The Most Beautiful Villages of France
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ICIA FF L G O U I E D H E T THE OFFICIAL GUIDE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES OF FRANCE Discover the 159 most picturesque villages in France, selected for their DISCOVER 159 CHARMING authenticity, beauty, and cultural heritage by the accredited association OF FRANCE THE MOST Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. DESTINATIONS These charming French destinations offer a truly unique travel experience, from the Provençal vineyards and cherry orchards of Venasque, to the medieval ramparts at Moncontour, to the snow-capped Alpine mountains surrounding Saint-Véran, the highest inhabited village in Europe. This comprehensive illustrated guide reveals the hidden treasures of France, inviting Les plus beaux Les plus readers to explore each village through: 159 color road maps Restaurant recommendations Local history Events and activities Sights and attractions Gastronomic and artisanal Accommodation options specialties Villages de France This new, fully updated edition—including 12 suggested walks and hikes in and around a selection of villages— provides everything you need for a memorable trip / LPBVF. Yoshimura cover: Balazuc © Kazutoshi Front through the most beautiful villages of France. US $24.95 / Can. $33.50 / UK £16.95 / €16.95 NEW ISBN: 978-2-08-150828-6 Flammarion 5 2 4 9 5 12 suggested walks and hikes around the scenic villages 9 7 8 2 0 8 1 5 0 8 2 8 6 Studio FlammarionCréation editions.flammarion.com 20-III Flammarion Printed in Bosnia and Herzegovina by GPS © Michel Cavalier / Hemis; Gassin Matthieu Colin Hemis. from left to right: Roussillon Back cover, Mattes / Hemis. © René Spine, top and bottom: Hunawihr Rodemack Flammarion 9782081508286_TheMostBeautifulVillages2020_Couv_GB.indd Toutes les pages 17/01/2020 16:37 How to use this book Village name Orne Saint-Céneri- Administrative le-Gérei department A painter’s paradise and code Orne (61) • Population: 140 • Altitude: 417 ft. (127 m) At the heart of the Mancelles Alps, Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei com- bines water, stone, and wood. The village, which nestles in a bend in the Sarthe river, was Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei founded by Saint Céneri, an Italian-born monk who created a monastery that was later burned by the Normans. A church was built on the site in the 11th century. Today, topped with a saddleback roof and a tower adorned with columns and belfry openings, it Village emerges above the trees. Inside, it houses recently restored 12th-century murals and a ceiling that is unique in France. The presentation village’s old houses surrounding the church have been preserved. Below is a charming 15th-century chapel. On the opposite bank is the miraculous spring created by Saint Céneri in 660, which, according to popular belief, has the power to cure eye problems. Over the years, the village has charmed many famous painters, including Camille Corot (1796–1875) and Eugène Boudin (1824– 1898), and at the Auberge des Sœurs Moisy, which they frequented, you can still see charcoal portraits of artists and villagers sketched by candlelight. e Highlights • Église Saint-Céneri (11th century): Murals, Stations of the Cross. • Chapel (15th century): Statue of Saint Céneri. • Auberge des Soeurs Moisy: Museum of 19th- and 20th-century painters. Detailed road map • Village: Audioguide tour (www.saintceneri.org). Events Pentecost: Artists’ event. K Accommodation July: “Saint Scène” (music). Gîtes and vacation rentals August: Open-air rummage sale (1st La Cassine: +33 (0)2 33 26 93 66. Sunday). Chez Martine: +33 (0)2 33 32 23 93. La Giroise: +33 (0)2 43 33 79 22. B Outdoor Activities Canoeing • Fishing • Walking: Route GR 36, By road: Expressway A28, exit 18– Eating Out several marked trails via the Normandie- Alençon centre (12 miles/19 km), Auberge des Peintres: +33 (0)2 33 26 49 18. Maine regional nature park and the N12 (7½ miles/12 km). By train: Auberge de la Vallée: +33 (0)2 33 28 94 70. Chemin des Arts toward the Mont des Alençon station (12 miles/19 km). L’ Échoppe Gourmande: Avaloirs • Mountain-biking • “Monts et Practical By air: Caen-Carpiquet airport +33 (0)2 33 81 91 21. Marche” (signposted walk). (83 miles/134 km). La Taverne Giroise: +33 (0)2 33 32 24 51. information b Further Afield Tourist information— Local Specialties • Saint-Léonard-des-Bois (3 miles/5 km). Alpes Mancelles: +33 (0)2 43 33 28 04 or Art and Crafts • Alençon: Musée de la Dentelle, +33 (0)2 33 27 84 47 Marquetry • Restoration of paintings • lace museum (9½ miles/15.5 km). www.saintceneri.org Artists • Painter-sculptor. • Mont des Avaloirs (9½ miles/15.5 km). 