How hard it can be sometimes to leave Lyon, even just for a weekend…but when you look at a map of the surrounding area and pinpoint a new gem of our heritage, like any true Lyonnais, you can’t help but get excited. This time, we’re heading south to one of France’s most beautiful regions, to a village unlike any other. Its name reflects its character: captivating and picturesque. We’re taking you to Vogüé!
Vogüé, “Most Beautiful Village in France,” in the heart of the Ardèche
Like the villages of Pesmes, Semur-en-Auxois, or Pont-en-Royans, Vogüé awaits us right on the water’s edge, where, in days gone by, the river sustained an entire community. For while Vogüé’s history doesn’t date back to the prehistoric formation of the Ardèche Gorges, it certainly isn’t a recent phenomenon.
Just like its impeccably preserved castle, the journey back in time begins at the village’s edge with this imposing structure overlooking the rest of the houses. The whole place has everything you’d expectfrom a spot with character: harmonious medieval architecture, stone staircases, and cobblestone alleys that instantly transport you 500 years back in time. With that in mind, don’t miss the chance to explore Rue de la Puce, one of the narrowest streets in France. It’s far more charming than the Champs-Élysées, which is far too crowded. It’s no surprise that this little village in the Ardèche is one of the 184 “most beautiful villages in France.”
The Ardèche, Vogüé’s other charming asset
But here’s what should convince even the most reluctant to cancel their May long weekend plans and come for a getaway in the area. Because the river flowing peacefully past Vogüé is the Ardèche, France’s most famous river. Its famous gorges, but also its many hiking trails, its cuisine, the Chauvet Cave (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and its national nature reserve… in short, enough to set sail toward countless horizons. By the way, how do you pronounce Vogüé? In three syllables: vo-gü-é, without linking the ü to the é!
