The 10 Most Beautiful Hiking Villages in France

Some villages in France seem made for hiking. Hilltop hamlets you reach after an hour's climb, medieval towns you circle along a ridge trail, perched villages that reveal themselves at a bend in the path — with views that take your breath away and make you want to stay forever.

France has over 150 villages labelled "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" (Most Beautiful Villages of France), but not all of them are truly hiking destinations. Some are best visited by car, others by bike. A select few, however, must be earned. They lie at the end of a trail, at the top of a cliff, at the edge of a cedar forest, above a canyon.

This selection of 10 hiking villages brings together places where the natural surroundings are as remarkable as the village itself — destinations where walking makes sense, where every kilometre walked deepens your connection to the place.

1. Gordes — The Luberon's Flagship Village

Department: Vaucluse (84) | Region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Gordes is perhaps the most photographed village in Provence. Its honey-coloured stone houses cascade down the cliff face, looking out over a panorama of the Vaucluse plateau that stretches to the horizon. But Gordes is above all an exceptional base for hiking.

The trail leading to the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque — nestled in a narrow valley, surrounded by lavender fields — is one of the most iconic paths in the Luberon. The descent from the Gordes plateau into the Sénancole valley winds through garrigue and lavandin that releases intoxicating fragrances from May to July.

Recommended routes on OpenRando:

• Loop: Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque – View over Gordes — 14.5 km, 340 m elevation — A must-do, with a plunging view of the perched village and a pass in front of the Cistercian abbey.
• Loop: View over Gordes – Vaucluse Plateau — 12.1 km, 309 m elevation — A different perspective on Gordes, from the limestone plateau ridges.

2. Roussillon — Ochre Cliffs and Colour-Drenched Trails

Department: Vaucluse (84) | Region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Roussillon is unique in France: its red, orange and yellow ochre cliffs make every hike a chromatic experience unlike any other. The village itself is built on an ochre butte, with houses tinted in the same tones as the rock — a natural harmony that strikes you the moment you arrive.

The Sentier des Ocres, signposted from the village, follows cliffs ten metres high through pine forests and Mediterranean scrubland. For a fuller experience, the loop through the Couquiers valley and the Claparèdes plateau extends the exploration into a half-day walk through a serene agricultural and wooded landscape.

Recommended route on OpenRando:

• Loop: Village of Roussillon – Town Hall Square — 12.9 km, 172 m elevation — The best circuit to see the ochre cliffs from the outside and enjoy the panorama over the Luberon from the plateaux.

3. Bonnieux — Cedar Forests and Vineyards

Department: Vaucluse (84) | Region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Bonnieux occupies a rocky spur above the Calavon valley. From the top, the view extends to the Luberon to the north and the Claparèdes plateau to the south. The medieval village, crowned by its 12th-century upper church, is surrounded by vineyards, olive trees and oaks — a landscape that changes colour palette with each season.

Bonnieux's great particularity is the cedar forest covering the northern slope of the Grand Luberon above the village. Planted in the 1860s by foresters inspired by the Atlas cedar, it offers shaded, fragrant walks year-round, with a belvedere looking out over the Luberon and the valley as a bonus.

Recommended routes on OpenRando:

• Loop: Bonnieux – Place Carnot — 12.3 km, 316 m elevation — A full circuit of the village and its surrounding vineyard terraces.
• Loop: Luberon Cedar Forest – Portalas Belvedere — 12.3 km, 262 m elevation — The go-to hike for exploring the cedar forest and its exceptional panorama.

4. Lourmarin — Village of Writers

Department: Vaucluse (84) | Region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Lourmarin is the only village in the Luberon chosen as a place of residence by Albert Camus, who is buried in its small cemetery. This detail says something about Lourmarin's particular character: it is a village of character — luminous, lively, surrounded by vines and olive trees, at the foot of the southern Luberon.

Hiking from Lourmarin gives privileged access to the ravines and combes of the Luberon's southern slope — wilder, less-visited terrain than the northern face, with vegetation of kermes oaks, lavender and box that perfumes the trails in spring.

Recommended route on OpenRando:

• Loop: Shaded Lunch Stop – Lourmarin — 13.9 km, 502 m elevation — A demanding circuit climbing towards the Grand Luberon with rewarding views.

5. Murs — The Forgotten Village of the Vaucluse Plateau

Department: Vaucluse (84) | Region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Murs is less well-known than its Luberon neighbours, and that is precisely its charm. This quiet village on the Vaucluse plateau, dominated by its 15th-century medieval castle, is surrounded by oak forests and truffle plantations — less photogenic than Roussillon's ochres, but of rare serenity.

The hike from Murs climbs onto the plateau, crosses dense forests and passes a remarkable ancient oak — several centuries old — before reaching viewpoints that open onto the Ventoux massif to the north. In spring, the roads between Murs and Méthamis are lined with cherry trees in blossom: a fleeting but unforgettable spectacle.

Recommended route on OpenRando:

• Loop: Village of Murs – Giant Oak Tree — 14.0 km, 276 m elevation — A forest and heritage walk, perfect outside of the tourist season.

