Rodez
A pink sandstone cathedral above the Aveyron, and a museum of a painter who worked almost entirely in black.
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Rodez stands on a hill above a loop of the Aveyron, and its cathedral of Notre-Dame is built in local pink sandstone with a bell tower of eighty-seven metres and a west front that is essentially a defensive wall, since it formed part of the town's ramparts. Pierre Soulages was born here in 1919 and spent his career on outrenoir, work in which black is applied thickly and scored so that reflected light rather than colour carries the painting; he gave a large body of work to the town, and the Musee Soulages opened in 2014 in a set of rust-steel boxes designed by RCR Arquitectes. He also designed the Conques windows.
What you actually see
- The pink cathedral - sandstone Gothic with a fortified west front.
- The Musee Soulages - outrenoir paintings in rust-steel galleries.
- The Conques studies - preparatory work for the abbey windows.
- The old town - lanes and bishop's palace around the cathedral.
When to go
April to October; the museum closes Mondays and holds temporary exhibitions that change the visit. The cathedral is open daily and free.
Honest expectations
Soulages divides opinion sharply; large black canvases are not to everyone's taste and the museum makes no concessions. The town is small and quiet. Parking near the cathedral is limited.
Nearby
Conques lies northwest; Belcastel is west.
What to pack for Rodez
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.