Horse-riding centres 30-50 minutes Barthas is a specialist cross-country facility and normally only takes organised groups www.elevage-barthas.com Lescure Jaoul horse-riding centre http://www.lesecuriesdujaoul.fr/ Relais des Fargues at Vabre Tizac www.aveyron-nature.com Excellent Combelles near Rodez, 65 minutes, horse-riding at all levels and types – Very impressive facilties of all sorts and superb horses- used for French national championships http://www.combelles.com/
Golf 35-60 minutes Golf du Totche compact 9 hole golf course and pitch and putt practice area- 3km from centre of Villefranche de Rouergue www.golf-totche-aveyron.com Greater Rodez 18 hole golf course, 6 hole compact course , two pitch and putt greens etc set in beautiful Fontanges hotel, restaurant estate and sports complex. https://grand-rodez.bluegreen.com/fr
Karting 45-55 minutes Indoor circuits at Albi, Rodez offer very good tracks for go-karting but check opening times – outdoor circuit at Millau and impressive Cahors (Karthors https://www.karthors.fr) but more distant.
Lakes, variety of 30-75 minutes Normally with supervised beach swimming during the day Very sizeable mountain Lake Pareloup has a number of beaches and nautical hire centres (limited out of season). Needs hot weather because of altitude. Not so immense nearby Lac Pont de Salars with very good swimming and boat hire + beach bar – younger visitors and can be very busy. Lake Roucarie just before Carmaux- narrow lake , nautical hire and ice cream kiosk
River swimming, variety of beauty spots 10- 40 minutes La Roque leisure area just below La Maleyrie with shallow and deep swimming, old weir, small pebble islands and beautiful setting + toilet block Lagarde Viaur brilliant swimmable weir, plenty of deep river, good bar/restaurant Plenty of other bits of river to discover and often a good idea to wear plastic or waterproof footwear into the water for protection on the gravel/stone river bed
Fishing With plenty of choice in the rivers, lakes and artificial lakes ; check english language guide re fishery types and license requirements. Day permits on sale in the village for fishing in the River Viaur or the étang des Fargues.
Walking or Cycling There are plenty of way-marked routes and circular routes. We can offer the loan of binoculars, night scope, telescope, GPS navigator, compass, route plans and maps. Walks can follow roads or bridleways and range from gentle, if keeping to the plateau or valley, but quite challenging if ascending/descending the gorges reaching an altitude of 620m after ascending 500m or so. http://www.la-salvetat-peyrales.fr/dossiers/. Similarly bicycle rides can be on road bikes to travel across the plateau or, if very fit, to descend and ascend the valleys by road. Mountain bikes are required to utilise the 'chemin' or bridleways where the incline and surface can be both challenging and exhilarating. https://www.routeyou.com/en-fr/location/bike/47411426/cycling-in-aveyron-overview-of-all-cycle-routes
Cap Découverte outdoor activities park 50 minutes Deserves a dedicated mention. A former open-cast mine offering outdoor activities including swimming pools and lake, artificial slope skiing, ski lift, mechanical water skiing, luge, wakeboard, skateboard park, Tyrolean aerial runway, mountain biking and much more; all in spectacular setting and many free- activities easily fill the day. Outside July and August very restricted opening. Also good value catering outlets.
Sports facilities ‘Flat’ sports pitch and tennis – 8 minutes away in La Salvetat Peyrales. Tennis courts free with key obtainable in village bars Indoor and outdoor swimming pools and indoor/outdoor tennis at Rieupeyroux http://www.rieupeyroux.fr
River Viaur below La Maleyrie
Relais des Fargues horse-riding centre
View of the Gorge from Flauzins - on circuit walk no.6