he won't carry your pack!). There will be lots more to choose from when the business is up and running, but here's a taste of what we'll offer:

Saturday:
Arrive in Toulouse. We'll pick you up at the airport and bring you back to the area near Villefranche-de-Rouergue, a 90-minute ride. We'll get you settled into your accommodation and have a get-to-know-you drinks and nibbles party, then let you recover from the trip and get a good night's sleep.

Sunday:
After a French breakfast at your hotel, we'll pick you up and take you to Najac to go mountain-biking. There, we'll pick up our bikes and helmets and set off on an all-morning tour of some of the 350 kilometers of trails in this hilly corner of Aveyron.

Around noon, we'll turn in our bikes and head to Najac's municipal pool to cool off, splash about, and shower. Then we'll have lunch in this beautiful Bastide town and take a tour of its castle.

We'll drop you back at the hotel in time for you to change and go out to dinner if you choose.

Monday:
After breakfast, we'll pick you up and head off to either the Aveyron or the Viaur river for a day's paddling. We'll pack you a picnic lunch of local specialities to enjoy on the banks midday and D will lead you kayaking downstream through farmland and old towns.

G will pick you up at the end of the day and take you back to your hotel, again in time to go out for dinner if you choose.

Tuesday:
Wake up early! We're headed out on the 2-hour drive to the Pyrenees to go on an overnight back-packing trip in the mountains. We'll stay in a hut on the mountain overnight. We'll pack you two lunches, but dinner and breakfast are included at the hut.

Wednesday:
Back by dinner time from the hiking trip.

Thursday:
Today we're taking it easy. We'll visit the town of Villefranche-de-Rouregue. Today is Market Day, so bring your cash, your shopping list and your appetite! G's dad, Big J (as opposed to our little J!) will show you around the market, take you on a tour of the church, the Chapelle des Penitents-Noirs, the beautiful nearby Chartreuse St-Sauveur with its cloisters, and the downtown area. You'll have a chance to do some shopping and have lunch in town. Enjoy being a tourist for the day!

Friday:
This morning, we'll go caving at the beautiful Foissac Caves . In the afternoon, after lunch, we'll head out for an easy walk up to one of the area's most beautiful look-out points.

Back at the hotel, we'll have a farewell drinks party and let you get packed.

Saturday:
We'll drop you off back at the Toulouse airport and hope you very much enjoyed your week exploring Aveyron.

During the Summer, there are also plenty of local festivals to enjoy. Some tours will include concerts in the evenings or a visit to a local fair for the day. We're hoping to get specific tour dates and descriptions for next Summer published this Autumn.

Welcome to Aveyron with The Outdoor Enthusiast!
The MacCs