Conques, the jewel of Romanesque art.
Pilgrims descended from the austere and wild Aubrac plateau towards the Lot valley and a major stop: Conques. In their thousands, they flocked to the Via Podiensis in search of their inner self.
At the end of the trail, the superb mediaeval village of Conques and its abbey-church with its splendid tympanum, which remains one of the most important centres of art and spirituality in the western world. Thanks to the relics of Sainte Foy, brought here from Agen in 883, Conques became one of the main stops on the Saint-Jacques de Compostelle pilgrimage route from Puy en Velay. This is still the case today, numerous walkers take to this historical trail, stopping in the heart of the village where they are welcomed by the monks.
The abbey-church.
Since its foundation, the abbey-church in Conques has always welcomed pilgrims from across Christian Europe who come to venerate the relics of Sainte Foy. The Book of Miracles bears witness to this popular fervour.
Alongside traditional pilgrims, more and more modern day walkers take to this cultural itinerary for a variety of reasons. Conques offers a privileged occasion for human encounters and discovery of this exceptional artistic and architectural heritage.
Discover the stained glass windows by Pierre Soulages. Come in, raise your head and watch the light’s action on the stained glass. Transcendental!
A real Treasure.
Two rooms of Treasure are open to visitors, presenting the famous reliquary statue of Sainte Foy, a statue in gold encrusted with gems offered by pilgrims, but also a large number of pieces by mediaeval goldsmiths, tapestries and the capitals of the old cloister.
The Bridge over the Dourdou.
From the centre of Conques, take rue Charlemagne on the GR65, go through ported du Barry and descend. At the bottom, you arrive at the magnificent “Roman” bridge.
If you continue along the path, you climb towards chapelle Sainte-Foy where a beautiful view of Conques awaits you. Here tradition has it that each pilgrim rings the bell and if they are lucky they will hear the reply from the monks in Conques.