The Best Loved Villages of France

An insider's tour of France's most beloved and beautiful villages uncovers the country's hidden treasures and idyllic holiday destinations.

The Best Loved Villages of France takes the reader to forty-four of the country's most treasured locations. Always picturesque, but often well-kept secrets, the book offers insight into French village life. Visit a crumbling medieval fortress with the mayor of Lavardin or peruse the maritime objects found at sea by a moustached fisherman in Saint-Suliac, stroll along the windsurfer's paradise at Wissant bay or promenade through the manicured grounds of Vaux-le-Vicomte, enjoy a fresh langoustine dinner in Corsica or catch the sunrise over the fairytale castle in Montsoreau.

This book offers an illustrated tour around all twenty-two regions of France, from Provence and the Alps, to Normandy and the Loire. A charming selection of aerial and intimate photographs invite the reader to explore these splendid locales, while the descriptions, anecdotes, and interviews with local village-dwellers plunge you into the individual history and character of France's diverse regions. Feel inspired by journalist Stéphane Bern's informative and practical travel tips and recommendations, and start planning your own adventure to France's most loved villages or simply enjoy the armchair tour.