Conques-en-Rouergue is an ideal place to discover by bike. Renting a bike here means gliding from the medieval streets into the cool valleys, with the abbey church of Sainte-Foy as a lookout and the scent of chestnut trees at the edge. We get off to a gentle start on the back roads, greeting the pilgrims on the Camino de Compostela, then join the Lot valley for an almost flat ride along the water to Grand-Vabre. Picnic by the river, reflections on the slate roofs, time suspended.

Looking for a nice view? A short climb leads to the Bancarel belvedere: a postcard panorama of Conques, ideal in the late afternoon. The more inquisitive can continue on to Senergues or Saint-Cyprien-sur-Dourdou, past hedgerows, low shale walls and quiet hamlets. The well-signposted Véloroute de la Vallée du Lot offers accessible sections for safe cycling and leisurely enjoyment of the landscape.