St Antonin Noble Val

Saint Antonin Noble Val is truly one of the most picture perfect in France. Unspoiled by modern influences, the town sits in a spectacular location beside the towering Roc d’Anglars in the valley of the River Aveyron. The buildings of the town are traditional and extremely pretty, with red tiled sloping rooftops and old mellow stone walls soaking up the warm sun which blesses the region for much of the time. It is hardly surprising that Saint Antonin was chosen for a film set, as when you conjure up an image of a classic French village in your head, it is Saint Antonin that comes to mind. The broad sweep of the lovely River Aveyron adds to this tranquil atmosphere, and keeps the countryside lush, green and fertile.

Of all the lovely old buildings in the town the oldest is the ancient town hall, said to be the oldest in France, now a museum housing artefacts from prehistoric times. A visit to this is definitely worth an hour or two of your time. Saint Antonin is also justifiably famous for its superb Sunday market, where local produce and handicrafts are always on sale. It’s a great social occasion too! There are some good restaurants for those long lazy evenings when you don’t want to cook, and eating out is a good way of meeting the local people and enjoying the many gastronomic specialities of the area.

Saint Antonin is surrounded by green fertile countryside irrigated by the great Aveyron River. Crops grown here are as pretty as they are useful, and you will see fields of purple lavender, great golden sunflowers and lush green vineyards according to the seasons. There is also pasture land, and wonderful gorges, caves and grottos to explore. This varied countryside also gives the opportunity to try exciting sports such as canoeing, rafting and rock climbing as well as traditional favourites such as horse-riding, walking and cycling.

How to get there

Fly into Toulouse airport with bmibaby, British Airways, easyJet, flybe or Flybmi, or to Rodez with Ryanair. Those who prefer rail travel can take the Eurostar to Paris, then a TGV from Paris to Toulouse.