The Local France

Discover 13 of France's most beautiful villages, plus the town the French love the best

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 17:40:19 +0100

Every year, the TV channel France 3 runs a competition to find the best-loved villages in France. It's one of the most popular events of the TV calendar, attracting around 2 million viewers, and it's also a great way to discover some more off-the-beaten track places to visit in France. So here are the 14 finalists for 2021.

Always wanted a house in France, how about a hamlet?

Wed, 23 Mar 2016 17:41:40 +0100

A picturesque hamlet in France’s Jura mountains is being put on the auction block for a mere €150,000.

Plan to arm French village with tear gas

Wed, 22 Jan 2014 18:49:00 +0100

Fearful village folk wanting to arm themselves with guns might sound like an image pulled from a forgotten corner of the US, but it's exactly what's happening in a French village after a recent violent robbery. But Town Hall chiefs have an alternative plan to avoid any shoot-outs.

Skippy the French kangaroo woos village

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:48:00 +0200

A village in western France has acquired an unlikely new resident: a kangaroo called Skippy.

Villagers set up lottery to help killer

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:05:00 +0200

The village of Vezet, north of Besançon, has set up a lottery to help electrician Charles Beau, who was convicted for killing a disabled neighbour.

Korean snapper buys entire village for €520,000

Tue, 22 May 2012 12:39:09 +0200

A Korean photographer has bought a deserted village in south-western France for just €520,000. The artist says he wants to set up an artistic and environmental project in the village.

Entire village for sale for just €330,000

Mon, 21 May 2012 08:20:00 +0200

A deserted village in south-western France will go under the hammer on Monday, with a guide price of just 330,000 euros ($423,000).

Man 'killed neighbour over dead goldfish'

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:54:00 +0200

A man is being held by the police over suspicions he might have killed a 55-year-old neighbour in a village near Le Mans over an incident involving dead goldfish.