Water Fun
The river Lot runs nearby and offers quiet spots for bathing, as well as white water for kayaking, and canoeing. Here are a few of our favorites:
 | Le Moulinet is a wonderful place to picnic and bathe in the Lot River. Drive 3.5 km towards St. Laurent d'Olt, park your car at Le Moulinet and then walk into the dirt road on the left side, just before the bridge. (If your car has high clearance, it is possible to drive the dirt road; slowly and at your own risk!). Within 1 km along the dirt road, you'll find several nice, secluded spots for a picnic by the water. My personal favorite is just before the road turns left and up the mountain. Water shoes are recommended as the Lot riverbed is filled with stones. Here's a mappointing to this spot. |
For a leisurely kayaking trip on the Lot, hydro-boarding, as well as other outdoor activities such a rock or tree climbing, AVENGA in St. Geniez d'Olt has a lot to offer. There are other kayak rental places in the center of the town, near the bridge, too.
If you'd like to spend a quiet day on a lake front, drive to the Auberge du Lac and then descend towards the lake Lassouts. In the high season, kayaks and paddle boards are often available at the shoreline (inquire at the Auberge).
Shopping and Dining
There are bakeries and a small grocery store in the nearby St. Saturnin de Lenne and in Campagnac, but St.Geniez d'Olt (8 km) has a full range of supermarkets, grocery stores, bakeries, butchers, as well as a nice atmosphere to just stroll around town or along the Lot River.
There are several nice restaurants nearby, some with great outdoor dining for those long summer evenings. In summer, reservations are recommended.
| Le Lion d'Or is one of our favorite restaurants in St. Geniez d'Olt. Great food, friendly service, and an especially wonderful garden for dining in the Summer. Reservations: https://www.leliondor-traiteur-stgeniezdolt.com/en-fr/ |  |
 | In St.Eualie d'Olt, Au Moulin d'Alexandre serves delicious regional cuisine in a wonderful indoor and outdoor setting. |
A little further away, in Pont de Palmas, the Auberge du Vieux Pont (25 minutes by car: directions) usually has a great selection of fresh fish the owner picks up from Montpellier on the Mediterranean Sea (a 2-hour drive).
And if you're looking for a quick and simple meal after a busy day, the nearby Hotel Rodier may just suit your appetite.
Markets
Banassac- La Canourgue is another "beau village" only 20 km away. The market (on Tuesday morning) winds through the narrow streets of the village and features a variety of local produce, artisanal goods, and other items typical of the region. Tip: reserve a grilled chicken when you start your market visit and pick it up when you return for lunch at Mont Cigale.
St. Geniez d'Olt 's market is on Saturday morning, on the main square in front of the Mairie.
Day trips
The tourist office in St.Geniez d'Olt can help point you to everything the region has to offer, but here are some of our favourite destinations for day trips in four directions
South - Millau and the Mediterranean
The city of Millau is worth a visit in its own right, but you can combine it with several stops in the same direction. Also, for a longer day trip, the Mediterranean Sea is only 2 hours away.
 | Visit the caves where the famous Roquefort cheese is made. The caves are quite chilly; bring a jacket.
1 hour drive. |
See up close how insects live: Micropolis | La Cité des insectes (micropolis-aveyron.com)45 minutes' drive. | Admire the Viaduc de Millau |
West - Rodez and Conques
| Rodez is 40 minutes away. It has a museum of contemporary art showcasing the work of the well-known artist Pierre Soulages (born in Rodez) as well as temporary exhibits of other contemporary art. You can see their schedule here.
Rodez also has an impressive cathedral, many shops, and restaurants. |  |
 | Conques (80-minutes' drive) is a spectacularly located mediaeval town and a popular destination along the pilgrim's route to Santiago de Compostella. It gets pretty crowded in summer, but it is very much worth a visit. |
East - Gorges du Tarn
| About 50 minutes by car lies the village of Sainte Enimie, a hub for access to the river Tarn. The canyons of the Tarn are truly impressive and there is some excellent kayaking to be done here too.
Don't miss the vultures that can be seen coasting high above the rocks. |  |
North - Aubrac
Just north of Mont Cigale lies the Aubrac - a volcanic and granitic plateau at an average altitude of 1200 m with lakes, streams, and a few forests, but above all an amazing emptiness and solitude. Here you'll find many opportunities for hiking and mountain biking.
There used to be many Burons all across the Aubrac where shepherds shared food. These days some of these still offer a glimpse of the traditional meal (Aligot with Sausage), eaten in good company, outdoors, at long wooden tables. I like the Buron de Camejan for its atmosphere.