Découverte du village de Villecomtal
Come and discover the history of Villecomtal, a 13th-century medieval village built of red sandstone and awarded the "Petite Cité de Caractère d'Occitanie" label, and visit the "Espace des Enfarinés", where a collection of minerals and fossils is on display.
A guided tour of the village is available from the Tourist Information Office in summer and from the Town Hall out of season. For a guided tour (minimum 10 people) contact the Tourist Information Office in July and August (05.65.44.66.82) and out of season, the Town Hall (05.65.44.60.21) or Joëlle (06 52 11 97 18).
Villecomtal is located in the Rougier du Vallon de Marcillac, an area where iron oxide-laden soil takes on lovely garnet hues. The Dourdou Valley flows through these porous soils. In winter, when its waters are high, it is sometimes said to be red with anger as it carries away this ferruginous soil. Occasionally, the river encounters limestone boulders into which it has carved vertiginous gorges, as in the Canyon de Bozouls. Villecomtal was founded in 1295 by Henri II, Count of Rodez, and fortified around 1437. The "lo portal bas" (low portal) remains, as does the castle curtain wall flanked by three semicircular towers.
L'Espace des Enfarinés
Villecomtal: "La Petite Rome des Enfarinés". Come and discover the story of these anti-Concordists, nicknamed "Les Enfarinés", who rejected the provisions of the Concordat of 1801 and created a new cult based on the rituals in use at the time of the Kings: "La Petite Eglise".
Charles ROY's mineral and fossil collection
The building also houses a remarkable collection of 800 mineral and fossil specimens, classified, catalogued and displayed in illuminated showcases.
