Alsace Region, Department 67 Bas-Rhin
|
| Obernai |
area map |
25 km southwest of Strasbourg. |
| Strasbourg |
area map |
Eastern France, beside the Rhine on the German border. |
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Alsace Region, Department 68 Haut-Rhin
|
| Thann |
area map |
15 km west of Mulhouse. |
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Aquitaine Region, Department 24 Dordogne
|
| Brantôme |
area map |
27 km north of Périgueux. |
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Aquitaine Region, Department 64 Pyrénées-Atlantiques
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| Orthez |
area map |
On the Pau, 30 km southeast of Dax; 10 km east of Salles-de-Béarn. |
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Auvergne Region, Department 15 Cantal
|
| Mauriac |
area map |
40 km north of Aurillac; 40 km west of the Plomb du Cantal; at the edge of the Volcans d'Auvergne. |
| Saint Flour |
area map |
East of the Plomb du Cantal and the Volcans d'Avergne. |
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Auvergne Region, Department 43 Haut-Loire
|
| Brioude |
area map |
60 km south of Clermont-Ferrand. 15 km east of Blesle, 7 km northwest of Lavaudieu (two of the Plus Beaux Villages de France). |
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Auvergne Region, Department 63 Puy-de-Dôme
|
| Ambert |
area map |
25 km southwest of Montbrison. |
| Issoire |
area map |
30 km southeast of Clermont-Ferrand. |
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Bourgogne Region, Department 21 Côte-d'Or
|
| Châtillon-sur-Seine |
area map |
70 km southeast of Troyes; 50 km southwest of Chaumont. |
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Bourgogne Region, Department 71 Saône-et-Loire
|
| Autun |
area map |
70 km southwest of Dijon, 40 km west of Beaune. |
| Louhans |
area map |
30 km southeast of Chalon-sur-Saôn; 30 km west of Lons-le-Saunier. |
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Bourgogne Region, Department 89 Yonne
|
| Joigny |
area map |
20 km north of Auxerre; 30 km south of Sens, on the Yonne. |
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Britanny Region, Department 22 Côtes-d'Armor
|
| Dinan |
area map |
20 km south of St Malo and Dinard; 50 km northwest of Rennes. |
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Britanny Region, Department 29 Finistère
|
| Saint Renan |
area map |
10 km northwest of Brest. |
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Center Region, Department 18 Cher
|
| Mehun-sur-Yèvre |
area map |
15 km west of Bourges; 15 km southeast of Vierzon. |
| Saint Amand-Montrond |
area map |
40 km south of Bourges; 9 km southeast of Bruère-Allichamps (the geographical center of France). |
| Sancerre |
area map |
On the upper Loire, 90 km SE of Orleans, 45 km NW of Nevers. |
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Center Region, Department 28 Eure-et-Loir
|
| Châteaudun |
area map |
40 km northwest of Orléans. |
| Nogent-le-Rotrou |
area map |
60 km northeast of Le Mans; 50 km west of Chartres. |
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Center Region, Department 36 Indre
|
| La Châtre |
area map |
30 km southeast of Chateauroux. |
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Center Region, Department 37 Indre-et-Loire
|
| Loches |
area map |
40 km southeast of Tours; 30 km south of Ambois, and 25 km south of the lovely chateau of Chenoncdaux. |
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Center Region, Department 45 Loiret
|
| Beaugency |
area map |
On the Loire, 20 km southwest of Orleans, 30 km northeast of Blois; in the Loire Valley. |
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Champagne Region, Department 52 Haute-Marne
|
| Langres |
area map |
30 km southeast of Chaumont. |
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Franche-Comté Region, Department 25 Doubs
|
| Pontarlier |
area map |
60 km southeast of Besançon; 60 km north of Lausanne (Switzerland) |
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Franche-Comté Region, Department 39 Jura
|
| Salins-les-Bains |
area map |
20 km northeast of Poligny; 40 km southeast of Dole. |
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Franche-Comté Region, Department 70 Haute-Saône
|
| Luxeuil-les-Bains |
area map |
40 km northwest of Belfort, 40 km south of Epinal. |
|
Ile-de-France Region, Department 77 Seine-et-Marne
|
| Moret-sur-Loing |
area map |
10 km southeast of Fontainebleau, at the edge of the Fontainbleau Forest. |
| Provins |
area map |
80 km southeast of Paris; 15 km northwest of Nogent-sur-Seine. |
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Ile-de-France Region, Department 95 Val-d'Oise
|
| L' Isle-Adam |
area map |
30 km north of Paris; 10 km northeast of Pontoise; 5 km southwest of Beaumont-sur-Oise. |
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Languedoc Region, Department 30 Gard
|
| Beaucaire |
area map |
Across the river from Tarascon; midway between Avignon (27 km), Nimes (22 km) and Arles (22 km). |
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Languedoc Region, Department 34 Hérault
|
| Lodève |
area map |
50 km north of Béziers; 50 km northwest of Montpellier. |
| Pézenas |
area map |
20 km northeast of Béziers. |
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Languedoc Region, Department 48 Lozère
|
| Marvejols |
area map |
20 km west of Mende; 60 km northeast of Rodez. |
| Mende |
area map |
20 km east of Marvejols; 30 km north of Florac. |
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Languedoc Region, Department 66 Pyrénées-Orientales
|
| Prades |
area map |
