So, I learned something really important today! Well, maybe not that important if you consider certain things...
Anyway, I was thrilled that we were going to visit another "Plus Beau Village" today. Although, I've never sat down and actually counted all the different ones that we have visited, I was quite sure that we were close to a milestone. However, I found out today that there are now 155 "Plus Beaux Villages". I have no idea who added them or when. But. I did learn that some 33,000 are eligible for the title. So, if they want to add 55 more, it's fine with me!
We went off to visit the village of Rochefort-en-Terre, about an hour from here (if you don't encounter a really large wedding party).
It is charming and also one of the largest of the small villages that we have visited. And furthermore, not only is it a "Plus Beau Village" but it is also the 2016 winner of the contest "The Village Most Preferred by the French"! This is a contest that was started by one of the national TV channels a few years ago. The audience gets to write in and vote and each year they bestow the award. (Being slightly obsessive, I am now trying to figure out if any of the other villages we have visited have also received this honor?)
The first terrific thing was that although there were lots of visitors, at no time did we feel smothered in tourists. There were a wide variety of shops and only one was selling the standard souvenir junk. Most of the shops in town displayed goods that had been made by the owner. In several, of the stores, the artisans were happy to greet you but they continued to paint or craft what they were working on.
And even the homes of the residents not engaged in commerce, are beautifully maintained. And there are wonderful floral displays throughout the town. Also, the two young women at the Tourist Office were happy to chat with me about their town and they asked several questions about the weather in FL. They also politely asked what I thought about 45's visit to France. Once again, they can not understand how someone like him was elected by the American people...
It is easy to understand why Rochefort-en-Terre has received these prestigious honors! We'd definitely recommend a visit.
