15.23.a - The Villages That Refused to Fade: Discovering Rural France's Remarkable Revival

In this PAID le Bulletin your'll discover all about three tiny villages that refused to fade. Discover France's almost invisible quiet revolution that is happening right now! 🇫🇷

Today at a Glance: Your PAID weekly newsletter

Bonjour, my dear friends, both new faces and familiar ones...

I’m thrilled to have you here with me again this week—bienvenue—welcome to our little corner of France!

Un grand merci (a big thank you) for being part of this wonderful family of Francophiles. Your support enables me to continue growing and improving le Bulletin.

Here’s what you’ll find today:

1. My discussion, “ The Tiny Villages That Refused to Fade: Discovering Rural France's Remarkable Revival”

2. This week’s ‘What’s happening in MyFrenchLife Magazine’ - new contributors and articles

3. You can also find the free newsletter ‘15.23 - Poetry, Music, Hidden Villages & Birthday Wisdom: Your French Journey Starts Here’→here.

Warm regards
Judy - 7.5.2025

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1. →The Tiny Villages That Refused to Fade: Discovering Rural France's Remarkable Revival
by Judy MacMahon

In this le Bulletin you will find a lot of quintessential French villages covered by the MyFrenchLife Magazine Contributors. You know the kind …with ancient stone houses, a church bell chiming, and the scent of fresh bread — fascinating nonetheless! I have enjoyed exploring the smaller villages in France: those off the beaten path for many, many years.

Today, however, I will be talking about three French villages we’ve NEVER covered before and from a different angle.

I’ve long been super concerned about the decline of many charming rural corners and charming off-the-beaten-track villages. You know the ones: dwindling populations, closed shops, fading vibrancy.

You’ve seen them too… the very quiet village, no church bell chiming, and no wonderful aromas of bread. No people scurrying to get home for lunch, no people sitting outside the tiny village cafe in dappled sunlight gossiping, and savouring their café and croissant.

I’ve heard of some villages trying to reinvent themselves - and unfortunately not always successfully- but I was buoyed recently to discover that across France, a truly inspiring transformation is taking place. Many of these villages aren't just surviving; they're thriving and reinventing themselves with passion and ingenuity.

As an enthusiastic Francophile, I’ve been utterly captivated by this quiet revolution. This isn't about tourist-trap villages; it's about the very real, often hidden, gems of rural France. It's about communities fiercely determined to secure their future, embracing modern challenges while holding onto their soul.

The stories are simply wonderful. Let’s visit three of them, shall we? Coincidentally, all three villages are to the east of France, and they all have different issues/projects.