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SAINT-COME-D’OLT

Saint-Côme d'Olt, town of the flamed steeple

Famous for its curious flamed steeple, Saint-Côme d'Olt is set in the high valley of the Lot. 35 Km northeast of Rodez, in the department of the Aveyron, the village is one of the most beautiful in France.

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SAINT COME D'OLT - Aveyron (12)

Like a spiral in the sky, the flamed steeple of Saint-Côme d'Olt attracts the attention immediately. To explain the very rare shape of this steeple, once used as a watchtower, it is very tempting to believe the legend.

One day, a devil was leaping from hill to hill around the village, and with the effect of the wind, his tail rolled itself around the church tower and gave it its twisted shape.

In flamboyant Gothic style, the church has a beautiful gate designed by Antoine Salvanh, the architect who designed the cathedral in Rodez. The sculpted oak doors of this gate, each reinforced with 365 cast iron nails, are listed as a Historical Monument.

Under its shell of blue flagstones, Saint-Côme d'Olt shows a face that has hardly changed since the 16th century. You enter its old centre by one of the three fortified gates. These have been successfully restored to preserve its medieval aspect. Along the cobbled streets are Renaissance residences and manor houses (Caylus house, Dufau house, house of the Consul of Rodelle, etc.). Near the church is the château of the lords of Calmont. Restored in the 15th century, it now houses the town hall.

A much-appreciated stop on the road to Compostela, Saint-Côme d'Olt is also on the Chemin du Puy (GR65). Cutting a path at the foot of the monts d'Aubrac, the section linking Saint-Côme d'Olt to Estaing (17 Km) is listed on the UNESCO world heritage register.

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