FAQ: frequently asked questions

Gîte de la Viguerie is at 7558 route du Dourdou, 12320 Pruines, in the Dourdou valley, Aveyron. It sits between Villecomtal (5 min), Marcillac-Vallon (10 min) and Conques-en-Rouergue (15 min). The house stands on 1 hectare of grounds with a 180° view over the valley.

Yes. Gîte de la Viguerie is an independent house. It has a bedroom with a 160 cm bed, an open living room and kitchen, a shower room and two terraces facing south and south-east. A baby under 2 is welcome: all the baby equipment is provided at no extra cost (travel cot, high chair, baby bath, video baby monitor, changing mat…).

Gîte de la Viguerie is an independent accommodation for 2 people, with one double bed. It can also welcome a baby up to 2 years old, with a travel cot and baby equipment provided at no extra cost.

Yes. The gîte is an independent house, with its own two terraces. The owners live discreetly on the grounds; at the pool, guests always have priority.

Yes, for couples looking for quiet. The house overlooks the Dourdou valley, the pool is open from June to September and the night sky is free of light pollution. Conques is 15 minutes away and Belcastel 35 minutes. The minimum stay is 2 nights, or 3 nights in summer.

The gîte has no spa or hot tub. From June to September, guests relax at the pool, which overlooks the Dourdou valley, with loungers and a parasol. The rest of the year, the two terraces and the 1-hectare grounds offer the same view in total quiet.

The pool runs from June to September, depending on the weather. It sits like a balcony above the Dourdou valley, with loungers and a parasol. Guests always have priority: the owners live on site and use it discreetly.

Breakfast is not served, but fresh eggs from our hens are offered to guests. The fully equipped kitchen lets you prepare your own meals. Marcillac-Vallon's Sunday market, 10 minutes away, is the place for local bread, cheese and charcuterie.

Yes, household linen is provided. The bed is made before your arrival.

Yes, the kitchen is equipped for everyday cooking (dishes, utensils and appliances).

Yes, Wi-Fi is available via a 4G connection.

The gîte has Wi-Fi over a 4G connection. It works well for email, browsing and messaging.

Yes. The gîte welcomes two adults and one baby under 2. All the baby equipment is provided at no extra cost: travel cot, high chair, baby bath, video baby monitor, changing mat, potty and night light. Tell us when booking so we can set up the cot before you arrive.

Guests' pets cannot be accommodated. The grounds are already home to Kailash, our dog, three cats, hens and beehives, and the animals stay calm and discreet.

Three cats live on the property. They are discreet and used to visitors.

Besides our three cats, the estate is home to Kailash (our mascot dog), hens and beehives. It is an authentic rural life that does not disturb your peace and quiet.

No, the interior is non-smoking. If needed, smoking is possible outside while respecting the place and safety.

Yes, even without air conditioning. The house stays naturally cool: during recent heatwaves, guests reported a cool bedroom while outside temperatures reached nearly 40 °C. In winter the gîte is heated.

Yes. The grounds are managed with no pesticides, solar panels heat the hot water, lighting is LED and taps have flow reducers. Waste is sorted and composted, hens eat food scraps, beehives support pollination and some areas are left unmown for wildlife. Discover all our actions for the environment.

"Viguerie" comes from the Latin vicaria. In the Middle Ages, a viguerie was a small local jurisdiction run by a viguier, who dispensed everyday justice on behalf of the count. Gîte de la Viguerie nods to the viguier's house.

You can check in from 2:00 pm and check out around 11:00 am. We are very flexible: if these times do not suit you, just let us know and we will find a solution together.

Yes, Gîte de la Viguerie is open all year and heated in the cold season. Low-season rates apply outside summer, and the minimum stay is 2 nights, or 3 nights in summer.

Rates range from 60 € to 140 € per night depending on the season. Minimum stay is 2 nights, 3 nights in summer, so a week costs roughly 440 € to 792 €. The exact price for your dates, with any extra fees, appears in the availability calendar.

