Wine
Looking onto the Monts du Morvan, Sainte Madeleine Basilica stands at the top of a steep hill and watches majestically over the winegrowers’ houses and Renaissance dwellings. This masterpiece of Romanesque art was restored by architect Viollet-le-Duc in the 19C and has made Vézelay a Mecca for pilgrimages and a starting point on the way to Santiago de Compostela.
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At the North of Gard, La Roque-sur-Cèze was built on a rock peak overlooking the Cèze which spans a twelve-arches old bridge. Dominated by the traces of the former castle and its chapel, the village with sloping cobbled streets and its houses, made with creamy stones and curved-tiles cornices, offers a breathtaking view of the Cascades du Sautadet, an exceptional natural site which adds to the attraction of the place.
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The fortified village of Puycelci watches over Grésigne Forest from the top of a rocky plateau overlooking the Vère valley. 14C and 15C houses made of stone, wood and brick are revealed behind more than 800 m of ramparts and the rampart walk offers wonderful views of the surrounding scenery.
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At 30 km from Lyon, perched on a hill and surrounded by the Beaujolais vineyards, Oingt is one of the jewels of the "Pays des pierres dorées". With a medieval past, the village has kept from this time period the ancient chapel of the castle, the fortified door of Nizy, and a dungeon from which you will have a splendid vista on the valley of the Azergues river. In the heart of the village, ocre yellow facades houses are home of craftsmen and artists.
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Montsoreau lies between Anjou and Touraine and has the River Loire as prestigious setting. The 15C castle made famous by Alexandre Dumas’ novel "La Dame de Montsoreau" is reflected in the waters of this legendary river. All around, flower-decked streets with slate-roofed, white tufa houses and green pathways lead to the Saumur vineyards.
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At the foot of Mount Saint Odile, surrounded by vineyards, this village is the preserve of the Zotzenberg grand cru and bears a definite stamp of its winegrowing culture : from the architecture of its houses opening onto large courtyards flanked by buildings for winemaking to the "Weinschlag", a precious compendium containing a wealth of information about vineyards and wine since 1510 that can be seen in the charming Renaissance town hall.
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Perched above the valleys and hills of Quercy Blanc, this fortified village founded in the 12C by the Count of Toulouse is on the "via Podiensis", one of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. Many traces of its historical and religious past still remain intact : the main square and its cobblestones, stone-built or half-timbered houses, and the pilgrim’s garden to name but a few
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At the foot of the Aubrac Mountains, not far from the gorges of the Lot and Truyère, Estaing bears the name of a family of Lords one of whom became famous by saving the life of King Philippe-Auguste in Bouvines. The king then gave the village the right to display the royal fleurs-de-lys on its coat of arms. Shale stone houses with their "lauze" stone-slab roofs are nestled around a keep and castle dating back to the 12C and 15C and some of the finest town houses can still be seen.
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Just a short distance from Colmar, Eguisheim is the birthplace of winegrowing in Alsace and also the village where Pope Leo IX was born. The village is proud of its concentric, cobblestone streets and its floral decoration, which has won national and European awards. Visitors can admire the beauty of its 16C and 17C houses with their pointed roofs, bright colours and half-timbering.
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Les Baux-de-Provence lies perched like an eagle’s nest in the heart of the Alpilles and is a must-see place in Provence which artists, craftspeople and makers of local produce keep alive all year round.
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