Few travelers to France take the road less travelled to the charming small towns and instead do the touristy things in big cities like Paris and Lyon. France packages usually stuff their itinerary with them. If this is not you’re idea of a holiday in France, how about a trip to medieval villages with narrow cobblestone streets and quaint little towns where wine-making takes precedence above all and the kind of France you read about in old novels can be found. Situated amid gorgeous scenery of both mountains and sea, if you don’t visit at least a few of these towns in France, you don’t know what you might be missing out on:
- Cahors
The bustling downtown, the lively shops and restaurants and whimsical people will give you that indefinable feeling that you belong in Cahors. While the impressive medieval buildings and fortified Devil’s Bridge are biggest claims to tourist fame, there’s so much more to this picturesque town like the Cahors Malbec tasting room on the Place François-Mitterrand where you can try a variety of the local Cahors Melbec wines and learn more about what makes the region such a tremendous wine producing area.
- Avignon
If you’re visiting for High-end stores, an endless array of cafes and restaurants and truly impressive structures, Avignon may well be one of the best places to visit in France. During the 14th century, Avignon was home to the Papacy and evidence of that long lost wealth and prestige is evident everywhere. A great place to stay is the L’Ombre du Palais, run by a very eccentric and incredibly welcoming Italian named Sabine, this B&B is located directly in front of the immense Pope’s palace and enjoys some of the best rooftop views in town.
- Ars-en-Ré
This charming town of bicycles with its white-washed houses and traditional green shutters, hollyhocks, salt pans is a relaxing but sleepy beach town or more like a tiny seafarer village. During summers the clock tower is open to the public. It is a good place to unwind with a relaxing view of the town and the sea. To get here, you can take a train from Montparnasse to La Rochelle, and then you will have to get another train or a bus from La Rochelle to Ars-en-Re.
If you’re booking a France tour package or holiday package, you might want to squeeze in a visit to some of these hidden gems for a truly memorable experience.
