Most beautiful village in France 2013 - warning?
Jun 5th, 2013, 11:11 AM
#1
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Most beautiful village in France 2013 - warning?
Last year one of the main television channels in France (France 2) started a program to elect the most beautiful village in France among the 22 regions of the country. Each candiate is presented and then the viewers vote for the best one.
Last year, the winner was Saint Cirq Lapopie and tourism there increased 50% over last year, which is not necessarily the most desirable thing except for the locals involved in the tourist industry.
This year's winner was selected last night -- Eguisheim in Alsace ( http://www.ot-eguisheim.fr/ ), so there should be a major increase in tourism there this summer. I'm sure that the villagers are quite proud, but I do not have the slightest idea if the local infrastructure will be adequate to handle the big increase in visitors.
Last year, the winner was Saint Cirq Lapopie and tourism there increased 50% over last year, which is not necessarily the most desirable thing except for the locals involved in the tourist industry.
This year's winner was selected last night -- Eguisheim in Alsace ( http://www.ot-eguisheim.fr/ ), so there should be a major increase in tourism there this summer. I'm sure that the villagers are quite proud, but I do not have the slightest idea if the local infrastructure will be adequate to handle the big increase in visitors.
Jun 5th, 2013, 11:22 AM
#2
Two thoughts.
1. I wonder if the residents of these places are ever given the option to opt out of the competition? I suspect not as these things are generally driven by commerce and the merchants thrive on this sort of nonsense. Only the residents loose. I know, having just left a small town whose merchants were committed to ever-increasing tourist numbers.
2. Most beautiful rarely means most interesting. Castle Combe in England bills itself as the country's prettiest village and I looked forward to reaching it on a week-long walk. I don't think I've ever been so disappointed in a place. Pretty? Yes, thatch galore, but it might just have well been called the dullest village in England. I relieved myself and moved on.
1. I wonder if the residents of these places are ever given the option to opt out of the competition? I suspect not as these things are generally driven by commerce and the merchants thrive on this sort of nonsense. Only the residents loose. I know, having just left a small town whose merchants were committed to ever-increasing tourist numbers.
2. Most beautiful rarely means most interesting. Castle Combe in England bills itself as the country's prettiest village and I looked forward to reaching it on a week-long walk. I don't think I've ever been so disappointed in a place. Pretty? Yes, thatch galore, but it might just have well been called the dullest village in England. I relieved myself and moved on.
Jun 5th, 2013, 11:32 AM
#3
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From reading ouest.fr yesterday, I would have thought they were tipping their readers off in advance that Sainte-Suzanne had won. Then I noticed the same type of article about La Perriere.
The viewers are not choosing based on personal experience of all 22 entries, so it's pretty theoretical. I say we recruit somebody, maybe someone living in Paris with a camera, to visit all 22 of next year's entrants and tell us the real story as only he can tell it.
Anyone?
The viewers are not choosing based on personal experience of all 22 entries, so it's pretty theoretical. I say we recruit somebody, maybe someone living in Paris with a camera, to visit all 22 of next year's entrants and tell us the real story as only he can tell it.
Anyone?
Jun 5th, 2013, 11:41 AM
#4
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Basically, all of the "wonders of the world" are chosen just from photographic and video reports these days, and guess what? Most tourists also choose where to go without ever having been to the place where they are going. So it's all a question of trusting the source of the information about the desirability of a place.
Frankly, I am appalled by the number of people who come to Fodor's (or any other travel forum) to choose where to go without already having full documentation about the possibilities. And yet here they are every day asking 'what should I see?'
Frankly, I am appalled by the number of people who come to Fodor's (or any other travel forum) to choose where to go without already having full documentation about the possibilities. And yet here they are every day asking 'what should I see?'
Jun 5th, 2013, 03:46 PM
#6
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The latest issue of "France Today" presented their top 10 "Plus Beaux Villages"
Rochefort-en-Terre
Saint Veran
Barfleur
Olargues
Turenne
Noyers
Eguisheim
Seillans
Belves
Aubeterre sur Drone
Not the "top 10" I would pick. Eguisheim must have had a big "campaign" going - although I would probably leave it on my Top 10 list.
We'll be downriver a tad from St Cirq Lapopie in 2 weeks, and I sure hope there aren't 50% more people there.
Stu Dudley
Rochefort-en-Terre
Saint Veran
Barfleur
Olargues
Turenne
Noyers
Eguisheim
Seillans
Belves
Aubeterre sur Drone
Not the "top 10" I would pick. Eguisheim must have had a big "campaign" going - although I would probably leave it on my Top 10 list.
We'll be downriver a tad from St Cirq Lapopie in 2 weeks, and I sure hope there aren't 50% more people there.
Stu Dudley
Jun 5th, 2013, 03:56 PM
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Jun 5th, 2013, 08:42 PM
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Wow, appalled?... I find what happens in places like Syria appalling... Or Europe 70 years ago.
I merely find the questions on fodors (and the puffed up answers of a few blow holes), slightly amusing.
I merely find the questions on fodors (and the puffed up answers of a few blow holes), slightly amusing.
