Summary
If this town’s name is familiar, it is likely due to the Millau Viaduct, an extraordinary bridge that spans the Tarn River valley.
The Viaduct has become a significant attraction in its own right: adventurers can paraglide from above or drive to the village of Peyre to witness this iconic structure towering over the valley like a scene from science fiction.
However, Millau itself offers numerous points of interest, including ancient kilns that supplied pottery to the Roman Empire, the fossil of a prehistoric aquatic creature, and a 12th-century tower commissioned by the King of Aragon.
Let’s delve into the premier attractions in Millau:
1. Millau Viaduct
The designation “Millau” has become synonymous with the breathtaking engineering marvel that spans the Tarn just a short distance to the west.
Inaugurated in 2004, the Millau Viaduct stands as the tallest bridge globally, awe-inspiring many upon their first glimpse.
Designed by engineer Michel Virlogeux and architect Norman Foster, it is essential to traverse the bridge or visit the visitor center when in Millau.
The Viaduc Escape Info provides comprehensive statistics and grants you access to the P2 pillar, which is the tallest structure of its category worldwide.
2. La Graufesenque
It is imperative to visit this Gallo-Roman archaeological site located across the Tarn.
This village of potters was no minor operation; its kilns could generate up to 40,000 pots simultaneously, eclipsing production elsewhere in the Roman Empire.
Pottery produced at this site has been discovered throughout Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, with finds as far-flung as India.
Engage a guide who can provide you with fascinating insights into these kilns, along with the surrounding workshops, homes, and sanctuaries.
3. Musée de Millau
This museum hosts a prominent exhibit of ancient red-varnished ceramics, heralded as the most significant collection of Roman pottery.
Moreover, it outlines the natural history, human prehistory, medieval occupations, and traditional lifestyles in both Millau and the Grands Causses.
Housed in an 18th-century manor, the museum boasts 30 rooms for exploration.
Among the notable attractions are the skeleton of an elasmosaurus, a marine dinosaur, and workshops devoted to leather and glove making, which were vital crafts in Millau for centuries.
4. Beffroi de Millau
The belfry represents the sole remnant of a 12th-century palace that once epitomized the strength of the King of Aragon.
Displaying sophistication characteristic of its time, the structure’s remarkable preservation after nearly 900 years highlights its architectural expertise.
During the 1600s, the town acquired the tower to accommodate the bell; later, it served as a holding place for prisoners during tumultuous times, such as the Revolution.
Presently, visitors can climb the 210 steps for panoramic views of the town and the surrounding plateaux of the Grands Causses.
5. Lavoir de l’Ayrolle
This facade commands attention, particularly when considering its original purpose.
The Lavoir de l’Ayrolle serves as a public washhouse for residents.
Constructed in the 1740s under the directive of Louis XV, its design resembles a Roman triumphal arch, framed by Neoclassical arcades topped with a pediment and balustrade.
While a roof once graced it, that structure collapsed in the 1770s.
Positioned outside the former city walls, it lies on the western side of the city before those ramparts were substituted with today’s verdant boulevards.
6. Chaos de Montpellier-le-Vieux
A captivating site within the Grands Causses is this blockfield located near the Dourbie Gorge.
This expansive area, covering 120 hectares, features massive dolomite rocks shaped into various intriguing forms such as the natural arch known as Porte de Mycene.
A mini train provides convenient access to the site’s center, and the surroundings are interspersed with walking trails inviting exploration of the fascinating rock formations and breathtaking lookout points.
These trails differ in difficulty; however, the red trail offers rewarding views perfect for photography enthusiasts.
7. Paragliding Trip
Though it may appear as a niche or extreme activity, paragliding has exceptionally gained popularity around Millau, with participants attesting that it is the premier way to experience the viaduct.
At least six providers in the town offer parasailing, paragliding, or microlight flights, making this accessible to nearly all age groups and weight classes, up to 120kg.
Essentially, you merely serve as a passenger, securely harnessed alongside a qualified pilot.
The plateaux surrounding Millau facilitate easy operation, as a brief stride captures your canopy in thermals, allowing you to float over the viaduct.
8. Pont Vieux et Moulin Vieux
An unusual structure captures attention as you enter Millau via the Pont Lerouge over the Tarn.
Adjacent to this contemporary bridge are two arches from an older bridge, culminating in a historic mill.
