5 beautiful medieval villages in France

A move to France means throwing yourself into the culture – the food, people, lifestyle and history. If you’re looking for a quintessentially French place to live, then look no further than these beautiful historic villages that are full of medieval architecture, character and charm.

Lacoste

With beautiful views and vernacular architecture, Lacoste is a charming, hilltop village in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in south eastern France. It’s a popular summertime destination with tourists due to its perfectly preserved buildings, which are surrounded with beautiful rolling hills and luscious countryside.

Lacoste is full of quirky independent shops selling crafts, jewellery and cheese, as well as small restaurants.

Lacoste

Saint-Cirq-Lapopie

Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is perched high above the Lot river and is an artist’s paradise, surrounded by spectacular views of the Lot valley. With 13 listed historic monuments, the village has conserved its heritage and has plenty of shops, restaurants and cafés.

The village was voted “The Favourite Village of the French” in 2012 and has many beautiful old houses with stone or wood facades, built between 12th and 16th centuries. They are characterised by their steep, flat tile roofs.

Saint-Cirq-Lapopie

Conques

Conques is a former commune located in the Aveyron department in Southern France. Its abbey-church is considered one of the most important centres of art and spirituality in the Western world. For this reason, Conques became one of the main stops on the Saint-Jacques de Compostelle pilgrimage route and numerous walkers take to this historical trail today.

Both the abbey-church and the asymmetric bridge, known as the pilgrim’s bridge, are UNESCO World heritage sites and there is also a great deal to explore in the surrounding area.

Conques

Beynac-et-Cazenac

Beynac-et-Cazenac is located in the Dordogne region of south-west France and is one of the most beautiful villages in the area. Lying right next to the Dordogne river, the buildings are ochre coloured with stone roofs and surround the castle of Beynac – one of the most impressive fortified castles in the Dordogne valley.

The pretty village is a maze of cobbled streets full of great restaurants and bars. There are also several other beautiful towns and villages to explore nearby.

Beynac-et-Cazenac

Gordes

The village of Gordes lies in the foothills of the Monts of Vaucluse in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in south eastern France. It’s a picture-perfect place with beautiful terracotta rooftops, winding streets and stunning scenery, and is often considered the most beautiful hilltop village in Provence.

Filled with restaurants and cafes, it’s a very popular tourist destination in the summer. There is also a Tuesday market to stock up on essentials. The village is dominated by its beautiful church and castle and is steeped in history.