Jun 5th, 2013, 10:49 PM
#10
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kerouac... you must have a lot more time on your hands than I do. As much as I love to travel, raising my children and working take up most of my time and energy. Our upcoming trip was planned just 6 weeks ago and YES, I came to this forum to ask questions about the places that we're visiting. I have two shelves of travel books but that's just a starting point. A guidebook doesn't often answer specific questions that one might have, or provide suggestions based on the criteria of the travelers. I'm grateful for the recommendations that people have so graciously shared.
Jun 5th, 2013, 11:57 PM
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Amy, that is just what this forum is for; you have a preliminary itinerary, and ask for specific advice and tips. I've learned a lot from reading the replies here.
But there are also people who post questions such as 'we are going to Paris, what should we do there'. Or a recent one, asking for a plan for a 2-week student trip. And even that one got some useful replies.
But there are also people who post questions such as 'we are going to Paris, what should we do there'. Or a recent one, asking for a plan for a 2-week student trip. And even that one got some useful replies.
Jun 6th, 2013, 12:03 AM
#12
Eguisheim has a strong tourist infrastructure well in hand.
Interesting to see Barfleur (one of the three historical "flowers of france") getting into the act. I spent much of my childhood here and it used to be a very dour granite-based Norman village, well I guess they put some flower boxes in too ;-)
Interesting to see Barfleur (one of the three historical "flowers of france") getting into the act. I spent much of my childhood here and it used to be a very dour granite-based Norman village, well I guess they put some flower boxes in too ;-)
Jun 6th, 2013, 04:38 AM
#13
Original Poster
Whether or not these villages campaigned to be selected for their region is one thing, but the winners were selected by the television viewers, just like American Idol and programs like that -- so no little secret committee got together to pat each other on the back and choose the winner among themselves. And a lot of these villages don't even have hotels or restaurants.
Jun 6th, 2013, 07:01 AM
#14
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Kerouac, what surprises me is how many villages that make a major effort to become a 4-star village fleuri--with all the expense and work it takes to produce knocks-your-socks-off effects that have to be redone each year, on a tiny budget and the help of many volunteers--have barely any commerce in place that will benefit from the increase in visitors.
Jun 6th, 2013, 07:09 AM
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I think it's actually rather comical that, of all the exquisite villages in the Périgord Noir, Belvès made it on the list. Not that it's not a nice villge...it's just so mediocre by comparison to so many others. Now, if they had chosen St-Géniès, I could get it. I wonder if there are certain criteria.
Jun 6th, 2013, 07:15 AM
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A chacun son gout! St Cirq - wqhat is one of France's most beautiful villages is obviously a highly subjective question and with villages lobbying strongly to be named the process can easily be corrupted - anyway it is a quixotic quest for sure that would have many of us tilting at windmills - there are zillions of 'most beuatiful villages in France' IMO - trying to single out one is simply incroyable IMO.
Jun 6th, 2013, 07:47 AM
#17
Kerouac--I'm with you. We could turn this post into a "tip the pilot" post with such infamous queries as:
What's the best province to see in one day?
What attractions might I like to see in France?
What's a good food to eat?
What's the best province to see in one day?
What attractions might I like to see in France?
What's a good food to eat?
Jun 6th, 2013, 10:43 AM
#18
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or "What Is the Best Food in France" as one recent post queried - again a quixotic quest IMO - I always chuckle when I see 'the best" - always the best - not just a good something - everyone only wants the best - well where does that leave the rest? The rest of the best are usually just as good as the best of the best IMO.
Jun 6th, 2013, 11:47 AM
#19
Original Poster
I am not surprised or shocked by all of the posts about buying a wonderful crêpe -- with Nutella or ham and cheese or anything else -- people rave about crêpes all the time as one of the most unmissable delights of France. And yet I don't think I have eaten one in at least 10 years because I have no interest in crêpes.
So I just watch most of the food posts as a bemused Spectator.
It just goes to show how different everybody is.
So I just watch most of the food posts as a bemused Spectator.
It just goes to show how different everybody is.
Jun 6th, 2013, 12:06 PM
#20
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When I joined Fodor's in '04, it was b/c we were taking a trip to France and I was looking for advice about where to go after Paris. After a *lot* of research, I had narrowed down my choices to Rouen and Strasbourg. We decided on Strasbourg, with input from many helpful Fodorites.
We had a great time and altho carless, we took a little trip by local train from Strasbourg to Obeanai, on one of the days that we were there. Walking to the train, we bought a little hardboard stand-up easel calendar for '05. On it were the towns of the Alsace, w/lovely Eguisheim being one of them.
That calendar has sat on top of our microwave all these years. We just start over again anew each year, such that we have already passed the point where the days of the week and dates matched! (in '2011).
As we were walking to the little Oberanai train depot, I was thinking, "Wow, 2005 is SO far off." (It was only March of '04 when we were there.)
We had a great time and altho carless, we took a little trip by local train from Strasbourg to Obeanai, on one of the days that we were there. Walking to the train, we bought a little hardboard stand-up easel calendar for '05. On it were the towns of the Alsace, w/lovely Eguisheim being one of them.
That calendar has sat on top of our microwave all these years. We just start over again anew each year, such that we have already passed the point where the days of the week and dates matched! (in '2011).
As we were walking to the little Oberanai train depot, I was thinking, "Wow, 2005 is SO far off." (It was only March of '04 when we were there.)
