Here’s Why The Most Beautiful Villages In France Are So Famous

France has probably the most enchanting villages in the whole of Europe. Irrespective of whether it be little towns amongst Provence’s lavender fields, dazzling beachfront extends alongside the French Riviera, or swirling northern settlements with the quintessential castle over a hill, France has it all with regard to little spots competent for a serene, quiet, or even socially-distanced vacation. 

Obviously, we’d never direct you to omit the amorousness of Paris, the fervour of Cannes, or the wines of Bordeaux; however, you might need to reflect an extra side or road trip to one of these particularly picturesque villages in France. 

More than 150 villages & tiny towns in France gladly advance themselves as one of the ‘most beautiful villages in France’; nonetheless, this is only a hint of something larger, a name that villages can ask for… at a cost. 

Loads of these villages go back hundreds of years; consequently, they’ll in any case be around in a couple of months/years/decades once you’re prepared to begin voyaging again post-Covid pandemic. 

How Many Villages Are In France? 

As of Jan 2021, there were about 34,965 communities in France, around 34,836 of them in metropolitan France & approx. 129 of them abroad. 

What’s The Oldest Village In France? 

Marseille was established in 600 BCE by Greek sailors as a port city from Phocaea in Asia Minor. This forms Marseille the extremely primeval city in France. The sailors named their new city Massalia, which is the place where the city gets its present title from. 

The Most Beautiful Villages In France 

Their setting solo is a sufficient motivation to visit France’s endearing villages. Regardless of whether spiraling up sheer rocky outcrops or mounting mildly beyond rolling vineyards & trimmed fields of lavender, these perched oases of rustic magnificence mix apparently into the radiant scenes encompassing them. 

Similar to entries to the past, they join delightful medieval architecture with tons of cultural charm and a sprinkling of je ne sais quoi, giving an enchanting venture via the France of times passed by. 

In the event that a heartfelt provincial getaway is on your plan, dream no more and begin packing for an excursion to the Hexagon! From the picturesque hilltop hamlets of Provence to the half-wooded sensations of Normandy, these are the most beautiful villages in France:

Yvoire, Haute-Savoie 

An associate from the most beautiful villages of France (Les Plus Beaux Villages de France), Yvoire draws in a huge number of tourists each summer with its blissful flower-bedecked streets and fabulous Garden of Five Senses. 

On the other hand, its stimulated historic center is packed with medieval treasures; together with winding cobblestoned alleyways bring about the tranquil shores of Lake Geneva, where fishing boats bow delicately in the water. 

Rocamadour, Occitanie 

Slightly north of Toulouse, this quaint village that lies along a tree-shaded gorge has some unique attractions. Other than the Cité Réligieuse, its own compound of religious structures, and an acclaimed sculpture of a wooden Black Madonna, Rocamadour is additionally home to an extremely exceptional park, the La Forêt des Singes. 

Here, more than 150 Barbary Macaque monkeys meander aimlessly, something you probably won’t anticipate seeing in southern France. 

Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, Lot 

Pouring down a steep cliff high over the River Lot, terracotta-tiled Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is considerably more than simply a beautiful face. Opulent in history and legacy, the village is no more alien to sightseers, however some way or another has figured out how to hold all the allure and character of bygone days. 

There are charming cobbled pathways to walk around, adorable florid patios to sit at and appreciate the sight, just as entrancing Gothic façades, exhilarated entryways, and art galleries to find. 

Beynac-et-Cazenac, Nouvelle-Aquitaine 

Perched looking out on the Dordogne River, Beynac-et-Cazenac highlights the medieval Château de Beynac, amongst the most popular castles in the district, which rests on the village’s primary cliff. 

You can travel around Beynac-et-Cazenac by walking or snap certain epic photographs from an idle boat or a more enthusiastic kayak ride alongside the river. 

Saignon, Vaucluse 

In Saignon, a chocolate-box Luberon town hanging insecurely off a hillside overhead Apt, all streets lead to the enchanting central placette (tiny square). 

A bunch of attractive ivy-covered shuttered dwellings intermixed with floral squares along with bubbling fountains; this tranquil, friendly community area is overflowing with Provencal appeal. 

Whilst here, visit the impressive 12-century Romanesque church of Notre Dame de Pitie and afterward come up to the Rock of Saignon, locally notorious as Rocher de Bellevue, for spectacular 360-degree sights above the Luberon valley, mountains, as well as scented lavender fields.

Honfleur, Normandy 

This port village in Normandy lies on the banks of where the Seine links the Atlantic. Rowed with sixteenth to eighteenth-century townhouses, this scenic waterfront town has propelled French impressionist artistes like the celebrated Gustave Courbet & Claude Monet. 

Honfleur is as well home to one of the biggest wooden churches in France, Sainte-Catherine. 

Coaraze, Alpes-Maritimes 

Otherwise called Village du Soleil, Coaraze is ecstatically bright and incredibly picturesque. It settles on a stony sandstone outcrop in the knolls north of Nice and spread around it are multi-hued ceramic sundials made by Henri Goetz, John Cocteau, and Ponce de Leon, to give some examples. 

Thin serpentine streets open onto iridescent plazas overflowing with blossoms, fantastic manors in lovely pastels stand next to each other with brilliant disintegrating stone residences, and vaulted hallways add to the time-travel feeling. 

Gerberoy, Hauts-de-France 

This northern French destination is recognized as the ‘village of 1,000 rose bushes,’ because of its countless flowering plants (visit in Jun for the yearly rose festival). 

Inhale the flower fragrances as you appreciate the hues, timber, and brick of the vintage cob homes and the nineteenth-century castle. 

Les Baux-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône 

Extending along a lofty hillside between Arles & Avignon, Les Baux-de-Provence is an elegantly conserved Renaissance village protected by the broad remnants of a medieval castle. 

Further than its apparent Provençal charms – exquisite stone homes, sun-dappled squares, plus lavender-scented cobblestoned paths, this spot is equally home to a Michelin-starred café and the stunning Carrières de Lumières – an antique limestone quarry where artworks by Renoir, Monet, and various other Renaissance goliaths are protruded on the underground dividers as a component of some really vivid multimedia shows. 

Evisa, Corsica 

Encircled by the Aitone forest, mountains, and waterfalls, there might not be much in the habit of touristic movements in Evisa, yet the village is associated with one of Corsica’s top hiking regions, the Spelunca gorges & canyon. 

The wonderful Corsican day experience is to travel around the village and afterward trek the Gorges. 

Final Words 

The villages in France have that archetypal eccentricity: you can nearly rely on hilltop castles along with cobblestone streets for an overall scenic experience. 

Regardless of the district of France, you’re in; you’ll probably have the option to get away from the city for a road trip to one of these stunning tiny spots for a bucolic surrounding and French lure.