Last month I posted photos of some lovely places in France but completely neglected French villages, curious because I spend more time exploring villages than big towns. Time to put things right.
It’s a tough choice – I tend to always visit classified ‘most beautiful villages’ when I visit somewhere, but there are lots of villages that aren’t listed and are none the less beautiful because of it – although they will often be a lot less visited without the classification. Mostly I have tried to think of villages that are not the ‘very famous’ ones so you can see something different.
I am aware that the villages shown below are all in the southern half of France – nothing personal, I’ll get to the north in due course…
Castelbouc is a tiny village towards the eastern end of the Gorges du Tarn and just one of several beautiful hamlets and villages here (including Sainte-Enimie, classified as one of the ‘most beautiful villages of France). Castelbouc only has a sprinkling of houses and being deep in the valley I imagine sunshine is quite a rare treat. Very picturesque, and the gorges themselves are also very attractive.
Gordes in the Luberon region of Provence is much better known, and much more visited – an unmissable village for visitors to the area. The village is very pretty but the view from across the valley is even better.
Loubressac is a small village in the north of the Lot department. Not a load to see but very pleasant to explore and it is also very close to several other great villages including Carennac, Autoire, Curemonte and Turenne and others, so the region is great for ‘village spotters’.
Monflanquin is a ‘well-formed’ bastide town (towns built in the 13th century with a structured plan around a central square) in the Lot et Garonne department. It gets less visitors than Monpazier, it’s famous neighbour a little to the north (and definitely itself one of the finest villages in France).
Banne, in the Ardeche, gets special mention because of the views from the village centre – the village square overlooks miles of countryside, and you can stroll up through the village to a ruined castle and even more far-reaching views. Perhaps I should have included Domme (Dordogne) if I wanted to add ‘views from a village’ but you’ve already been there I expect – most people seem to have been!
Next month perhaps I’ll rustle up photos taken around the coast and beaches of France, and of course if you want to tell me your own favourite village (or send in a photo) I’ll add it on the list…
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/tom.cupples/TourrettesSurLoup#
Here’s some pictures of Tourrettes Sur Loup – a very pretty perched village
Very nice – even at a glance it’s obvious whereabouts in France you are. I’m hoping to get over your way later in the year so I’ll add it to the ‘hopefuls’.