Even though we've been coming to the area for some time, each time we visit we always discover something new, uncovering a new layer to what is a fascinating region, deep in heritage and culture. We wanted to share the highlights from some of our trips to give you an insight into what goes on all through the year.

VTT/MTB training May ‘18 | St Antonin Noble Val

In the lead up to my race in Nice, dubbed the hardest MTB race in Europe, I use the local terrain as my training base. Here my best friend made it over form the UK to put me through my paces, him on a rented electric MTB from AAGAC in Najac and me on my trusty hardtail. We took on the hardest trail in St Antonin, a 50km trail with a 1,600m climb, in 30c heat. It was a stern 4.5 hour test, all crowned with a 3 course lunch in St Antonin, bathed in glorious sunshine, highly recommended!

Easter (Pâques) 2018 | Aveyron et Le Tarn

This was our first Easter at La Peyriere, deciding to take an extended stay of 10 days. Our 5 year old couldn’t contain herself at the prospect of having the French easter bunny visiting us, however she rightly pointed out the scale of the task given the size of our field! As it was the end of March we had no idea what the weather would have in store, so we had plenty of books, games, food and wine in stock!

It turns out that the French certainly area take Easter as seriously as they do any other festival, it’s an excuse for another ‘fete’, ‘marche’ or ‘foire’! The supermarkets were too packed with enough eggs for the whole of France so we were all set.

 The kids (4 of them) had the ‘best Easter ever’ La Peyriere is a pretty good venue for Easter egg hunting, keeping them busy for the best part of an hour, job well done !

 Over the next few days we were able to enjoy the local countryside in wonderful weather, even scaling the castle in Najac and a scenic lunch in Cordes. It was all topped off with our daughter’s first trip on Pierre’s tractor and her first cycle for a baguette at the local boulangerie

Marche Victor Hugo | Toulouse - 25.11.17

This week we got the early flight from Gatwick to Toulouse which meant we arrived just in time for lunch. It turns out that was a) a great idea and b) one of the best ways to lunch in the city is to enjoy one of it's 5 covered markets, the best apparently was Marche Victor Hugo, in Place Saint Aubin. 

It's enough of a draw to make the 6am start worthwhile. The range of gastronomic delights were pretty mind blowing, in particular the range of seafood, foie gras, cured meats and cheese, wow there's a lot of cheese (head to Chez Betty). The seafood stalls were a real highlight, you can buy what you want from the stall and eat it there and then with a glass of wine. The locals all seemed to be going in for huge platters of oysters (huitres) and Acras du Morue which are worth a go.

All in all if you have time to spare before checking in, it's worth the effort.

Credit to the link provided by The Guardian

FOIRE DE LA CHÂTAIGNE | Laguépie

29.10.17

Each year Laguepie, a town just 15 minutes from La Peyriere, hosts the annual Foire de la Châtaigne, a fair dedicated to the local chestnut. This was the first time Lilly and I had attended and we're glad we made the effort! 

I thought that Lilly, who is just 4,  maybe a little bored with a chestnut festival but she loved every moment, especially the band who played almost all day, walking around the market. There were a host of traditional kids games, which were all free!

MARCHÉ de villefranche-de-rouergue 

27.10.17

It's taken two years to get to this market, I'm not sure quite how it took that long... however it was worth the wait. The market is held in the central square, the Place Notre Dame, on Thursday mornings.

This year were lucky to visit in October, it was sunny but crisp and the produce was incredible. Walnuts, honey, cèpes, chanterelles, chestnuts, pumpkins and much more. We used this as a chance to buy some chanterelles which the chap was very passionate about, especially at the prospect of me turning them into soup, 'rien, rien!'. We fried them up with garlic, butter and parsley that night over baguette, simple but an absolute cracker.