Les Plus Beaux Villages de France: What’s behind the precious title—Part 1/4

I’m delighted to announce the launch of this 4-part mini-series, in which new Contributor Betty Carlson will guide us through the three villages most recently named among the official “most beautiful villages in France”.  But first, let’s find out more about this prestigious label.

Les Plus Beaux Villages de France – what’s behind the precious title

France is brimming with beautiful villages — but some are more beautiful than others. At least that’s the principle behind the trademarked label “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France”, or LPBVF for short.

If you’ve explored the French countryside, you have likely encountered villages proudly bearing this credential. But how many are there? Where does the label come from? And what do you need to know about visiting these popular sites?

LPBVF by the numbers:

• Currently, there are 181 Plus Beaux Villages de France
• Nearly half (47%) are located in just 2 regions: Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine
• 5 regions have fewer than 5 LPBVF each: Hauts-de-France, Ile-de-France, Pays de la Loire, Corsica, and, rather surprisingly, Brittany
• Only 1 LPBVF can be found in an overseas department: Hell-Bourg in La Réunion
• With 51 labeled villages, you can enjoy the most LPBVF by far in the Occitanie region
• Aveyron boasts 11 LPBVF, making it the label’s top département, followed by Dordogne with 10

Estaing, Aveyron  Image credit: Betty Carlson/ author

A bit of history

It all started with a book published by the French Readers’ Digest, entitled – you guessed it – Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. In 1982, inspired by the concept, the mayor of decidedly beautiful Collonges-la-Rouge reached out to the other villages’ powers-that-be, convincing them to join forces in promoting these scenic sites.

Membership eligibility was later expanded to include villages not presented in the volume.

The selection process

By now, you may be imagining anonymous village inspectors roaming around France like Michelin Guide reviewers, on the look-out for lucky villages that receive the delightful news that they can hang up a few Plus Beaux Villages de France signs.

Ce n’est pas si simple ! Becoming a plus beau village is a long and arduous process—one of the newly named villages I’ll be taking you to first applied in 1998!
To even be considered, there are 3 deal-breakers:

• a maximum population of 2,000
• 2 or more officially recognized historical monuments
• proof of strong town council support for the project

The candidates are then evaluated on-site based on 32 criteria. Twice a year, members of the LPBVF network and experts vote, and three possible “verdicts” are decided by a 2/3 majority:

• The label is awarded
• The label is refused
• The label is taken away (for villages under review)

Once chosen, a village can expect a huge uptick in visitors, as well as an economic boost. For example, Polignac (Haute-Loire), no longer had a single restaurant in 2010, but since winning the label in 2021, 2 restaurants have set up and are doing brisk business.

The LPBVF label opens the door to many opportunities – Image credit: Betty Carlson/author

Tips about visiting

Working a selection of France’s most beautiful villages into your next trip itinerary can be a brilliant idea. While every village is different, here are some general points to keep in mind.

• The vast majority are not served by public transportation, so travelling by car or by bicycle is your best bet.
• All of the villages see a big influx of tourists during the high season. For a peaceful experience, consider an early morning or late evening visit.
• Or why not lean into liveliness by participating in the villages’ myriad summer activities: soirées musicales, street art festivals, and evening food markets, just to name a few. Consult Office de Tourisme websites to find out what’s happening.
• An official guidebook to the villages exists, last updated in 2022 with 164 entries.
• Keep in mind that restaurants, shops, and attractions may be closed off-season. In fact, the smallest villages can be dead as a doornail during the winter months – but there’s a certain charm to wandering through them all alone.

Collonges-la-Rouge, Corrèze – Image credit: Gu Bra – Photographie  via Pexels

I’m so looking forward to introducing you to France’s newest plus beaux villages!

In the meantime, have you ever visited an official “Plus Beau Village de France”? Do you have a favorite?

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