48 e Highlights Eating Out Monuments, museums, and other Where to enjoy the best local food and noteworthy sites open to the public. drink (restaurants, inns, brasseries, pizzerias, tea rooms, etc.). K Accommodation Where to stay during your visit (hotels, H Establishments participating in guesthouses, gîtes, campsites, holiday the Friends of the Association scheme villages, etc.), including a star rating where (see end of book for further details). applicable, indicated with asterisks. The villages are arranged by geographical region Orne Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei CORSICA A map introduces each geographical region • Forêt d’Écouves, forest; Château de Northwest: pp. 12–53 Carrouges (12–19 miles/19–31 km). • Parc naturel régional Normandie-Maine, nature park; Carrouges (19 miles/31 km). Northeast: pp. 54–81 • Bagnoles-de-l’Orne (25 miles/40 km). • Haras National du Pin, national stud (34 miles/55 km). Southeast, pp. 82–151 Southwest, pp. 152–267 k Did you know? In the 15th-century chapel built on the La Réunion, pp. 268–69 site of the Saint Céneri hermitage, there is a statue of the hermit and a granite stela, said to have been used by him as a bed, and believed to heal incontinence. Legend All of the villages are listed has it that, if young girls pushed a needle into the feet of the saint’s statue, they would be able to fi nd a husband. alphabetically in the index pp. 270–71 49 Local Specialties b Further Afield Artisanal produce and local delicacies; Tourist attractions, towns, and other crafts and artistic activities in the village. Most Beautiful Villages of France (marked with an asterisk before their name) Events within a thirty-mile (fi fty-km) radius, Markets and key events in the village or a one-hour drive. calendar (fetes, festivals, exhibitions, etc.). k Did you know? B Outdoor Activities An anecdote, historical detail, or cultural Excursions and activities in the open particularity of the village. air (walking, watersports, mountain- biking, etc.). THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES OF FRANCE Design: Audrey Sednaoui Text pp. 272–77 by Sylvie Rouge-Pullon English Edition Editorial Director: Kate Mascaro Editors: Samuel Wythe and Helen Adedotun Editorial Assistance: David Ewing and Isabella Grive THE OFFICIAL GUIDE Translated from the French by Kate Ferry-Swainson and Anne McDowall Copyediting: Penelope Isaac Typesetting: Claude-Olivier Four Proofreading: Nicole Foster and Kate van den Boogert Production: Titouan Roland Color Separation: IGS-CP, L’Isle d’Espagnac (16) Les Plus Beaux Villages de France® Printed in Bosnia and Herzegovina by GPS association Simultaneously published in French as Les Plus Beaux Villages de France: Guide officiel de l’Association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France © Flammarion, S.A., Paris, 2020 First English-language edition © Flammarion, S.A., Paris, 2016 This English-language edition © Flammarion, S.A., Paris, 2020 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopy, information retrieval system, or otherwise, without written permission from Flammarion, S.A. 87, quai Panhard et Levassor 75647 Paris Cedex 13 editions.flammarion.com 20 21 22 3 2 1 ISBN: 978-2-0815-2043-1 Legal Deposit: 03/2020 THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES OF FRANCE THE OFFICIAL GUIDE Les Plus Beaux Villages de France® association Flammarion Preface Come and discover, explore, wonder at, and stroll through The Most Beautiful Villages of France. Listen to the stones tell their story, linger on a café terrace, feel the cool water of a fountain run between your fingers, marvel at the skills of artists and craftspeople, fall asleep in a fairy-tale castle or dovecote, follow delightful walking trails, share in local celebrations and festivals, sample all the regional delicacies, and bring home choice items from the village market. The Official Guide to the Most Beautiful Villages of France invites you to experience both simple and extraordinary pleasures, in exceptional locations that will awaken all your senses. Nearly 160 distinctive destinations—boasting a wealth of outstanding heritage and archi- tecture, and buzzing with the vibrant energy and enthusiasm of their inhabitants—celebrate the French way of life, in all the diversity of their regions: from Alsace to the Basque Country, from Brittany to Provence, from Picardy to Languedoc, via Corsica and even the over- seas department of La Réunion. Whether you are seeking a short break or an extended vacation, whatever the season or occasion, this guide is the perfect traveling companion to help you enjoy these magical places to their fullest and to organize your stay with ease. If you are longing for a memorable rural getaway, The Most Beautiful Villages of France are ready to welcome you. Maurice Chabert President of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France association, Mayor Emeritus of Gordes, in the Vaucluse The Most Beautiful Villages of France The association of Les Plus Beaux Twenty-seven evaluation criteria Villages de France® was founded in the If the application is accepted, the village Save the date early summer of 1981 after one man then receives a site visit. After an interview Get to know The Most Beautiful Villages encountered a certain book.