Yes. Booking on gite-viguerie-pruines.fr gives the best price, with no platform service fee. The calendar is the same one shared with Airbnb and GreenGo, so availability is always up to date.

Gladly, but the gîte is a little off the GR65 (the Way of St James), especially on foot: Conques is 15 minutes away by car. It is therefore ideal for resting a few days before or after your week of walking on the GR. For a single night on the route, you are better off staying in Conques itself, for example at the abbey pilgrim hostel or one of the village gîtes d'étape.

By car, Villecomtal is 5 minutes from the gîte, Marcillac-Vallon 10 minutes and Conques-en-Rouergue 15 minutes. Allow 25 minutes to Rodez-Aveyron airport, 30 minutes to the Bozouls canyon and 35 minutes to Belcastel. Rodez, with its cathedral, the Musée Soulages and the station, is about 40 minutes away.

The nearest airport is Rodez-Aveyron, about 25 minutes from the gîte by car. We do not offer transfers, so a rental car is essential.

Book a rental car in advance, at the airport or in Rodez. A car is essential for the gîte and for exploring the area.

The nearest station is Rodez, about 40 minutes from the gîte by car. We do not offer transfers, so plan to rent a car.

The liO line 223 links Rodez, Marcillac-Vallon and Conques every day from April to October. It does not stop at the gîte, so a car remains essential.

Yes. Gîte de la Viguerie is a rural house; shops are in Marcillac-Vallon, 10 minutes away. Walks start right from the gîte.

Yes, you can park easily at the entrance to the house (private and fully secure parking).

The gîte has no charging point. We do, however, have a reinforced Green'Up socket (3.7 kW). Expect to recover about 25 km of range per hour: one night is enough to set off with peace of mind, but it is not a way to fill up. We charge for the electricity used on this socket at 0.50 € per kWh. Just ask us if you need it; we will show you how to plug in and switch the socket on.

There are three stations within 10 km of the gîte, about a quarter of an hour by car:

A little further away, handy during an outing:

• Conques, La Salesse car park (11 km): Type 2, 22 kW. You charge while you visit the abbey church and the village.
• Salles-la-Source, Le Faubourg (10.6 km): Type 2, 22 kW, a short walk from the waterfall.
• Estaing, quai du Lot (about 25 minutes): Type 2, 22 kW, and domestic socket, at the foot of the village and its castle.
• Rodez, Foirail car park (about 40 minutes): domestic sockets, free charging (you only pay for parking). Ideal while you visit the Musée Soulages, 100 m away.
• Rodez, Foch car park: domestic socket, free charging, handy for visiting the cathedral and the old town.

Probably not near the gîte. The only fast charger in the area, in Marcillac, uses an older plug (CHAdeMO) that only the Nissan Leaf and a few Japanese cars accept. Most recent cars (Tesla, Renault, Peugeot, Kia, Volkswagen…) will therefore charge at the standard stations: one hour of charging usually gives back 50 to 100 km of range. For genuine fast charging, you need to head towards Rodez.

The stations in the area belong to the public network of the Aveyron energy syndicate and are freely accessible, 24 hours a day. Payment is made through the operator's app or with a charging card (Chargemap, Freshmile, etc.). We recommend installing the app before you leave, as mobile coverage can be patchy in our valleys.

Arrive at the gîte with a sufficiently charged battery and charge during your outings, for example in Conques or Marcillac. Before setting off, check on Chargemap that the station is working.

Allow half a day for the village, the abbey church of Sainte-Foy and its tympanum. A full day lets you add the Treasure and an inexpensive 45-minute guided tour. Staying for the evening Nocturnes is worth it. Conques is 15 minutes from the gîte. All our tips for enjoying the abbey church, the tympanum and the village are in our Conques visitor guide.

