March 2020 – as I wrote this post, the world faced an unprecedented health crisis. The pandemic had disastrous consequences on the economy and our social life. Travel had come to a halt. Countries were closing their borders. Airports were deserted. Touristic hotspots such as Italy and Spain were in lockdown. The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre were closed in France, as were restaurants and cafés. Many people (myself included) were forced to cancel planned trips for an indeterminate time… Listening to the news could have easily made us quite depressed. That’s why I came up with the idea to publish an article with some of my best photos of rural France. Just to cheer you up and inspire you.
My Photos of Rural France
What is rural France, you may ask?
Well, first thing, let’s say it is not found in Paris!
Except maybe for a few secret areas I’m very fond of discovering, such as this one:
Rural France is often synonymous with “la Province”. Not to be confused with “Provence”, a historical region in France’s southeast. In fact, Provence was the first region in today’s France to be occupied by the Romans, who called this area Provincia Nostra. From this Latin name is derived the name Provence.
Most of France is rural
No other country of its size in Europe offers such a variety of landscapes.
From the lush green farms of Normandy to the great plains of northern France.
From the lovely landscape of the Loire Valley, aka the “garden of France”, to the cornfields of Burgundy.
The rolling hills of Lorraine and the lavender fields of Provence.
The French countryside also extends to the coast of Brittany and Aquitaine to the West and the French Riviera to the South.
Here is a collection of my favourite photos of rural France, and I hope they’ll inspire you to come and discover this land far, far away… from the crowds!
Ile de France
This is the historical region of Paris… you’d think that it’s mainly an urban zone. Well, there are still large spots of the countryside just 20 km from the city centre. Here are fields that border the River Seine between Maisons-Laffitte and Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
The historic town of Provins in the Brie region.
The countryside of Montfort-L’Amaury, West of Versailles.
The rural region of Brie, East of Paris, where the Brie cheese is produced!
Champagne
Here is Montmirail, West of Reims.
Alsace
The village of Heidwiller in the Sundgau, South of Alsace.
The countryside of Pays de Hanau, a rural area north of Strasbourg, Alsace.
A field at the Ecomusée d’Alsace.
An autumn view from Landskron castle at the border with Switzerland.
The vineyards of Niedermorschwihr on the Alsace Wine Route.
> Read more about Alsace in French on our blog Mon Grand-Est.
Lorraine
Rural Lorraine offers many outdoor activities, including hiking and cycling.
In Spring, the Mirabelle trees are in full bloom. I took this photo in the region of Toul.
The region of Toul, West of Nancy, is where part of my French-side family lives. It is a very bucolic place as you can see…
> Read more about Lorraine in French on our blog Mon Grand-Est.
Burgundy
The village of La Rochepot, between Beaune and Autun.
Châteauneuf-en-Auxois is one of France’s most beautiful villages, West of Dijon.
An incredible field of red poppies somewhere near Beaune in Burgundy!
The windmill of Santenay.
The vineyards of Santenay.
A road crisscrossing the vineyards of Meursault.
The patchwork of Burgundian countryside.
In nearby Franche-Comté, the village of Pennesières.
Périgord
Fields in the vicinity of La Roque-Gageac in the Dordogne Valley.
The view of the Dordogne River from Beynac Castle.
September in the Gardens of Marqueyssac.
In the village of Domme.
The mighty fortress of Beynac.
Not precisely in Périgord but in neighbouring Quercy, here’s the fantastic village of Rocamadour.
Savoie
Here are a couple of photos of Aime-la-Plagne where we once resided.
The village of Chaumont, West of Annecy.
Just above Lake Bourget, this is the village of Clarafond (Aix-les-Bains).
A walk in the countryside of Groisy near Annecy.
Provence
This is Lourmarin, one of France’s most beautiful villages in the Luberon area.
The vicinity of Cucuron at the foot of the Luberon mountain.
The Pays de Sault in the Vaucluse département is a great place to admire lavender fields.
