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2026 Congress of the Most Beautiful Villages of France: a new term of office, a new governing structure
Meeting from 5 to 7 June 2026 in Najac (Aveyron), representatives of the Most Beautiful Villages of France marked the start of a new term of office by electing their new President and the members of the National Executive Committee. This was an important event for the future of the scheme, which now brings together 184 exceptional villages across France.
Over a hundred elected representatives and delegates from award-winning villages attended the annual congress of the ‘Plus Beaux Villages de France’ (France’s Most Beautiful Villages), held in Najac, one of the network’s founding villages. This event, which took place a few weeks after the local elections, was organised primarily to elect the association’s governing bodies for the 2026–2032 term.
Following the General Assembly, the members elected a new Board of Directors and then a new Executive Committee, tasked with continuing the network’s work to preserve heritage, promote local development and enhance the appeal of these exceptional villages. The outgoing president, Alain DI STEFANO, Deputy Mayor of Yèvre-le-Châtel (Loiret), thus handed over the reins to Jacques GILIBERT, Mayor of Charroux (Allier), who had served as Treasurer during the previous term of office.
A new team to drive the scheme’s development
The congress also provided an opportunity to take stock of the past six years. Between 2020 and 2026, the network has grown stronger with 25 new villages awarded the label, the development of new institutional partnerships, the modernisation of its digital tools and ever-increasing visibility amongst the general public.
The recent launch of the new website, the interactive maps rolled out in the villages and the performance recorded on social media illustrate this drive towards modernisation, which benefits both member local authorities and visitors.
Looking ahead to the new term of office
Against a backdrop of changing tourism practices and the challenges facing rural areas in terms of attractiveness, the new governing body will be tasked with continuing to develop the scheme whilst upholding the high standards that have underpinned its reputation for over forty years.
The Most Beautiful Villages of France 2020–2026: Key Facts
* Sources: Les Plus Beaux Villages de France / MICHELIN Editions / Flammarion / Google Analytics / Data Presse-Cision.