Day visitors use the La Salesse car park (215 spaces, signposted from the road, accessible toilets) or the roadside spaces along the trees at the top of the village. The free La Rivière car park, 2 km away on the D901, is for long stays, pilgrims' vehicles and coaches. For current rates, check with the Conques-Marcillac tourist office.

Parking is free for motorbikes in Conques: two-wheelers park in front of the tourist office. The Dourdou valley roads, which take you from the gîte to Conques in 15 minutes, are also a real pleasure to ride.

Gîte de la Viguerie is in Pruines, 15 minutes from Conques-en-Rouergue, in the Dourdou valley. Visit Conques early in the morning or in the evening, when day visitors have left, then come back to a quiet house with a valley view.

Yes, and it is a magical moment. Every evening, from spring to around mid-October, the Nocturnes de Conques offer a presentation of the tympanum, a musical tour of the abbey church galleries and an illumination that brings back the tympanum's original colours. Dates and times change from year to year: the current programme is on the Tourisme Occitanie website.

The painter Pierre Soulages, born in Rodez, created the 104 windows of the abbey church of Sainte-Foy, made between 1987 and 1994. He developed a translucent glass that changes with the light. His work can be seen at the Musée Soulages in Rodez, about 40 minutes from the gîte. To take your discovery of Soulages further, follow our guide to Rodez and the Musée Soulages.

Conques is best known for its Treasure of medieval goldwork, including the 10th-century reliquary statue of Sainte Foy. Around the village, restaurants serve Rouergue classics: aligot, estofinade from October to April and gâteau à la broche, with Marcillac wine. The story behind these dishes and our tips for enjoying them are in our guide to Aveyron food.

Conques has no large weekly market. The nearest is Marcillac-Vallon on Sunday mornings, 10 minutes from the gîte. In summer, Grand-Vabre holds a Sunday morning market from 9 am to 1 pm, and Saint-Cyprien-sur-Dourdou has a fair on the first Thursday morning of each month.

Within 35 minutes, you can discover Belcastel and Estaing, both among the Most Beautiful Villages of France, Villecomtal (Petite Cité de Caractère, 5 min from the gîte), Peyrusse-le-Roc and the hamlet of La Vinzelle above the Lot valley. The Bozouls canyon is 30 minutes away. We take you to each of these places with our guides to Belcastel, Estaing, Villecomtal, Peyrusse-le-Roc, La Vinzelle and the Bozouls canyon.

The GR65 (Le Puy route) passes through Conques. The La Vinzelle loop starts in Grand-Vabre. From the gîte, paths cross the vineyards and woods of the Dourdou valley, and the GR62 links Conques to Rodez through the Marcillac vineyard. Lace up your boots and find routes and tips in our GR62 guide and our La Vinzelle loop.

You have three options: canoeing on the Lot between Vieillevie and Grand-Vabre, the municipal pool in Saint-Cyprien-sur-Dourdou, and from June to September the gîte's own pool. To plan a day cooling off, read our guide to the Saint-Cyprien-sur-Dourdou pool and our canoe trip from Vieillevie to Grand-Vabre.

The Vallon de Marcillac is a small red-sandstone wine area north-west of Rodez, 10 minutes from the gîte. Don't miss the Sunday market, the terraced vineyards, the Saint-Jean-le-Froid chapel and the Puech de Kaymard viewpoints, and the waterfall village of Salles-la-Source. To go further, read our guide to the Marcillac vineyard and discover the views from Saint-Jean-le-Froid and the Puech de Kaymard, as well as the Salles-la-Source waterfall.

Gîte de la Viguerie is in Pruines, 10 minutes from Marcillac-Vallon, in the Dourdou valley. After the Sunday market or a tasting in the vineyard, you come back to an independent house for one couple, with a pool from June to September and a 180° view over the valley.

The market is held on Sunday morning, in the town centre. Local growers sell vegetables, cheese, charcuterie and Marcillac wine. It is 10 minutes from the gîte.

