Most beautiful villages of France

"The Most Beautiful Villages of France"


 

In 2016 there are 155 villages called "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" spread over the whole country.

This Association shares the ambition to protect the incredible heritage of the French villages, to get the word out to the people and to make them know their History, their land, their culture and inhabitants.

This award results from a volontary approach of a township eager to enter the Association which is supposed to attract numbers of visitors and tourists and therefore contribute to the prosperity of the village.

 

The selection criteria are very strict.


The mayor of the village can subscribe to the award but the village will have to fullfill the requirements which are at first :

  • to be of a  rural size, in other words it has a maximum population of 2,000 inhabitants,
  • to have in its area, at least 2 protected sites or monuments (either listed or registered on the supplementary list of historical monuments),
  • to give proof of mass support for the planned application for membershipby furnishing the decision voted by the Town Council.

Secondly, there is an on-site evaluation which consists in a  chart of 27 objective criteria to measure the extent and value of the village heritage, its architectural, urban and environmental quality. The village can be elected as a One of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France.

 

 

Saint Cirq Lapopie on GR651 (variant of GR65) : One of the Most Beautiful Villages in France

 

On the Puy Route

Saint Côme d'Olt on GR65 or the Puy Route

 

Estaing : along the Puy Route or GR65

 

Lauzerte, Tarn et Garonne : on the GR65 or Puy Route

 

In the south of France

Gourdon, Provence - Cycling Tour along the Côte d'Azur

 

Ainhoa, Basque Country - Cycling around Basque Country or Hiking on GR10 from Hendaye to Saint Jean Pied de Port

 

Sare, Basque Country - Cycling around Basque Country  or Hiking on GR10 from Hendaye to Saint Jean Pied de Port

 

On the Stevenson's track

Pradelles, Auvergne on the Stevenson's track

 

In the Perigord - Dordogne

Beynac, Perigord, France : Cycling tour in Perigord

 

Castelnaud, Perigord, France : Cycling tour in Perigord

 

La Roque Gageac, Perigord, France : Cycling tour in Perigord

 

Monpazier, one of the most beautiful bastides of Perigord :  Cycling tour in Perigord

 

LOUBRESSAC, Dordogne River

 

AUTOIRE, Dordogne River

 

CARENNAC, Dordogne River

 

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