Which French village is your favourite?
PUBLISHED: 11:35 13 June 2017 | UPDATED: 13:19 15 June 2017
Moncontour in Brittany © BERTHIER Emmanuel / CRTB
BERTHIER Emmanuel
There are 13 villages on the shortlist to win the title of ‘France’s favourite village 2017’ – explore them all and vote in our poll to let us know which one is your favourite
French television programme Le Village Préféré des Français has been running on France2 since 2012 and has become cult viewing. Viewers were be asked to vote for their favourite village live during the show on Tuesday 13 June, from a shortlist of 13 – one from each region. Last year’s winner was Rochefort-en-Terre in Brittany but which of these 13 villages will take the crown this year? Click here to find out which village won!
Watch the short films about each village and let us know which one you would vote for…
Bellême is the historic capital of Le Perche naturel regional park in Normandy and a popular base for visitors exploring the area. The village has a number of attractive 17th, 18th and 19th-century houses and parts of the original ramparts remain, including an original arched gateway leading onto the main square.
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Bèze, Côte d’Or, Burgundy-Franche-Comté
Tucked away in a sleepy hollow is the medieval village of Bèze. Visitors come to see the Grottes de Bèze, underground chambers carved out by the river and used as a refuge against attackers in the Middle Ages. In the village itself you will find pretty half-timbered houses, washhouses, a 13th-century monastic school and the remains of a Benedictine abbey.
Gargilesse-Dampierre, Indre, Centre-Val de Loire
Found in the south of Indre, Gargilesse-Dampierre has welcomed several impressionist painters and the author George Sand once lived here. The pretty houses are grouped around a castle and church and the village is home to a series of beautiful frescoes.
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Kaysersberg, Haut-Rhin, Grand-Est
Kaysersberg is an attractive Alsatian village, its streets are lined with eye-catching half-timbered houses, with elaborate carvings and façades, and a river dashes through the centre. A medieval castle overlooks the village and its Christmas market is one of the best in the region.
La Garde-Adhémar, Drôme, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
The walled village of La Garde-Adhémar sits high on a hill offering spectacular views of the Rhone valley. This pretty Provençal village has an open main square lined with cafes, winding streets, medieval houses and a 12th-century church. It is one of the plus beaux villages de France.
Lagrasse is another of France’s plus beaux villages. Stroll through the village’s picturesque streets and discover the medieval houses, arts and crafts shops and boutiques selling local produce. The village is home to a Romanesque abbey and ancient monastic buildings and is in the heart of the Corbières vineyards.
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La Roque-Gageac, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Consisting mainly of a row of yellow-stone houses between the River Dordogne to the front and overhanging cliffs to the back, La Roque-Gageac occupies a dramatic and much-photographed setting. The village enjoys its own microclimate and palm trees and banana plants grow in a tropical garden.
Lourmarin, Vaucluse, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
Located in the south of the Luberon, Lourmarin, another plus beau village de France, makes an ideal base for hiking around the Luberon. Surrounded by hills and olive groves, the village has a castle, built in the 15th century, a church and a protestant temple, and is known for its market.
Montchauvet, Yvelines, Île-de-France
This medieval village has an ancient fortified gate, the porte de Bretagne, the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine church with a magnificent square tower and an impressive medieval bridge.
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Moncontour, Côtes d’Armor, Brittany
This medieval walled town is perched on a hill near Saint-Brieuc. Named one of France’s plus beaux villages, Moncontour was once the centre of Brittany’s linen production and there are a number of grand houses built with this wealth. There is an impressive church, central marketplace and traditional granite houses decorated with flowers to explore.
Piriac-sur-Mer, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire
Located on the Guérande peninsula, Piriac-sur-Mer is a renowned seaside resort with a Breton feel, despite now being in the Pays de la Loire region. It is home to characteristic granite houses covered in colourful hydrangeas.
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, Somme, Hauts-de-France
Situated where the River Somme becomes the vast Baie of Somme, Saint-Valery-sur-Somme is a pretty fortified town with its foundations laid firmly in the Middle Ages. It was here that William the Conqueror’s fleet took shelter, before heading off to invade England and claim the English crown in 1066. It has characteristic narrow streets lined with restored sailors’ houses and the bay itself is said to be one of the world’s most beautiful beaches.
Sant’Antonino, Haute-Corse, Corsica
This plus beau village is one of the oldest villages in Corsica. It sits 500m high on a rocky outcrop and boasts incredible views of the sea. The village itself has charming little streets – some with covered pathways – stone houses that blend in with the rock and the remains of an ancient castle. It’s an ideal base for hiking in the area.
