Lonely Planet has compiled a list of France’s most beautiful villages, making the case that the country’s famous charm is better sought in small settlements than in its major cities.
Grignan, Drome
A 12th-century castle lookout reveals a purple sea stretching in every direction. Lavender in this Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes village blooms from mid-June to mid-July.
Candes-Saint-Martin, Indre-et-Loire
Sitting at the confluence of the Vienne and Loire rivers, Candes-Saint-Martin offers boat cruises, wine tastings at riverside wineries, swimming in the Loire, and kayaking from the upper river.
Manigod, Haute-Savoie
Manigod draws skiers in winter to the slopes of La Cluse and hikers in summer, when the mountains transform into a wildflower display. Year-round, a concept cafe called Lo Garajo, set in a converted garage, hosts events from jazz quartets to yoga brunches.
Camaret-sur-Mer, Brittany
On the Crozon peninsula at the western tip of Brittany, Camaret-sur-Mer attracts artists with granite boulders, purple heather, and shifting sea and sky views.
Viviers, Ardeche
Viviers, on the banks of the Rhone, evokes the Renaissance with cobbled lanes winding between arches toward a cathedral whose history dates to the fourth century, though most of the current structure is from the 12th century.
Naours, Somme
Naours contains a hand-dug network of around 300 chalk quarry chambers. From the Middle Ages through the 17th century, residents used the labyrinth to shelter from invaders.
La Malene, Lozere
Hemmed in by 1,000-metre cliffs above the River Tarn, La Malene is suited to kayaking, paddleboarding, canyoning, and white-water rafting, with the gorge walls also serving as a climbing surface.
Fleurie, Rhone
Fleurie is the starting point for the annual Beaujolais wine marathon. The Dukes of Burgundy banned the gamay grape, the foundation of Beaujolais wines, in the 14th century; the region’s wines are now regaining recognition.
Arles-sur-Tech, Eastern Pyrenees
This former mining village at the foot of the Pyrenees hosts the annual Catalan Bear Festival each February, rotating among Arles-sur-Tech and the neighbouring villages of Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste and Saint-Laurent-de-Cerdans. For several days, residents chase a “bear” said to have abducted a local girl, eat meat, drink wine in large quantities, and dance to Catalan music.
