Which region in France has your favorite villages?
 

Which region in France has your favorite villages and why? Thank you.

Provence, because the colors and the scent of the wild herbs in the air, the wonderful, beautiful fruits and vegetables on market days and flowers everyehere.

Provence, for the same reasons as Mimi mentioned, plus the wonderful little "perched" villages.

I don't know France TOO well, but so far I love Provence and the Dordogne best.

Well, Mimi, Sue and cmt have taken both my answers! So let me be a little more specific. Provence is a large area with a lot of different types of topography and atmospheres. My favorite spot of them all would have to be the Luberon. When I was there it was admittedly off-season (Oct.) but I felt I was in the "real" France. Lots of small towns and villages where the people were living as they had for generations. Some of them, I'm sure, looked exactly as they did 50 years ago (the villages, not the people!) Not a McDonald's in sight. In the Dordogne, many small towns and villages with their medieval houses and castles, like Sarlat, Domme, Beynac, also give one the feeling of going back in time.

Some of them are pretty touristy, but IMO it's hard to beat the wine road villages in the Alsace.

Each region in France has it's own charm. Coming from Florida where it is very flat, I enjoyed visiting the Alps (Chamonix and Megeve) and enjoyed working through the small village of Annecy. On the other hand, the dordogne and provence with its medieval villages perched high on hilltops are really special places to visit because they ooze charm.

Karen, Lake annecy was one of the most beautiful lakes I have sen in France, And we ate at one of the best(but also most expensive restaurants in all my life) but alas, it was not the quiet place of Rohmer's films.

True, the Savoie region of France is lovely and Annecy is beautiful, but at a population of 50,000 or so, it is not what I would call a "village," much less a "small" one.

The Dordogne, hands down: Monpazier, Temniac, Souillac, Beynac...and others whose names I've forgotten. They are caught in time, buildings in existence longer than the New World has been in the European consciousness.<BR><BR>

Dordogne with its wonderful medieval villages and castles : Domme, Beynac, La Roque-gageac, Monpazier...

My favorite regions are the Languedoc-Rousillon and the Midi-Pyrenees.The food, villages, sights and overall charm of the people are delightful. Additionally, it still qualifies as "underexplored" France; hardly any Americans go there which is a bonus. I have had wonderful excursions in towns such as Cahors, Auch, Foix, Castres, Toulouse and Albi..<BR><BR>Regards..<BR>Luis

Thanks for taking the time to reply, everyone. Any more responses? ...

Besides the Provence area, I love the South East. Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Bayonne, etc. Great area, good food.<BR>And also the Alsace. Riquewihr, Colmar, Eguisheim.<BR>I am not very familiar with the Bourgogne (Beaune, Macon) and Dordogne (Libourne, Bergerac) area, but would love to go back one day.

Beaujolais! Spent a wonderful holiday there during the 'harvest'. Stopping at tiny little wine producers to taste their different wines. Wonderful scenery and not so many tourists!

Hi Eric. Aside from Paris, Provence & the Cote d'Azur are the only places I've been in France. My favorite towns/villages in those regions are Uzes (technically, not in Provence), Roussillon, Cassis, Vence & St-Paul-de-Vence, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Eze Village, Peillon, Saorge, Sospel, and Gorbio.

Just realized about my mistake. Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Bayonne, etc.<BR>I meant to write in the South West, of course, and not South East.<BR>Capo: Nice places you mention, vraiment.

I am partial to the Luberon and Provence where I once lived... Cassis, Gourdes, les Baux, La Ciotat. Other remarkable villages would be Briancon(Alps), Menton(Cote D'Azur), Ornans(Juras), Beaune(Cote D'Or), Biarritz(Atlantic).

Alsace

Alsace for me too - wow!