Special Pluses

• ” …it’s a town that rewards strolling—the village center is off-limits to cars, so it’s easy to wander the cobblestone streets, popping in and out of the many charming shops…It has all the things that you look for in a Provençal town—shady squares, winding cobblestoned streets, fascinating historical sites, and great restaurants. Situated by vineyards and olive groves and right next to a small mountain range that is perfect for hiking and biking. It’s a paradise for outdoors lovers” “(Perfectly Provence)
• “I think the locals appreciate that it’s a real French town. Of course, it’s busy with tourists in the high season, but it is far from a tourist town. Surrounded by agricultural lands, you will occasionally see someone riding a horse or driving a tractor through town. St Rémy does a brilliant job of maintaining its traditions, like the sheep that parade through town once a year or the abrivados where French cowboys show their stuff. And while there is plenty to do in town, if you would like the beauty and solitude of a substantial nature preserve, there’s one right next door—we go there often for hiking and biking.”(Perfectly Provence)

Special Pluses

• Extraodinarily beautiful views and architecture
• A reasonable mix of newcomers and locals
• On a  train line (of sorts) which is unusual for Dordogne

Special Pluses

• Listed as one of the 10 most beautiful medieval villages in France. also a UNESCO listed site, ” Its main tourist attraction is meandering around the town and soaking in its beauty.”
• Center of some of the finest wine country in this whole Bordeaux region; some people will tell you this area grows the best wine in the worold
• Easy access to Bordeaux’s night life, urban shopping and train connections.  Saint-Émilion is sometimes called ‘Bordeaux’s little sister’
• “Although the wines of Saint-Émilion may be more famous, the macarons deserve special recognition as well.”

Special Pluses

• Beautiful lake just at the edge of townwith exstensive biking and walking paths including the “Circuit des Hortensias”
• A lovely cathedral
• A widely praised weekly market

Special Pluses

• “Pezenas is a very old, typical village in a wine-growing region of Languedoc, France. The old part of town, which is most of it, winds up and down a gentle hill and is full of artisans shops, colorful shutters, beautiful Renaissance architecture (Moliére (sp?) lived here) and some of the friendliest people I have met in France. It is surrounded by other hilltop villages, each with their own flavor and uniqueness. There is even an association of “circular” hilltop villages! The sea is only 10 minutes away and the mountains, 15 minutes! You can walk through the vineyards to the next village in 20 minutes, wine-tasting on the way if you go in the right direction”  Anita on TripAdvisor
• “Pézenas is a small city of about 9,000 inhabitants, located between Béziers and Montpellier, 20 minutes from the Mediterranean Sea. The well-kept pedestrianized historic center, its vivid lifestyle and its picturesque streets make it a must-see in the Herault region.”(Besides The Obvious)

Special Pluses

“Five great things about Perpignan”

1. Transport – You can hop on a bus and travel to anywhere in the whole department for just 1 euro!
2. Rugby – With two famous teams (USAP and the Catalan Dragons) you can’t help but be caught up in the excitement on match day.
3. The Canigou – The majestic mountain that dominates the skyline.
4. Le ‘Casty’ – One of my favourite restaurants (just opposite Le Castillet).
5. The weather – 300 days of sunshine per year!” (France Today) 

” I also can’t forget to mention the warm hospitality of the residents here; people here seem to be kinder to strangers than in the bustling Parisian capital or maybe it’s just the musical Southern accent!….From the city center you can take the bus, rent, a car, and/or cycle to the beaches less than 15 kilometers away. Eager to escape on a hike after visiting the city? You can take a bus for 1€ and be transported into the heart of the Pyrénées catalanes” (Baguettes & Bicycles)

“Perpignan boasts about being only 20 minutes from the Mediterranean coast, and particularly from the colourful, Catalan town of Collioure, where anchovies are caught, processed, and sold. Easily reached by car, but you can also take the one-euro bus, which will drop you off around the corner from the 14th century Château Royal overlooking one of Collioure’s beaches.” Etravel Mag

Special Pluses

• Weather, weather, weather.  (There’s a reason the richest people in the world want to live here.)
• Rich culture:  all the museums and arts you could want, with the special Nicoise flavor of the food and life
• Italian influence gives Nice it’s own dialect and style (It changed hands between Italy and France over history).
• The Mediterranean  (mostly rocky/pebbly beaches here, so not for the sandy loving types)

Special Pluses

• Montpellier has the reputation for being an ‘undiscovered gem’ among French cities
• The University of Montpellier is one of the oldest in the world, founded in 1160

Special Pluses

• World-renown antique market
• Particularly charming river town
• Central to seeing the Vaucluse in general

Special Pluses

• Was once known as the Monaco of the North and still retains a kind of Belle Epoque glamour.  Hometown of Christian Dior
• “Granville is one of those places that compels you to engage with the sea” …”Beautiful, old buildings with stone, render and timber-frame façades, a medieval gateway, a lovely old church, and lofty views over the harbor and far out to sea”(Finding Our France blog)
• “The harbour has a marina for over a 1000 berths and there is a fleet of trawlers here. It is a popular place for shellfish the town has stalls and shops selling them everywhere.”A Taste of France

Special Pluses

Fecamp is known for

• Being the birth place of the liqeur Benedictine
• A historical fishing town
• Sandy beached
• Clifftop walks
• Half-timbered houses

Special Pluses

• All about the sea…and boats.  Concarneau’s harbor is a bustling hub of activity, lined with colorful fishing boats and charming cafes. The harbor is particularly beautiful at sunset when the boats are illuminated by the setting sun.   Also, the seafood rocks.
• Concarneau’s old town is surrounded by a fortified wall, built in the 14th century. The wall is still largely intact and offers stunning views of the harbor and the city.
• Festival Interceltique de Lorient: A large international festival celebrating Celtic culture, featuring music, dance, sports, and cultural exhibits.
• In August the town holds the annual Fête des Filets Bleus (Festival of the blue nets). The festival, named after the traditional blue nets of Concarneau’s fishing fleet, is a celebration of Breton and pan-Celtic culture. Such festivals can occur throughout Brittany but the Filets Bleus is one of the oldest and largest,

Special Pluses

Chalon seems to find an excellent middle ground between some of the polarities that one is faced with in other towns.  It’s climate is fully four seasonal, but freezes are rare and snow even rare, while summer nights do cool things down.  It’s a good sized town without the extremes of either village or city life.  It’s public transport in the form of trains is good, if not spectacular and its international population is neither skimpy nor overwhelming.

One highlight worth special mentioned:  an international street artists festival, called Chalon dans la Rue (“Chalon in the street”) Over four days, artists from across Europe and beyond come to the streets of Chalon to perform, mostly for free, in music, theatre, acrobatics, comedy, etc.  (Wikipedia)