When an article pops up in the news a dozen times in one day it tends to get your attention. We read various online sources to see what’s going on around the world and we’re always on the lookout for new travel destinations, especially in France. That’s why when the headline, “Here are the French villages the most searched for in 2023 on the Internet” kept appearing one morning, we wanted to see which ones were included (photo gallery at the bottom). Although the website that had compiled the statistics was unknown to us, the popular French travel guide publisher, Routard, said that “Likibu is the Number 1 holiday rental comparison site (in France)” so we felt confident in their results.

To come up with their top 10 villages described below, Likibu looked at the monthly searches on Google, not only for just the village name but also for the follow-up questions of “What to do”, “What to see”, and “What to visit”. The number 1 position didn’t surprise us at all:

1. Rocamadour—If you asked us for a one-word description of this vertical village that clings to a mountainside above a canyon it would have to be “spectacular”. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site (2 photos above) popular with pilgrims who want to see the Black Virgin sanctuary guarded by a castle and fortifications. The nearest train station is called Rocamadour-Padirac, about 5 km away.
2. Giverny—We only knew of this town in Normandie for its famous gardens created by Claude Monet as inspiration for his impressionist paintings. Apparently also worth visiting is the Medieval quarter with its half-timbered buildings and I definitely want to see the 16th century Vernon mill that’s suspended above the Seine river on piers from an ancient bridge. The nearest train station is called Vernon-Giverny, about 5 km away.
3. Les Baux-de-Provence—How’s this for a tourism brochure description: “Discover the beauty, history and culture of Provence. This charming village, perched on a rocky outcrop, offers stunning views of the Alpilles mountains and the surrounding countryside. You will be enchanted by its narrow cobblestone streets, its medieval castle and its remarkable heritage sites”. The closest train stations are in Avignon or Nîmes from where you can take an organized tour.
4. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port—On our trip to the Basque Country we ran out of time before we could visit this Medieval city on the border with Spain, so we had to go back. Several visitors to Carcassonne have walked to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port since it provides a passage across the Pyrenees on the pilgrimage route that ends in Santiago de Compostela. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port has its own train station that is a 10-minute walk from town.
5. Gordes—Understandably a member of the organization “The Most Beautiful Villages of France”, this mountaintop town with cobblestone streets and stone houses in a natural regional park. There is a 10th century castle and a 17th century historic monument of shepherd’s stone huts, but I would really want to see the Abbey of Senanque, a 12th century monastery surrounded by lavender fields in full bloom. The nearest train station to Gordes is Cavaillon, which is about 20 km away.
6. Saint-Florent—You have to visit the island of Corsica to see this ancient fishing port where the pleasure boats now outnumber the working vessels. Although there is an old part of town with charming, narrow streets and a citadel, visitors go there for the range of outdoor activities, especially the white sandy beaches and the turquoise water. You would have seen those masquerading as Utah Beach in the movie ”The Longest Day.” The closest railway station is in Bastia or Calvi from where you could take a tour.
7. Sancerre—We’ve definitely enjoyed white wines from this area, especially Savignon Blanc. In fact, the vineyards appear to be the drawing card to this hilltop village located along the Loire river. The nearest train stations are called Tracy-Sancerre at 3 km and Cosne-sur-Loire, which is about 15 km away.
8. Yvoire—We had a glimpse of this beautiful medieval town during a paddleboat cruise on Lake Geneva when we visited Switzerland last year. Although the 14th century castle was obvious from the water, the town’s fortified gates apparently hide flower-filled streets and a garden intended to be savored with all 5 senses. The nearest train station is in Thonon-les-Bains, about 17 km away.
9. Piana—Like its northern neighbor, Saint-Florent, tourists seek out stunning water views here in southern Corsica but these are just as likely to be accompanied by rugged cliffs as sandy beaches. The nearest train station is in Ajaccio which is about 68 km away.
10. Vézelay—As you might expect, a charming village in Burgundy is going to attract tourists interested in wine. Others will visit because this member of “The Most Beautiful Villages in France” is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a starting point for one of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. The nearest train station is called Sermizelles-Vezelay which is about 7 km away.

The full title of the article that prompted today’s post included the words les plus recherchés that, depending upon context, might be translated as “the most searched”, “the most sought after”, “the most popular”, “the most in demand”, and “the most wanted”. We’ll leave it to you to choose your favorite translation and village.

Photo note: All photos are from the respective offices of tourism indicated below each photo. The featured photo across the top and in the first paragraph are Rocamadour from Tourisme en Occitanie.