6. Sivergues and the Aiguebrun Canyon (Buoux)

Department: Vaucluse (84) | Region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Sivergues is one of the most isolated villages in Vaucluse — a few dozen inhabitants, no shops, no direct road from Apt. To reach it, you either drive on rough tracks or walk. And that is where the hike comes into its own.

The Aiguebrun, flowing through the Buoux canyon, is one of the wildest watercourses in the Luberon. The hike from Sivergues plunges into this wooded canyon before climbing back up the Buoux cliffs, where the ruins of the medieval fort cling to the rock. A technical, committed outing for hikers seeking the Luberon off the beaten track.

Recommended route on OpenRando:

• Loop: Village of Sivergues – The Aiguebrun near Buoux — 14.2 km, 576 m elevation — The wildest hike in this selection, with 576 m of ascent in spectacular surroundings.

7. Les Baux-de-Provence — The Alpilles and Their Limestone Ridges

Department: Bouches-du-Rhône (13) | Region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Les Baux-de-Provence perch on an Alpilles spur 200 metres above a plain of olive trees and cypresses. The medieval village, its ruins and castle — everything here breathes history and the mistral wind. But above all, it is an ideal base for exploring the limestone ridges of the Alpilles, a compact massif concentrating some of the finest landscapes in Provence.

The trails around Les Baux offer 360° panoramas over the Camargue, the Crau, the Luberon, Mount Ventoux and the Alpilles. The light here is of exceptional quality, particularly at the end of the day when the white cliffs glow golden in the setting sun.

→ Explore hiking trails in the Alpilles on OpenRando

8. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie — Gateway to the Verdon

Department: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04) | Region: PACA

Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is one of the most spectacular villages in France, clinging to a limestone cliff above a ravine crossed by a rushing stream. A golden star hangs from a chain stretched between the two cliffs framing the village — a tradition dating from the 15th century, allegedly placed by a knight returning from the Crusades.

But Moustiers is above all the gateway to the Gorges du Verdon, Europe's grandest canyon. Hikes from the village can reach Lac de Sainte-Croix, the ridges above the Verdon, and viewpoints that rank among the most beautiful in France.

9. Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert — The Hérault Gorges

Department: Hérault (34) | Region: Occitanie

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is a medieval village labelled "Most Beautiful Village in France", nestled in the Gorges de l'Hérault. Its abbey — a stop on the pilgrim road to Santiago de Compostela since the Middle Ages — overlooks a village of narrow lanes hemmed between imposing limestone cliffs.

Hikes around Saint-Guilhem combine aromatic garrigue, vertiginous gorges and karst reliefs dotted with caves and sinkholes. The Grotte de Clamouse, accessible from the village, is one of the finest show caves in France. The crossing of the Cirque de l'Infernet, climbing to the plateau, is an almost alpine experience at under 500 metres altitude.

10. Conques — The Sanctuary Village of Aveyron

Department: Aveyron (12) | Region: Occitanie

Conques is the quintessential hiking village. Located on the Via Podiensis — one of the main Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes — this Aveyron village is crossed each year by thousands of pilgrims and hikers. The Romanesque Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy, a masterpiece of medieval architecture, and the half-timbered medieval houses make it one of the finest architectural ensembles in France.

Hikes from Conques descend to the Dourdou river, climb back up to the causse, cross deep forests and clifftops. The Conques-Livinhac-le-Haut stage of the GR65 is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful days of walking in France.

How to Choose Your Hiking Village

By Season

• Spring (March–May): ideal for Provence (Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux) before the summer heat and before trail closures for fire risk
• Summer (June–August): favour altitude (Alps, Pyrenees) or northern France; in Provence, set off early in the morning
• Autumn (September–November): the best season for the Luberon, with the colours of oak and cedar forests and low-angle light
• Winter: Provençal villages are deserted and magnificent — trails are quieter, the sky often deep blue after the mistral

By Ability Level

• Beginners: Roussillon (12.9 km, 172 m ascent), Gordes view (12.1 km, 309 m ascent)
• Intermediate: Bonnieux Cedar Forest (12.3 km, 262 m ascent), Murs (14.0 km, 276 m ascent)
• Experienced: Sivergues/Buoux (14.2 km, 576 m ascent), Lourmarin (13.9 km, 502 m ascent)

Gear for Village Hikes

For hiking in Provence on limestone and garrigue:

• Mid-cut hiking boots — a Vibram sole is recommended on wet limestone
• 1.5 to 2-litre water bottle — springs are scarce on the Luberon plateaux
• Telescopic trekking poles — useful in combes and on steeper sections
• IGN TOP 25 map of the area — even with GPS, a paper map is a useful backup

Explore Further

These villages are just the starting point for a wider exploration of Provence and its natural treasures. Continue your adventures with our other guides:

• The 10 Most Beautiful Luberon Hikes
• Hiking in the Alpilles: 8 Routes Through Garrigue and Olive Groves
• The Most Beautiful Trails of the Mediterranean Coast

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