Discover the most beautiful villages in Auvergne Rhone-Alpes and live a varied holiday to the rhythm of history, art and culture.
The region offers everything: high-mountain landscapes, cultural cities, rivers dividing the plains, and volcanic craters. Then, to this wide palette already evocative of wonders, the charming villages of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes are added.
Discover our 16 favorite villages: promises of time travel, authentic flavors, and fascinating heritage discoveries.
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The 16 Most Beautiful Villages in Auvergne Rhone-Alpes
1. Perugia
The medieval city of Pérouges is inimitable with its round pebbles and fortifications that testify to its rich history. The charm of the old cobbled streets of Pérouges immediately suspends time. It must be said that the fairytale scenery is well maintained and even served as a backdrop for several films.
The best is to get lost in this medieval maze and discover the remains by surprise. Then finally, to land in the heart of the village to taste the famous local sugar cake.
2. Balazuc
This village rises above an Ardèche loop that draws a dazzling circus. Perched on its cliff, Balazuc proudly bears the traces of its rich medieval past. The encroached ramps finally lead to the ramparts of the castle.
This village of character is also appreciated on the terrace of a café or in the stalls with medieval ornaments. The Romanesque church of the twelfth century is a lively place from which you can admire an incredible panorama.
3. Charroux
This ancient walled city is one of the most beautiful villages in Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, and this is not surprising. This former major crossroads of the Middle Ages amazes with its carved stone facades, half-timbered houses, and “Cour des Dames.”
Although entrenched behind its fortified gates, Charroux is greatly animated. At more than four hundred meters above sea level, the view of the Chain of Puys and the plain of Limagne is breathtaking.
4. Vogue
This village of character is one of the essential villages to visit in Auvergne Rhône-Alpes. Vogüé turns his back on a cliff and borders the Ardèche River.
When you arrive, the show is grandiose. With shimmering colors and capped in round tile roofs, this medieval village invites you to stroll. Let yourself be seduced by its castle, towers, and rue des Puces: the narrowest street in France. Suffice to say that the parenthesis is total and idyllic.
5. Saint-Symphorien
Photo credit: Wikipedia – Wayne77
The picture is splendid: an imposing Gothic church dominates the entire village. At sunset, the view of this collegiate church with a martial look is breathtaking. The atypical architecture of Saint-Symphorien-Sur-Coise, its medieval fortifications, and its typical private corbelled buildings earned it a label.
You can also be lost with pleasure in the streets and let yourself be surprised, suddenly, by the half-timbered houses and Art Nouveau buildings.
6. Tournemire
Photo credit: Wikipedia – Father Igor
This small village of Cantal belongs to the regional park of the volcanoes of Auvergne. Here, chlorophyll gushes out in all directions. The village is wholly bathed in nature.
Of course, Tournemire has other assets, such as its medieval fortress that still whispers the stories of the great battles. The village stretches along the main street, littered with coquettish squares. The beautiful houses sleep under lauze roofs and are adorned with small hanging and vegetable gardens.
7. Yvoire
Yvoire, nicknamed “The Pearl of The Lake,” is a medieval village overlooking Lake Geneva. His nickname is not a usurpation. The medieval village enjoys an exceptional location, a Remarkable Garden, and fortifications erected in a unique setting.
Its castle, an unwavering symbol, watches over the encroached houses with pretty wooden balconies. This village to visit in Auvergne-Rhône Alpes offers a romantic atmosphere thanks to its flowery alleys. Imagine all this, dancing in a crystal-clear mountain lake…
8. Arlempdes
Arlempdes pulls out the big game at each turn and offers a real show. Hoisted to the top of a rocky peak and surrounded by the Loire, this small village is notable for its castle and period decorations.
If it is one of the most beautiful villages of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, it is also for its intimate setting and its views of the volcanic peaks. A place that appeals to nature lovers as well as history buffs.
9. Montbrun-Les-Bains
This village in Auvergne Rhône-Alpes offers dazzling landscapes between lavender and poppy fields. Its rustic décor is ideal for relaxing, almost at the gates of the charms of Provence.
Montbrun-les-Bains offers a wide range of outdoor activities and renowned spas. Its houses, church, and fountains flourish at the foot of an old medieval castle. All perched on a gentle hill.
10. Bonneval-Sur-Arc
This small village to visit in Auvergne Rhône-Alpes is the highest in the Maurienne Valley. Nestled in the Park of Vanoise, it immediately plunges you into tranquility. It also offers fabulous panoramas and a multitude of outdoor activities.
The authenticity of its architecture will leave you with an unforgettable memory. It is impossible to resist the charm of stone houses surmounted by lauze roofs where the typical chimneys blow.
11. Lavaudieu
Lavaudieu beautifully testifies to his past, especially religion. This jewel of heritage is distinguished by its Benedictine abbey erected in the Middle Ages and its Roman cloister tolerating time. On the banks of the Senouire River, this haven of peace offers spectacular paintings, especially when you come across its winegrowers’ houses in golden stones and topped with round tiles.
You will also find many artisanal workshops and guardians of precious know-how.
12. Oingt
Among the most beautiful villages in Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, Oingt is a medieval village perched on a hill overlooking the Azergues valley. Of its ferocious fortress, there remains only a door through which one still enters the city.
Nevertheless, from the first steps into the village, time seems suspended. Historical monuments and ochre stone houses are eye-popping. Here, the cultivation of the vine is omnipresent: after all, we are in the Beaujolais.
13. Lavoûte-sur-Loire
Photo credit: Wikipedia – MOSSOT
The sumptuous castle of Lavoûte-Polignac overlooks the Loire and emerges from the ground in a bright green setting. It is still the second castle on the Loire whose successive alterations have made it famous.
Walkthrough the beautiful Renaissance Garden, pricked with boxwood and roses, and visit the lavish room sets. Around the village, the valley is rich in varied landscapes. The alluvium and ancient volcanoes of Auvergne gave birth to the emblematic juices.
14. Salers
Salers is one of the most beautiful villages in Auvergne Rhône-Alpes but also one of the richest historically speaking. It has preserved its ramparts and Renaissance mansions, all grouped on a rocky promontory.
All around the Grand Place, the lava houses bear witness to the remains of yesteryear. They are adorned with turrets, anthracite conical roofs, and ornamented doors. After a traditional tasting of truffade or pounti with prunes, taste the famous squares of Salers.
15. Le Poet Laval
Poët Laval, perched on its hill and deployed with its massive medieval ensemble, has a unique cachet. Walk through its cobbled streets and let yourself be guided to the castle. Poët Laval has also developed great craftsmanship and a typical aesthetic sense, as evidenced by the Raymond-du-Puy art center.
16. Dieulefit
Photo credit: Flickr – Gérard Seigneur
This beautiful village is among the most attractive to visit in Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, shines with its magnificent church and its maze of pretty streets. Dieulefit is a small paradise that lives to the rhythm of Provençal influences and pottery art. Towards the heights, the herds graze quietly in the pastures and offer unique and little spicy cheeses.
So, when do you go to discover the sublime villages of Auvergne Rhone-Alpes?
