Description:

Geography

Bruniquel is a small fortified village situated high above the Aveyron River in the Tarn-et-Garonne department of the Midi-Pyrenees.  The town is located 25 km east of Montauban and 70 km north of Toulouse and is dominated by an imposing fortress.

Tourism

The town is full of steep winding cobbled streets lined with ancient houses built of the pink stone so common in this region.   Some of the ancient fortifications and medieval gateways are well preserved and the village has been used on a number of occasions for period film locations.  It is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France (Les Plus Beaux Villages des France)

The older castle was built in the 12^th century on the ruins of an earlier fortress that is thought to date back to the 6^th century and features a 20 metre gallery that has stunning views over the valley that are definitely not for those scared of heights.  The newer castle was built in the 15^th century and now houses the local history museum.

Places to visit in the local area include the Cave of Mayriere superiere which contains ancient wall paintings, the Aveyron Gorge and the beautiful village of St Antonin Noble Val.

An annual arts festival is held in the castles to celebrate the works of Jacques Offenbach.

Economy

The economy of the village is now based around the tourists that visit, with exhibitions and arts and crafts,

Transport

The nearest train station is at Caussade, around 18 km north, but if you travel to Montauban instead, around 30 km to the east, there is a regular bus service to Bruniquel.  By car, the A20 motorway runs fairly close with junctions at both Caussade and Montauban.  To fly to the area, Toulouse International airport is 81 km to the south and offers many destinations, including several in the UK.

Take a look at our Travel Information pages for more details.

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