St-Antonin-Noble-Val
France > Dordogne > Lot > Aveyron > St-Antonin-Noble-Val
One of the finest and most substantial towns in the valley is ST-ANTONIN-NOBLE-VAL, 30km southwest of Najac. It sits on the bank of the Aveyron beneath the beetling cliffs of the Roc d'Anglars, and has endured all the vicissitudes of the old towns of the southwest: it went Cathar, then Protestant and each time was walloped by the alien power of the kings from the north. Yet, in spite of all this, it recovered its prosperity, manufacturing cloth and leather goods, endowed by its wealthy merchants with a marvellous heritage of medieval houses in all the streets leading out from the lovely place de la Halle and its prolongation.There's a café most conveniently and picturesquely placed at the end of the ancient halle, with a view of the town's finest building, the Maison des Consuls, whose origins go back to 1120. It now houses the town museum, Musée du Vieux St-Antonin (July & Aug 10am–1pm & 3–6pm; Sept–June apply to the tourist office; €2.50), with collections of objects to do with the former life of the place, as well as a section on local prehistoric sites. The tourist office is in the "new" town hall next to the church (July & Aug daily 9.30am–12.30pm & 2–6.30pm; Sept daily 9.30am–12.30pm & 2–5.30pm; Oct Mon-Sat 10am–12.30pm & 2–5.30pm; Nov–June Mon–Sat 2–5.30pm; tel 05.63.30.63.47, www.saint-antonin-noble-val.com), and will supply information about B&Bs, canoeing on the Aveyron and walks in the region. By the bridge, as you cross from the Montauban road, there's a simple and attractive hotel immediately on the left, the Thermes with a terrace overlooking the water (tel 05.63.30.61.08, www.nobleval.com; €30–40; restaurant from €9). There are four local campsites, of which the riverside Camping d'Anglars is the closest, 1km upstream on the D115 (tel 05.63.30.69.76, fax 05.63.30.67.61; closed Oct to mid-April).
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