Beautiful villages of France

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Geo: 44.0548, 1.66391

Today we visited some of the 'Plus Beaux Villages de France.' These small villages receive this distinction because of their unique charm and passion for preserving their heritage and authenticity. The weather was bright and sunny for this ride through the beautiful countryside north of Toulouse.
Our first stop was Bruniquel, a picturesque village of stone-built, half-timbered houses perched on a cliff with turrets and flower-bedecked streets, doorways and window boxes which boasts two castles: the old castle, which dates back to the 11th century and the new castle which dates back to the 13th century. We toured the castles, walked the streets and enjoyed grand cafe creme out in a sunny courtyard.
Next we visited Castlenau-de-Montmiral, a fortified, hilltop village which overlooks the Vere valley. When we arrived, we were greeted not only by the beautiful village itself - but also by a tour of classic cars which had arrived just before us. Parked throughout the village were beautiful, one-of-a-kind, restored cars, including Italian classics, a Cord, Rolls Royce, Fiat, etc. We walked up to the town square where we had a nice lunch and enjoyed looking out at the half-timbered buildings and classic cars - quite a sight!
Finally, we visited Cordes sur Ciel, one of France's finest medieval fortified towns, also known as Bastides, which dates back to 1222. This charming village is also known for its Gothic houses, constructed using gray, ocher or mauve sandstone from the region. We enjoyed wandering the village, views of the valley below, and shopping in the artisan shops.

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Photos

Bruinquel
Bruniquel

Cordes sur Ceil
Steep, narrow streets of Cordes-Sur-Ciel

Leaving Cordes
Heading out of the village