The mountain in the distance is Mont Ventoux.
Sénanque Abbey is a must-see (hence a very touristy!) spot near Gordes.
The view from the castle of Les Baux-de-Provence.
And finally, to end our photos of Rural France on a high, let’s put forward the lovely (and delicious) produce you get at the local market!
I hope these photos of rural France will inspire you to come to visit the French countryside. If this is the case, let me know by commenting below!
Yes, beautiful pics of beautiful France bringing many happy memories.
Thank you Penny! 🙂
These pictures remind me of the beauty in our world and the promise of spring. Thank you for posting!
Thanks! Yes I can’t wait for Spring to come! 🙂
Dear Pierre, I think these are wonderful! I would love to be able to jump in a car now and roam around France as I have done many times but until this is over these pictures are the next best thing. Keep them coming!! Cecelia
I’m glad to hear these photos cheer you up! Thank you and à bientôt ! 🙂
Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos. I can never get enough of France, cities or countryside. I’m hoping my Paris trip in late May won’t have to be cancelled (even though it will be my 10th visit there). I love your emails and website, and always look forward to it.
My pleasure! Thank you for your kind message… hopefully things will get better in a couple of months!
Pierre, This is perfect. Your photographs bring me a feeling of calm and beauty. Please do more photo compilations. We can’t travel in person right now, but we can travel with your photos. Thank you and stay healthy.
Glad you like them! Thank you for the feedback and have a nice Sunday! 🙂
Pierre,
Thanks for these pictures. Yes please send more. Assuming this pandemic ends, we are planning a 4-5 week trip to France where we want to drive rural France and experience much of what your pictures show. Thanks again.
You’re welcome! 4-5 weeks in rural France will be amazing! 🙂
Pierre- thank you for sharing a bit of the countryside, and brightening our day. ….. these photos sure make me want to take a road trip in rural France.
I so enjoy your postings and photos…. keep them coming!
Thank you very much for the feedback! I’ll surely be posting more of them soon! 🙂
Thank you! The pictures remind me of the many road trips we have made over the years. Unfortunately, we had to cancel our visit to Paris in April. Our cruise ship has been cancelled due to the pandemic. However, we are already making plans to visit in September!
You’re welcome! I’m sure we’re all looking forward for Summer (or at least when this situation will end!) Take care! 🙂
Pierre,
These are great, I love the french countryside…if you get a chance over the next few weeks, I would like to see more of these
Thank you Stephen! Yes, there will be more themed-photos posted soon! 🙂
The photos make me very happy because I grew up in a very rural area too. We had a cattle ranch so scenes of the countryside are precious. Such lovely photos you have shared.
I hope to some day revisit France since my only time there was rather short and just around Strasbourg. I loved it all!
I’m very happy to hear that you loved the photos! Take care! 🙂
Hi Pierre, Thank you for sharing these lovely pictures. I guess with the pandemic at present. We can only go on roadtrips. You certain provided food for thought. Feeling spring is coming and better days are just round the corner for us to travel and see wonderful places again.
Doris
You’re welcome! Yes, can’t wait for Spring either 🙂
Merci énormément! These photos are beautiful, and for a moment, I was in the countryside of beloved France….no virus, no panic, no fear. Just beauty and peace.
I am a French teacher in Mississippi, and I begin teaching completely online tomorrow. I will definitely share this article with my students, and I will encourage them to follow you. I share your newsletters and moments with them often, and I am grateful for such and authentic resource to help me teach and inspire young people to love France.
Merci, encore..
Merci beaucoup Mélanie pour votre gentil message ! All the best for this new season of adaptation. And thank you for sharing our content to your students so they can experience a bit of France too 🙂
Thank you. This is inspirational and hopeful. Hoping to get back to France again soon.
Merci bien, Pierre!
Avec plaisir ! 🙂
Wow, countryside France is so beautiful! I hope to visit some day!!
I like to taste those cherries and apricots! Regards from Indonesia.
So lovely, thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome, Michelle!