A gourmet autumn: 10 ideas for breaks in our villages

A gourmet autumn: our 10 ideas for breaks in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France

Autumn is no off-season in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France! New wine in Alsace, quinces in Provence, chestnuts in Aveyron, truffles in Burgundy or the Luberon… every region has its own festival and seasonal produce, often kept alive for decades by voluntary organisations and local tourist offices.

Here are 10 holiday ideas for exploring our villages outside the summer months, at a time when the narrow streets regain their tranquillity and the tables are laden with the delicious harvests of autumn…

SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER

1. Eguisheim (Haut-Rhin): two weekends celebrating new wine and mushrooms

A few kilometres from Colmar, on the Alsace Wine Route, Eguisheim’s half-timbered houses are arranged in concentric circles around Saint-Léon Castle. The village, the cradle of Alsatian viticulture, lives to the rhythm of its vineyards all year round: the Eichberg and Pfersigberg grand crus produce mineral Rieslings and aromatic Gewürztraminers here.

Don’t miss:

On the last weekend of September, the New Wine Festival brings the Place du Château Saint-Léon and the Place du Marché aux Saules to life: tastings of the year’s vintage, a local produce market and traditional dishes (kassler, pretzels) served under the arbour. A month later, on the last weekend of October, it’s time for the Fête du Champignon, featuring an exhibition of over 300 species, an Alsatian truffle market and guided mushroom-hunting walks in the forest.

Find out more about the New Wine Festival · Find out more about the Mushroom Festival

Not to be missed:

• The medieval heart of the village, laid out in concentric circles around the former castle of the Counts of Eguisheim, with its half-timbered houses adorned with geraniums.

• A wine tasting at a local winery: the village boasts one of the highest concentrations of wine estates in France.

• The Grands Crus wine trail, which winds its way up through the vineyards of Eichberg and Pfersigberg to offer views over the Alsace plain.

Our partners for your stay:

• 

  Hostellerie du Château

  Hôtel - restaurant

   Eguisheim

2. Beuvron-en-Auge (Calvados): the Cider and Apple Festival

On the Cider Route, in the heart of the Pays d’Auge, Beuvron-en-Auge’s market halls and half-timbered houses line Place Michel-Vermughen.

When:

For over 50 years, on the last Sunday in October, the Cider and Apple Festival has been in full swing! On the programme: apple pressing from the village orchard (everyone can take home their own freshly pressed juice), a farmers’ market featuring produce from the Pays d’Auge, wooden games for children and musical entertainment.

Find out more about the Cider and Apple Festival

Not to be missed:

• The village square, lined with 17th-century half-timbered market halls, the listed historic heart of the village.

• The arts and crafts centre, housed in the former school, which is home to six workshops run by artisans and craftspeople.

• The Cider Route, a 40 km signposted trail linking around twenty producers of cider, pommeau and calvados.

Our partners for your stay:

• 

  Le Pavé d'Auge

  Restaurant

   Beuvron-en-Auge

• 

  Le Pavé d'Hôtes

  Chambre d'hôte

   Beuvron-en-Auge

3. Cotignac (Var): the Quince Festival

In Provence Verte, Cotignac nestles at the foot of an 80-metre-high tufa cliff, dotted with ancient cave dwellings. The Cours Gambetta, shaded by century-old plane trees, is the heart of village life, centred around its eighteen 17th-century fountains.

When:

On the last Sunday in October, the Quince Festival celebrates the village’s iconic fruit: a craft market, demonstrations of jam and quince paste making, an equestrian show and a costumed parade through the narrow streets.

Find out more about the Quince Festival

Not to be missed:

• Le Rocher, the tuff cliff overlooking the village: here you can visit ancient cave dwellings and enjoy the view over the hills of the Provence Verte.

• The Notre-Dame-de-Grâces sanctuary, a Marian pilgrimage site which welcomed a visit from Louis XIV in 1660.

• The art galleries (La Falaise Art Centre, Carré d’art, etc.) and craft workshops (potters, glassmakers, etc.).