The Abbey Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa is beside; the Pic du Canigou and the Abbey de Saint-Martin are 10 km south. |
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Limousin Region, Department 19 Corrèze
|
| Meymac |
area map |
15 km west of Ussel. |
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Limousin Region, Department 23 Creuse
|
| Aubusson |
area map |
30 km southeast of Guéret. |
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Limousin Region, Department 87 Haute-Vienne
|
| Saint Léonard-de-Noblat |
area map |
20 km east of Limoges. |
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Loire Valley Region, Department 49 Maine-et-Loire
|
| Montreuil-Bellay |
area map |
15 km south of Saumur. |
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Loire Valley Region, Department 72 Sarthe
|
| La Flèche |
area map |
On the Loire, 40 km southwest of Le Mans. |
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Loire Valley Region, Department 85 Vendée
|
| Fontenay-le-Comte |
area map |
40 km northeast of La rochelle; 30 km northwest of Noirt. |
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Lorraine Region, Department 55 Meuse
|
| Bar-le-Duc |
area map |
45 km south of Verdun; 75 km west of Nancy, 25 km northwest of Saint Dizier. |
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Lorraine Region, Department 57 Moselle
|
| Bitche |
area map |
Beside the Northern Vosges Regional Park. |
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Nord/Calais Region, Department 59 Nord
|
| Bergues |
area map |
9 km southeast of Dunkerque. |
| Fourmies |
area map |
15 km southeast of Avesnes-sur-Helpe; 20 km northeast of Vervins; near the German border. |
| Saint Amand-les-Eaux |
area map |
30 km southeast of LIlle; 10 km northwest of Valenciennes. |
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Normandy-lower Region, Department 50 Manche
|
| Granville |
area map |
Seaside town, 20 km north of Mont-Saint-Michel. |
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Normandy-lower Region, Department 61 Orne
|
| Argentan |
area map |
50 km southeast of Caen; 40 km north of Aalençon. |
| Domfront |
area map |
20 km west of Bagnoles-de-l'Orne and La Ferté-Macé. |
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Normandy-upper Region, Department 27 Eure
|
| Pont-Audemer |
area map |
20 km east of Honfleur; 40 km west of Rouen. |
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Normandy-upper Region, Department 76 Seine-Maritime
|
| Eu-le-Tréport |
area map |
Just east of Tréport; 30 km northeast of Dieppe; 30 km west of Abbeville. |
| Forges-les-Eaux |
area map |
40 km northeast of Rouen; 40 km northwest of Beauvais. |
|
Picardie Region, Department 80 Somme
|
| Saint Valery-sur-Somme |
area map |
Seaside town at the mouth of the Canal de la Somme; 15 km northwest of Abbeville. |
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Poitou-Charentes Region, Department 86 Vienne
|
| Chauvigny |
area map |
20 km east of Potiers. |
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Provence-Cote d'Azur Region, Department 04 Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
|
| Sisteron |
area map |
|
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Provence-Cote d'Azur Region, Department 05 Hautes-Alpes
|
| L' Argentière-la-Bessée |
area map |
15 km south of Briançon; SE end of Vallouise Valley. |
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Provence-Cote d'Azur Region, Department 83 Var
|
| Grimaud |
area map |
Medieval perched village overlooking the bright blue bay of the Golfe de Saint Tropez, dominated by the striking ruins of an 11th-century chateau. |
| Ollioules |
area map |
|
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Provence-Cote d'Azur Region, Department 84 Vaucluse
|
| Apt |
area map |
Provencal market town since Roman times, nearby lavender fields and perched villages. |
| Pernes-les-Fontaines |
area map |
20 km east of Avignon, 6 km south of Carpentras. |
| La Tour-d'Aigues |
area map |
|
| Vaison-la-Romaine |
area map |
30 km northeast of Orange. |
|
Pyrenees Region, Department 31 Haute-Garonne
|
| Revel |
area map |
20 km north of Castelnaudary; 20 km southwest of Castres. |
|
Pyrenees Region, Department 32 Gers
|
| Lectoure |
area map |
30 km south of Agen; 20 km east of Condom. |
|
Pyrenees Region, Department 46 Lot
|
| Gourdon (Lot) |
area map |
35 km north of Cahors; 20 km west of Rocamadour. |
|
Pyrenees Region, Department 81 Tarn
|
| Gaillac |
area map |
20 km west of Albi. |
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Rhone-Alpes Region, Department 01 Ain
|
| Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne |
area map |
15 km east of Belleville-sur-Saône; 40 km north of Lyon. |
| Trévoux |
area map |
20 km north of Lyon; 10 km southeast of Villefranche-sur-Saône. |
|
Rhone-Alpes Region, Department 07 Ardèche
|
| Vals-les-Bains |
area map |
5 km north of Aubenas. |
|
Rhone-Alpes Region, Department 26 Drôme
|
| Crest |
area map |
30 km northeast of Montélimar. |
|
Rhone-Alpes Region, Department 38 Isère
|
| Crémieu |
area map |
30 km east of Lyon; 10 km north of Isle-d'Abeau. |
|
Rhone-Alpes Region, Department 42 Loire
|
| Charlieu |
area map |
15 km northeast of Roanne. |
|
Rhone-Alpes Region, Department 73 Savoie
|
| Albertville |
area map |
Home of the 1992 Winter Olympics. |
|
Rhone-Alpes Region, Department 74 Haute-Savoie
|
| La Roche-sur-Foron |
area map |
20 km northeast of Annecy; 8 km west of Bonneville. |
France's Plus Beaux Detours association has listed 80 towns and villages as "well worth a detour" for, among other things, their beauty and historical interest. Excluding on town in French Guyana, we've listed here the 79 Plus Beaux Detours in France.
