en
Français
The Most Beautiful Villages on Earth
THE “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France®” CONCEPT EXPORTED INTERNATIONALLY
Since its creation in 1982, the ‘Les Plus Beaux Villages de France’ network has inspired other countries also facing the challenges of preserving and promoting their rural heritage, and has supported them in establishing their own networks:
Whilst all the networks have drawn inspiration from the French concept and its expertise in selecting villages, each has subsequently adapted the approach to suit the regulatory framework and cultural context of its own country (definition of rurality, heritage protection rules, consideration of intangible heritage, etc.).
Published in 2012 in partnership with Atout France, a publication entitled “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France: from the French experience to international development” examines the keys to the concept’s success and offers a comparative study of how the French, Walloon, Quebec, Italian and Japanese networks operate.
AN OFFICIAL ORGANISATION: THE FEDERATION OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES ON EARTH
In 2003, owing to their “European proximity”, the French, Walloon and Italian networks laid the foundations for cooperation by creating a federation: “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France”. Keen to involve the Japanese and Quebec networks in their initiative and to provide an official framework for their exchanges, the five networks established the International Federation of the Most Beautiful Villages on Earth in 2012, in Gordes (Vaucluse). This new official body has set itself the tasks of supporting countries wishing to establish their own “Most Beautiful Villages” networks, encouraging the exchange of experiences between networks, and developing joint promotional initiatives.
Drawing on the spirit of sustainable development and the preservation of rural, historical and cultural heritage that unites all existing networks, the Federation’s articles of association also set out the conditions for becoming an active member of the organisation. Thus, only networks named ‘Most Beautiful Villages of …’ (or its equivalent in the language of the country of origin) may join the Federation. They must also demonstrate that they have:
-
at least five years’ existence,
-
at least ten designated villages meeting criteria that demonstrate their rural character in the country concerned,
-
statutes that reflect the shared ethos of the “Most Beautiful Villages”: heritage conservation and sustainable development.
Networks that have been established more recently or whose application process has not yet been finalised may, however, participate in the Federation’s annual work as associate members or observers. This applies to the following associations:
- The Most Beautiful Villages of Saxony (Germany)
- The Most Beautiful Villages of China
- The Most Beautiful Villages of Lebanon
- The Most Beautiful Villages of Russia
- The Most Beautiful Villages of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Download the International Federation’s Articles of Association
One year after its formation, the Federation developed a visual identity through the creation of a logo. Universal and modern, it highlights the built and landscape heritage shared by villages in all countries and invites people to discover these exceptional places.
CO-OPERATION: SHARING EXPERIENCE AND PROMOTION
> The International Meetings
Every year, the Federation meets in one of its member countries for the International Meetings of the Most Beautiful Villages on Earth. Alongside the statutory meetings (Board of Directors, General Assembly) which govern the monitoring of activities and the integration of new networks, various opportunities for discussion are organised. Each member association is invited to present an initiative or project linked to a specific theme or reflecting its current focus, and visits to villages, interspersed with meetings with mayors, are also organised. These meetings thus enable Federation members to learn about the work of each network, to exchange experiences and best practice, and to appreciate the geographical, heritage and cultural diversity of each country.
> Online promotion
In 2014, the Federation launched its first website (updated in 2019) and then, in 2015, the official Facebook page for ‘Les Plus Beaux Villages de la Terre’, followed by the Instagram account (2017) and the Twitter account (2019). These online promotional tools serve as a showcase for the Federation and aim to raise awareness of the various ‘Most Beautiful Villages’ networks around the world.
> The Romantic Night of the Most Beautiful Villages
In 2016, Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages created an event to launch the tourist season in their villages on the summer solstice: ‘La Notte Romantica dei Borghi Più Belli d’Italia’ (The Romantic Night of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages). Following the success of this first edition, the Italian network invited other members of the Most Beautiful Villages of the World to adopt the concept in their own countries, with a view to giving an international dimension to this event, which has a universal theme and is therefore easily adaptable. Thus, in 2017, the Romantic Night of the Most Beautiful Villages of Wallonia and La Noche Romántica de Los Pueblos Más Bonitos de España (The Romantic Night of Spain’s Most Beautiful Villages) were launched, followed in 2018 by The Romantic Night organised by Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. During this event, the villages are free to organise a variety of activities on the theme of romance (musical walks by lantern light, floral decorations, special menus in restaurants, creative workshops, etc.).