Our partners for your stay:

4. Montbrun-les-Bains (Drôme): the ‘Courges, Potirons et Cie’ festival

Nestled against the Lure mountain, facing Mont Ventoux, Montbrun-les-Bains is both a medieval village and a spa town: its sulphate-calcium-rich waters have been used since Roman times. The tall stone houses cling to the cobbled streets that wind their way up to the 13th-century belfry.

Don’t miss:

On the third Saturday in October, the ‘Courges, Potirons et Cie’ festival transforms the high street into a huge autumn market: stalls selling cucurbits of all shapes, local produce, a car boot sale and a soup-making competition.

Find out more about the Courges, Potirons et Cie festival

Not to be missed:

• The 13th-century belfry (clock tower), which marks the entrance to the old village above a beautiful fountain.

• The recently renovated thermal baths, where you can round off your visit with a relaxing spa break overlooking Mont Ventoux.

• The ruins of the Renaissance castle, which overlook the village and offer views across the valley.

• 

  La Falaise

  Hôtel

   Cotignac

• 

  La TUF

  Restaurant

   Cotignac

• 

  Le Jardin Secret

  Restaurant

   Cotignac

• 

  Lou Calen

  Hôtel - restaurant

   Cotignac

• 

  Maison Troglodyte de Lucie

  Chambre d'hôte

   Cotignac

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5. Sauveterre-de-Rouergue (Aveyron): the Chestnut and Sweet Cider Festival

A royal bastide founded in 1281 in the Ségala region, Sauveterre-de-Rouergue is centred around a vast square, lined with 47 arcades beneath which merchants and cutlers once set up shop.

When:

For over 50 years, on the last Sunday in October, the Chestnut and Sweet Cider Festival has brought together local producers and artisans in the Place des Arcades: all-you-can-eat roasted chestnuts, craft cider and folk groups. The day before, a walking tour is organised, with free roasted chestnuts on arrival.

Find out more about the Chestnut and Sweet Cider Festival

Not to be missed:

• The “Oreilles en balade” audio tour, which tells the story of the village through the voices of its residents.

• The Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame, built in the southern Gothic style, with its Renaissance choir stalls and Baroque altarpiece.

• The Pôle des métiers d'art, which keeps the bastide’s craft traditions alive (cutlery, leather goods, glass).

Our partners for your stay:

OCTOBER–NOVEMBER

• 

  Le Sénéchal

  Hôtel - restaurant

   Sauveterre-de-Rouergue

6. Saint-Robert (Corrèze): the Fête du Baco (new wine festival)

A medieval village in the Bas-Limousin region, on the border between Corrèze and the Dordogne, Saint-Robert has preserved its castles and turreted houses surrounding an ancient priory church dating from the 12th and 16th centuries.

When:

On the second Sunday in October, the Fête du Baco celebrates new wine and the wine-growing traditions of Corrèze: tastings (in moderation, of course!), food stalls (soup, garlic bread with duck rillettes) and an afternoon of dancing.

Find out more about the Fête du Baco

Not to be missed:

• The former priory church, dating from the 12th and 16th centuries, with its carved capitals.

• The church terrace, where Romain Tiercin’s sculpture *La Sentinelle* offers a view of the surrounding countryside.

• The turreted houses, examples of the castle-like architecture of the Limousin region in the Middle Ages.

7. Charroux (Allier): the Soup Festival

A medieval village bustling with craftspeople and local producers, Charroux has preserved its fortified gates, its Cour des Dames and the Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste with its truncated bell tower, blending Romanesque and Gothic styles.

When:

Every first Saturday in November, the Soup Festival brings together locals and restaurant owners who prepare around forty homemade soups right on their doorsteps. The idea is simple: you buy a stoneware bowl made by a local potter, then sample as many recipes as you like whilst strolling through the village.

Find out more about the Soup Festival

Not to be missed:

• La Moutarderie de Charroux, which has been producing a mustard made with Saint-Pourçain white wine since 1790.

• La Cour des Dames, a curious circular inner courtyard and one of the village’s most mysterious corners.

• The artisans and producers scattered throughout the village, where you can pick up some lovely local souvenirs!

