The bastide of Puylaroque lies at an altitude of 280 metres on a limestone promontory and offers panoramic views over the valleys and hill lakes of Quercy Caussadais. Pella Roca is the Occitan name for Puylaroque.
When planning a trip, you may wish to focus on renting a holiday apartment in Puylaroque.
Culture
The heritage tour of Puylaroque offered by the Pays d’art et d’histoire lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes and focuses on the town’s medieval architecture and fortifications.
The Citadelle of Puylaroque was built around 1595 and has a basket-handle arch portal characteristic of the 16th and 17th centuries. In the town centre, the Église Saint-Jacques is listed in the French register of historic monuments.
The older part of the Église Saint-Jacques contains a reliquary of the Holy Veil of the Virgin dating from the 14th century. Its upper section is made of silver, mother-of-pearl and wood. The church also preserves a section of a choir bay dating from the 12th century; its vault was rebuilt in the 14th century, when the nave and chapels were also constructed. The tower and western façade appear to date from the 18th century.
The Church of Saint-Symphorien has been listed as a historic monument since 1948. Its choir is in Caylus, while its nave is in Puylaroque.
The Abbaye Notre-Dame de Costejean, a historic site, is located near Puylaroque. The wider regional area is home to the Abbaye de la Garde-Dieu, a historic site, the Abbaye de Saint-Marcel, also a historic site, and the Abbaye de Beaulieu-en-Rouergue, a monastery.
Hiking and Nature
The “Habitats et sentiers quercynols” PR2 hiking route starts in Puylaroque, is 25 km long and takes approximately 6 hours and 45 minutes.
Four hiking trails, ranging from 4 to 12 km in length, start at the site of the Saint-Symphorien chapel in a Natura 2000 area.
Landscape
The wider regional area around Puylaroque includes Al Pech, a summit, and Roc d'Anglars, also a summit.
Local Character
“Bee au Top” offers a visit to its apiary on the slopes of Puylaroque, providing insights into the life of bees and honey production. The farm’s products include honey, nougat, gingerbread, fresh pollen, propolis and French royal jelly.
