The most scenic towns and villages in France

[jw5]

The most scenic towns and villages in France​

France has long been a preferred destination for tourists seeking to explore a coast and countryside embroidered with some of the most charming and beguiling towns and villages found in Europe. In fact, many of these fairytale destinations are members of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The most beautiful villages of France") association. And these rural and seafront havens all make perfect bases from which to explore the many different regions of this fascinating country.

 

[jw5]

Colmar, Grand Est​

Picture-perfect Colmar is a visual treat and arguably the prettiest town in France. The capital of the Alsace wine region, Colmar is renowned for its colorful and well-preserved old town, an area that is crossed by canals of the Lauch river.

 

[jw5]

Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei, Normandy​

Nestling in the countryside near Alençon and set on either side of the Sarthe river is seductive Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei. Its scenic allure has always attracted artists, among them noted French landscape painter Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1796–1875), who like many others was drawn to the village's well-preserved houses and 15th-century church.

 

[jw5]

Saint-Tropez, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur​

Vestiges of Saint-Tropez's distant past as a sleepy fishing village can still be admired due to the fact that its 17th-century architectural heritage has been protected. Its historic hub is a maze of narrow streets and small squares bathed in terracotta hues. In the 19th and 20th centuries, a wave of artists, painters, writers, and filmmakers settled in Saint-Tropez to lend the destination a creative bohemian atmosphere. Today, this Mediterranean jewel set in the heart of the French Riviera welcomes a jet-setting celebrity crowd from all over the world.

 

[jw5]

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Occitanie​

Clinging to a hillside and situated in the narrow valley of the Gellone river where it meets the steep-sided gorge of the Hérault river, the medieval hamlet of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is especially known for its abbey, founded in 804 and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

[jw5]

Gordes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur​

Perched on the slopes of Monts de Vaucluse, Gordes is a typical Provençal hilltop village. It's only an hour from Avignon, and has long served as an artist's community: Marc Chagall (1887–1985) was a frequent visitor.

 

[jw5]

Riquewihr, Grand Est​

Another popular Alsace town famed for its splendid architecture and medieval atmosphere, Riquewihr wows with its collection of 16th-century half-timbered houses and flower-decked balconies. After exploring, settle down in one of the many bars and sample some of the aromatic wine the region is celebrated for.

 

[jw5]

Roussillon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur​

Roussillon is noted for the nearby ochre deposits found in the clay surrounding the village, which helped put this magical destination on the map. The mining of yellow, orange, or brown ochres for the textile industry thrived throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. One of the former ochre quarries at Roussillon can be visited via the Sentier des Ocres ("Ochre Path"), a walk of either 30 or 60 minutes through the now disused workings.

 

[jw5]

Annecy, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes​

Sometimes referred to as the "Pearl of the French Alps," Annecy is a town in Haute-Savoie treasured for its gentle sloping hills and crystal clear canals that wind their way through the streets: it lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy, 35 km (22 mi) south of Geneva, Switzerland.

 

[jw5]

Giverny, Normandy​

Lovers of fine art beat a path to the village of Giverny to visit the home and garden of Claude Monet (1840–1926), both of which are open to the public (the garden inspired his famous 'Water Lilies' series of paintings).

 

[jw5]

Kaysersberg, Grand Est​

The diminutive cobblestoned Alsace village of Kaysersberg has graced many a chocolate box lid and calendar cover for its astonishing beauty. In fact, it's been previously voted France's favorite village, its medieval character and cluster of historic monuments making it a clear winner.

 

[jw5]

Carcassonne, Occitanie​

The impressive grandeur of Carcassonne is heightened by its citadel, known as the Cité de Carcassonne, a medieval fortress dating back to the Gallo-Roman period and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Carcassonne is also wine territory, surrounded as it is by the famous vineyards of Languedoc.

 

[jw5]

Villefranche-sur-Mer, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur​

Located on the French Riviera, Villefranche-sur-Mer is a quiet fishing village that serves as a blissful retreat from not-too-far-away Nice. Apart from its dreamy disposition, Villefranche-sur-Mer is famous for its 14th-century Chapelle St-Pierre ("Saint Peter's Chapel") and the murals painted in the 1950s by French artist Jean Cocteau (1889–1963).

 

[jw5]

Rocamadour, Occitanie​

Seemingly chiseled out of solid rock, Rocamadour, in France's Lot department, stands out with its jaw-dropping views over the Alzou canyon. The hilltop town is also visited for the Chapelle Notre Dame with its famous Black Madonna statue, which has for centuries attracted pilgrims from many countries.

 

[jw5]

Èze, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur​

Perched on a hilltop like an eagle's nest and overlooking the shimmering French Riviera below is the quaint village of Èze, seen here at sunrise with Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat in the background.

 

[eatshitndie]

masturbating alone again?

 

[jw5]

Saint-Émilion, Nouvelle-Aquitaine​

Stunning Saint-Émilion sits in France's celebrated Bordeaux wine region. Saint-Émilion's medieval splendor is acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site due to the region's exceptional landscape and the town's beautifully-preserved historic monuments.

 

[jw5]

Fourcès, Occitanie​

Founded on the remains of a 15th-century castle, Fourcès is a typical bastide—a fortified village noted for its round central 'square,' where the houses are built in a circle to allow a proper defense. Fourcès is an utterly charming destination distinguished by its half-timbered medieval houses, many of them built over arcades.

 

[jw5]

L'Isle sur la Sorgue, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur​

Set on the Sorge river and built along a series of canals, L'Isle sur la Sorgue is famous for its near 300 antique shops that attract art collectors from all over France. The town hosts antique markets on most Sundays.

 

[Eisenhut]

What about Grenoble?