This structure appears precarious, as the mill is cantilevered above by a series of wooden beams.
The bridge, which dates back to the early 12th century, originally boasted 17 arches along the Tarn and was fortified by three towers.
The existing mill, constructed in the 1700s, incorporates the foundations of one of these former towers in its design.
This configuration presents a distinct visual hallmark currently undergoing restoration following the 2012 flood.
9. Peyre
Located a few kilometers downstream from the viaduct, this village is nestled between the Tarn and an imposing tufa rock wall.
Many of the village’s dwellings are troglodytic, excavated from this soft stone, revealing a landscape riddled with ancient human-made caves.
You can meander through Peyre’s narrow, crevasse-like streets that maintain a cooler climate in summer; however, the viaduct’s impressive silhouette dominates the landscape in the distance above the river.
10. Roquefort-sur-Soulzon
This town is also renowned for its globally distributed cheese.
Here, you have the opportunity to witness firsthand the cellars where this cheese matures to perfection.
These natural caverns, formed over millions of years following the collapse of the Combalou Mountain, have been artfully transformed into a complex of chambers tending thousands of blocks of Roquefort sheep’s cheese, cared for by expert cheesemakers.
This can’t be replicated elsewhere; AOC regulations dictate that even the penicillium roqueforti fungus must originate from these caves for the cheese to bear the Roquefort name.
11. Millau’s Townhouses
Designated nationally as a Town of Art and History, Millau includes several private sites recognized as historic monuments.
These locations are worthy of inclusion in your walking tour of the town center.
The 17th-century Hôtel de Sambucy on Boulevard d’Ayrolle is one site of note.
This building was commissioned by the local “Conseiller du Roi,” holding a prestigious position in the court of Louis XIV.
It’s important not to confuse this structure with Hôtel de Sambucy de Miers on Rue Saint-Antione, which has much older roots dating back to medieval times and underwent updates in the 1600s.
12. Grands Causses Regional Park
Millau is intimately connected to this stunning landscape of plateaux shaped by the Dourbie, Jonte, and Tarn rivers, resulting in breathtaking gorges.
There is no need to venture far to encounter panoramas that will linger in your memory long after your visit.
The imposing Puncho d’Agast rises to the north and is encircled by cliffs near its apex.
Determined hikers often ascend for unparalleled views of Millau, and paragliding is another popular activity, with colorful canopies frequently visible from town.
The dramatic rock faces present a dream opportunity for climbers; however, for those less inclined toward vertical ascents, the Via Ferrata du Boffi serves as a suspended walkway equipped with harnesses and helmets, offering a much safer experience than it appears.
13. Maison des Vautours
Vultures were historically prevalent in the Cévénnes before their extinction, only to be successfully reintroduced in the 1970s.
If you travel along the Tarn just beyond Le Rozier from Millau, you will discover a visitor center that allows you to observe these raptors in their natural environment.
An observation deck outfitted with rotating telescopes enables you to track griffon, monk, bearded, and Egyptian vultures as they soar and observe their nests perched in the cliffs.
A museum dedicated to vultures provides insights into their behaviors, history, and the reintroduction initiative.
14. Abbaye de Sylvanès
A quick road trip from Millau leads you to this Cistercian abbey founded in the 1100s by a reformed brigand.
This narrative is akin to many across France, as the abbey faced near destruction during the Revolution.
Nonetheless, the church, chapterhouse, scriptorium, and the eastern gallery of the cloister were all preserved.
During summer, the International Sacred Music Festival features around 30 performances and recitals, having commenced in 1977 and typically held in the abbey church or outdoors in the serene cloister.
Originally centered on Christian Early Music, the festival has evolved to encompass diverse musical backgrounds from around the globe.
15. Local Produce
In the Grands Causses, you can explore the origins of the region’s culinary heritage.
Previously mentioning Roquefort cheese, it represents only one of many local delicacies.
A honey farm in Veyreau, chestnut groves in Ayssènes, cherry orchards in Paulhe, and sheep farms in Saint Affrique welcome inquisitive food enthusiasts.
However, few delicacies boast the allure of truffles, and at Comprégnac, the Maison de la Truffe elucidates the cultivation and harvesting of this prized fungus.
From Wednesday to Sunday mornings, the grand iron and glass market on Place des Halles in Millau showcases many local products, while special farmers’ markets occur on summer evenings at Place Foch.