Our partners:

• 

  La boutique du nacrier

  Artisanat d'art

   Charroux

• 

  L'Atelier de Patricia

  Artisanat d'art

   Charroux

8. Olargues (Hérault): the Chestnut and New Wine Festival

Perched on a rocky outcrop almost entirely encircled by the River Jaur, in the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park, Olargues is dominated by the ancient keep of its medieval castle, which has been converted into a bell tower.

When:

The weekend after All Saints’ Day, the Chestnut and New Wine Festival celebrates chestnuts, chestnut flour and Olargues chestnut cream, served with mulled wine, on the Esplanade de la Gare.

Find out more about the Chestnut and New Wine Festival

Not to be missed:

• The Devil’s Bridge, a 12th-century Romanesque structure spanning the River Jaur, one of the largest medieval bridges of its time in Europe.

• The bell tower-keep, a remnant of the castle destroyed on the orders of Richelieu, which offers a 360° panoramic view of the Caroux massif.

• The Museum of Folk Arts and Traditions, housed in the staircase of the Commanderie, which brings to life the daily life of days gone by.

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NOVEMBER–DECEMBER

9. Noyers (Yonne): the Burgundy Truffle Market

Nestled in a bend of the River Serein in Burgundy, Noyers has preserved its sixteen rampart towers, its 15th-century half-timbered houses and its market arcades. Voted the 7th favourite village in France in 2014, it is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the Yonne department.

When:

Organised by the Burgundy Truffle Guild, the Burgundy Truffle Market is traditionally held on the last Sunday in October, beneath the arcades of the medieval town: an auction of Burgundy truffles (Tuber uncinatum) following quality checks by quality inspectors, a giant omelette and stalls run by producers. A second market sometimes takes place in November, depending on the harvest — the exact dates are to be confirmed each year with the Confrérie.

Find out more about the Burgundy Truffle Market

Not to be missed:

• The ramparts and their sixteen towers, parts of which are open to the public, offering panoramic views of the village and the River Serein.

• The Museum of Naïve and Folk Art, housed in a former 17th-century school, which boasts one of the most significant collections of naïve art in France.

• The Place de la Petite-Étape-aux-Vins, which recalls the village’s wine-growing past, lined with half-timbered façades.

10. Ménerbes (Vaucluse): the Truffle Market

In the Luberon, Ménerbes stretches out like a stone vessel on a rocky outcrop, nestled amongst vineyards and orchards. Made famous by the writer Peter Mayle (A Year in Provence), the village was also home to Nicolas de Staël and Picasso.

When:

Traditionally held on the Sunday after Christmas in the Place de l’Horloge, the Truffle Market brings together producers of the Luberon black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) for a day of open-air festivities, tastings and a friendly atmosphere, attended by the Confrérie de la Truffe. The exact date is to be confirmed each year with the town hall.

Find out more about the Truffle Market

Not to be missed:

• The Luberon Truffle and Wine Centre, housed in a 17th-century mansion, offering an exhibition, a shop and tastings.

• The 15th-century Church of Saint-Luc, at the tip of the rocky promontory.

• The view from the Place de l’Horloge, which takes in the Calavon plain and the ridges of the Petit Luberon.

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AND ALSO...

Here are four ‘bonus’ events to make for a delicious autumn:

• Parfondeval (Aisne) — La Potironnade, mid-October: a gourmet walk through the wooded landscapes of the Thiérache, followed by a meal featuring local specialities centred on pumpkin. Find out more

• Villefranche-de-Conflent (Pyrénées-Orientales) — La Fête du Champignon, early October: an exhibition of over 200 species and a sale of fresh mushrooms in the narrow streets of the fortified town, at the foot of Mont Canigou. Find out more

• Saint-Amand-de-Coly (Dordogne) — Saveurs de l’Automne, in October: walking, mountain biking or cycle touring in the Périgord Noir, followed by a gourmet market (apples, truffles, seasonal produce). Find out more

• La Roche-Guyon (Val-d’Oise) — The Wine Fair and Advent Market, in November: producers and winegrowers from the French Vexin region come together to kick off the festive season in style. Find out more

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Related: our holiday ideas: Wine, gastronomy and the art of living

Discover more suggestions for themed holidays centred on wine, gastronomy and the art of living: