France/ This small Occitan village is now one of the "most beautiful in France"!

A new village in Occitanie has just been awarded the coveted Plus Beaux Villages de France label. It's the small village of Villeneuve (Aveyron).

One more for Aveyron... and for Occitanie! Meeting on Friday September 20 and Saturday September 21 in Polignac (Haute-Loire), the Quality and Labeling Commission of the national network of the Most Beautiful Villages in France decided to award the coveted label to three new villages, including Villeneuve in Aveyron. It's an accolade for the small village, on a par with Marcolès (Cantal) and Bormes-les-Mimosas (Var).

Alongside these decisions, the body in charge of classification and downgrading decisions within the national network also renewed the label for 11 member villages, including Belcastel, Estaing and Najac, bringing the total number of "Plus Beaux Villages de France" to 180.

A second attempt for Villeneuve

Located between Figeac and Villefranche-de-Rouergue, the small Aveyron village had already tried its luck in 1998. Unfortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful at the time.

While this former sauveté transformed into a bastide has preserved two monumental gates from its medieval past, it is also committed to building for the future and embellishing its living environment," boasts the label.Whether it's improving the quality of its surroundings by working on public spaces, or that of its buildings by gradually rehabilitating its facades and integrating elements of contemporary architecture into its new media library."

Not to be missed in Villeneuve: La Sauveté and the Bastide, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Galerie Jean-Marie Périerthe Soubirane tower and the Toulongergues church.

Housed in a 14th-century house, the gallery of the famous photographer Jean-Marie Périer, a native of Aveyron, is a fine illustration of the town's desire to create a link between the ages!

Plus Beaux Villages de France" label

What's the difference?

The label is a "source of emulation" for villages that have been sectioned off, according to the association created in the early 80s. It is not "an end in itself", but rather an opportunity "for municipalities wishing to improve the quality of life of their inhabitants, and enhance their heritage and rural environment".

The Quality and Labeling Commission of the Most Beautiful Villages in France urges all applicants and villages already awarded the label to "to continue their efforts to restore buildings, improve the aesthetics of village surroundings and entrances, and manage commercial activities on public land".

The label is an invaluable spotlight for all the villages concerned, and also opens up promising prospects for tourism.

Villages awarded the "Plus Beaux Villages de France" label are re-appraised every 6 to 9 years.

Source: actu.fr/occitanie/