The area I was referring to is what geographers term a dissected plateau, small hills on top at an altitude of around 500 metres with deep steep sided river valleys, principally the Lot and its tributaries such as the Cele. It’s around the junction of the Lot, Aveyron and the Cantal . We divide our world on the basis of strata - people like us who live on the river banks (best in mediaeval properties built above the traditional flood plain), those who live on the heavily wooded valley slopes and those who live amongst the rolling dairy farmlands of the plateau. Properties on the top often have larger areas of usable terrain and get the most sun, but are also the most exposed in winter. It’s easy to travel between the zones and there’s a lot of landscape variety.
Not sure of your status, but if you’re not looking for a principal residence, I’d suggest not looking too far from Jct 56 of the A20, either up on the Causse de Quercy, or down in the Lot and Cele valleys. The nearest town for a base would be Figeac (very nice) https://www.tourisme-figeac.com/
with some lovely nearby villages such as Corn
[https://www.google.com/search?q=corn+46+lot&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiNyN7-v4fvAhUNnxQKHTSRBekQ_AUoAXoECAgQAw&biw=1600&bih=795]
We’re a bit further east about 35 minutes from that junction and about 30 mins from Rodez airport. For exploring the northern Aveyron I’d recommend Rodez (city) or Marcillac (charming mediaeval town) as a base.
The traditional/ vernacular architecture varies in appearance according to the colour of the local bedrock - sandstone, limestone or schist, with tiled or lauze roofs.For some visuals see;
[https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=maison+a+vendre+vallee+du+lot+aveyron&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjalq-0uofvAhUX9IUKHSm3DvsQjJkEegQIARAB&biw=1600&bih=795]
Winters are mild and short, summers aren’t scorching; particularly at lower altitudes, but nevertheless in winter many of our friends go skiing just for the day in the southern Cantal ski resorts (I saw sufficient snow as a child on the Pennines, OH is S African and can’t cope with cold places).
Hope there’s some helpful info above