Marcillac is an AOP red wine, also made as rosé, AOC since 1990. It comes from the Fer Servadou grape, locally called Mansois, grown on the red soils of the Rougier. It is fresh, with red fruit and a peppery finish, and pairs well with charcuterie and aligot.

The cooperative cellar Le Vallon, Vignerons du Rougier, in Valady, and several independent estates welcome visitors for tastings. We share our favourite addresses when you arrive.

The Fête de la Saint-Bourrou, Marcillac-Vallon's winegrowers' festival, takes place over Pentecost weekend. On Monday, the programme includes the winegrowers' parade, mass at Notre-Dame de Foncourrieu and the induction ceremony at Cachefaix.

The national car rally is traditionally held in March, on the roads of the Vallon and around Conques. Some roads are closed on race days. Check the date before booking a spring stay.

From June to September, you can swim in the gîte's pool. Nearby, the municipal pool in Saint-Cyprien-sur-Dourdou is another good option. Further away, the Lévézou lakes (Pareloup, Pont-de-Salars) have beaches 45 to 50 minutes from the gîte. You will find beaches and swimming tips in our guides to Lake Pareloup and Lake Pont-de-Salars.

From village inns to Michelin-starred tables, the area between Marcillac-Vallon, Conques and Rodez offers a wide choice. We share our favourite addresses when you arrive.

Villecomtal, 5 minutes from the gîte, is a Petite Cité de Caractère: a red-sandstone bastide with its castle and timber-framed houses, known for the history of the Enfarinés. At the tourist office, don't miss the superb exhibition of minerals and fossils, a surprising find for such a small village. To discover its castle, lanes and the story of the Enfarinés, follow our Villecomtal guide.

Gîte de la Viguerie is in Pruines, 5 minutes from Villecomtal, in the Dourdou valley. It is an independent house on 1 hectare of grounds with a 180° view over the valley, 15 minutes from Conques-en-Rouergue and 10 minutes from Marcillac-Vallon.

It is the Dourdou de Conques. It rises in the Ségala and flows more than 80 km before joining the Lot. Upstream, it carved the Bozouls canyon. Gîte de la Viguerie overlooks its valley.

There is no supervised bathing spot on the Dourdou near the gîte. For a swim, the municipal pool in Saint-Cyprien-sur-Dourdou and the gîte pool (June to September) are the simplest options.

Yes. The Dourdou valley is crossed by a cycle route along the river. Bikes can be rented in Saint-Cyprien-sur-Dourdou.

The Trou de Bozouls, 30 minutes from the gîte, is a horseshoe canyon about 400 m across and 100 m deep, carved by the Dourdou. Free viewpoints line the village edge, and a path leads down to the river and the Sainte-Fauste church on its rock spur. For the viewpoints, the path and the Sainte-Fauste church, everything is explained in our Bozouls canyon guide.

The waterfall is not a bathing site. It drops from the cliff of the Causse Comtal into the middle of the village, fed by an underground river from the Tindoul de la Vayssière. Its flow varies with the season. Visitors come to see it and walk the village's three levels. Explore the village with our Salles-la-Source guide, then trace the water back to its source with our guide to the Tindoul de la Vayssière.

The gîte is open all year. May and June bring green landscapes and the Saint-Bourrou festival. July and August mean pool and warm evenings. September and October bring grape harvests and a quieter Conques, with Nocturnes until mid-October. Winter offers low rates and empty villages.

The Musée Soulages in Rodez, the Treasure of Conques, the Laguiole knife workshops, the Cransac spa and the former Decazeville mines are all within reach. Read our guides to the Musée Soulages, the Treasure of Conques, Laguiole knives, the Cransac spa and the Decazeville mines.

Yes. There is no light pollution around the gîte. On clear, moonless summer nights the Milky Way is visible from the terrace, and the Perseid meteor shower peaks around 12 August.