Before you go

Your trip to Conques.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Conques – Occitânia Destination Le Puy, Conques and the Vale do Lot about 200 km from Toulouse

How to get there

Aéroport de Rodez-Aveyron (RDZ) Salles-la-Source · 35 km
Gare de Saint-Christophe Saint-Christophe-Vallon · 23 km
Gare de Rodez Rodez · 38 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Check before you buy. The nearest train stations are Saint-Christophe, about 23 km away, and Rodez, about 38 km away, with buses or reserved transport to the village. The nearest airport is Rodez. By car, visitors leave their vehicle in the parking area at the entrance to the village.

How many days

Half a day covers the abbey, the treasury and the village streets. It's worth spending a night to see the village empty in the late afternoon and early morning, before tour groups arrive. Pilgrims usually stop for one night.

When to go

From April to October, when transport to the village runs every day and the weather is usually good. July and August see more visitors. In winter the village is quiet, but some services close.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

Getting there by car makes things easier because public transport is limited; there are buses from Rodez and reserved transport from Saint-Christophe station. Within the village everything is on foot, along steep stone streets.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Conques

Morning
Abadia de Sainte-Foy
Arrive early to view the tympanum of the Last Judgment on the façade at leisure. Then enter the abbey, with stained-glass windows by Pierre Soulages and the Romanesque capitals.
Afternoon
The treasury
Visit the treasury, with the statue-reliquary of Sainte Foy and goldsmith pieces from the 9th to the 16th centuries.
Late afternoon
Village streets and the bridge
Walk down the stone streets to the medieval bridge over the Dourdou, through which pilgrims leave the village.
Evening
Night in the village
With the tour groups gone, walk through the lit village. Check whether there are night visits to the abbey during the season.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

Is Conques worth visiting even without doing the Caminho?

Yes. The Abadia de Sainte-Foy, the tympanum and the treasury are among the main ensembles of Romanesque art in France, set in a well-preserved medieval village.

How to get to Conques without a car?

By train to Rodez or Saint-Christophe, and from there by bus or reserved transport to the village. Check timetables, which change by season.

Is Conques a World Heritage site?

The abbey and the bridge over the Dourdou are part of the Routes of Santiago in France, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

How long to stay in Conques?

Half a day for the abbey and the treasury; one night to see the village calm in the late afternoon and early morning.

Back to Conques