The lure of a picturesque French village has always been strong for the curious British Traveler. But how do you choose between them when planning a road trip?
France has always been known for the incredible beauty it possesses. It’s a country that is famed for its incredible sights and attractions, such as its capital city of Paris and its seaside destinations of Cannes, Nice and St Tropez. However, there’s more to France than its tourist attractions, France is also home to some of the world’s most beautiful villages.
Fancy taking a trip this summer with a difference and traveling from picturesques French village to picturesques French village? If the answer is yes, then read on for a list of some of the most beautiful French villages. What’s amazing about each of the villages below is the fact that they each have their own very distinct characters.
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
Sat on a cliff top, overlooking the River Lot, a gentle meandering river, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is a medieval village that has an interesting history and the most incredible views.
Here there are over 10 listed buildings, traditional cobbled streets, and a ruined fort that’s just waiting to be explored, it’s no secret why this is dubbed on of France’ most picturesque villages.
Riquewihr: A colourful fairytale come alive
Situated at the bottom of the Vosges Mountain range within Alsace’s vineyards, Riquewihr was built between the 1400s and 1700s and hasn’t changed much since. This fairytale inspired town is home to old-fashioned cobbled streets, amazing timbered houses and the most amazing scenery.
Nicknamed the ‘Gem of the Alsace Vineyards’, Riquewihr is renowned for its historic vineyard trade in wine that is still thriving today. Famous for its wine tours and vineyards, for anyone with a passion for beauty (and wine, of course) this is a village that can’t be missed.
Collonges-La-Rouge: A striking contrast
The thing that makes this little village stand out amongst all of the other French villages is its out of this world architecture and design. Many of the houses here have been built from red sandstone, which in the summer months, make an incredible sight against the vast expanse of green fields surrounding it.
The main focal point of this village is its church, a Roman-style piece of architecture which dates back to the 10th or 11th century. This hamlet of a village (it’s so small it can be described as a hamlet) has the most amazing turreted homes and looks like something out of a fairytale – Belle from Beauty and The Beast wouldn’t feel out of place here.
Veules-les-Roses: A riverside hamlet
Renowned as a historic villages within the Pays de Caux area, Velues-les-Roses is a seaside hamlet that has had inhabitants since the early 1500s, and is known as one of Normandy’s most picturesque areas.
Located close to the River Veules – France’s smallest river – the traditional buildings, including watermills have the river winding around them. At the shore, oysters are sourced which is partly why this teeny tiny village is so famous across France – it’s incredible Veulaise oysters.
Perouges: Step back into medieval France
Situated a several miles from the town of Lyon in the centre of the Rhone-Alps area, is the picturesque walled town (large village) of Perouges, which was famed in the medieval period due to its incredible wine industry.
Even today, this area is mainly untouched by modern life and still holds much of the old-world charm from medieval times, complete with pebbled streets and historic buildings. Perouges has been so perfectly preserved that it has been used as many film sets – that’s how beautiful and historic it is.
Piana: Bliss on a Corsican hilltop
Set aside a high clifftop which balances above the bright blue seas of the Gulf of Porto, Piana is a coastal Corsican village that is famous for its beauty. This pretty village is dominated by the L’eglise de Sainte Marie, which is a unique church that was built later on in the 18th century.
Today, this church is home to a selection of amazing paintings by Paul-Mathieu Novellini, a Corsican artist. Aside from the church, the main attraction of this impressive expanse of coastline is Calanques de Piana, an area of amazing red rock formations that have been carved into the face of the cliffs here.
Locronan: A real taste of old Brittany
The charming village of Locronan, which is also an Petite Cité de Caractère en Bretagne, is home to a large amount of Breton culture. This small town (large village) has been creating sailcloth since the late 1600s and is famous for it.
Locronan was also a hub for some of the region’s finest architecture, which includes the medieval church of Saint Ronan – this was created during this period. The villages quintessential beauty has long been picked up by movie directors and has been featured in many films and television shows.
Etretat: Rock arches of Normandy
Situated in a bay on the Alabaster Coast in the Normandy region, Etretat is famous for its incredible rock arches that have been sculpted into the white cliffs. The works of Claude Monet are immortalised here and the village is famous for them.
Complete with a pebbled beach and array of amenities, it’s easy to see why Etretat is such a popular travel destination and has been dubbed one of France’s most popular travel destinations.
Saint-Veran: A tourist hotspot in the mountains
Situated at the centre of Parc Natural Regional du Oueyrs in the French Alps, Saint-Veran is the village with the highest commute across France. With an altitude of over 2,000 meters it’s easy to see why this is the case and why this small village is famous for its height.
The scenery around this village is incredible because it’s made up of mountainous terrain. Home to around 300 people year round and a large amount of skiing tourists in the winter months and hikers in the summer months, this is a tourist village, with many of the inhabitants living off of seasonal trading.
There you have it, a guide to some of France’s most picturesque and unique villages. France is home to a wide range of beautiful sights, but very few rival the incredible villages listed above – these really are amazing. For a quiet break and a trip with a view, select one of the locations above – you won’t be disappointed with the view, that’s a promise!
Did this article inspire you to check out some of France’s most good looking hamlets? Don’t forget to also check out our guides to some of the big cities such as Paris and Lyon when planning your trip, for the ultimate combination of city break and rural retreat.
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