Clocher de la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rodez

Rodez

In April 1510, fire ravaged the medieval bell tower of the pink sandstone cathedral, begun in 1277: the spire collapsed and the bells melted in the blaze. Bishop François d'Estaing, renowned for his piety, then resolved to raise the tower again, higher and more beautiful. From 1513 the master mason Antoine Salvanh directed a hundred or so workmen; thirteen years later, in 1526, the tower was finished, as the inscription carved at its summit proclaims: "Consummatum est 1526" — "It is finished", the last words of Christ on the cross. At 87 metres, it remains today the tallest "flat" bell tower in France, one without a stone spire. A veritable lace of sandstone, its upper storeys display a profusion of statues: the Annunciation, the apostles, the first bishops of Rodez including Saint Amans, the evangeliser of the Rouergue, together with a fantastical bestiary of gargoyles. At the very top keeps watch a statue of the Virgin surrounded by four censer-bearing angels swinging their thuribles towards the sky. The present peal comprises nine bronze bells installed in the mid-19th century; the largest, Saint-Pierre, weighs 5,229 kilos. In 2026, Rodez celebrated the 500th anniversary of this Flamboyant masterpiece, which still towers over the lauze-stone roofs of the Piton and can be seen for leagues around.

Getting there : 10-12 place de la Cité, in the very heart of Rodez's historic centre. Car parks nearby; accessible to people with reduced mobility. Self-guided or guided tours (Rodez Agglomération Tourist Office, +33 5 65 75 76 77).

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound