There are hundreds of beautiful villages scattered throughout France, but only some of them—176 at the moment—get to thumb their noses at the rest. Those that meet the 30 selective criteria, receive the necessary votes, and agree to pay the annual fee are permitted to join the esteemed assemblage known as Les Plus Belles Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France).

Camon is one such village, and currently the only one with the rarified designation in the whole of the Ariège region. (According to Wikipedia, Ariège’s village of Saint Lizier should also be listed, but a scan of the PBVF webpage shows it’s no longer there, proving that the Quality & Labeling Commission giveth, and the Quality & Labeling Commission taketh away.)

Just twelve miles out of the way while journeying from Foix to our next destination—Carcassonne—a detour to Camon (nicknamed “Little Carcassonne”) was planned without hesitation.

Surrounded by fields that are themselves embraced by a bend in the river L’Hers, the tiny medieval fortified village is a tidy collection of ancient stone structures, meandering foliage, and pretty doors.

The small maze of cobbled lanes that hug the L-shaped main street was surprisingly quiet for a midsummer’s day, and we expressed our wonderment in hushed tones, fearful of disturbing the tranquil ambiance.

The focal point of the town—and surely one of the heritage sites used to score the coveted “Les Plus Belles” label—is the tenth century abbey, which serves a slightly less godly purpose now that it’s a hotel, restaurant, and wedding venue.

Seemingly devoid of all modern conveniences, save the hotel/restaurant and a small cafe at each edge of the village road, serene Camon is an idyllic drop of beauty in a calm sea of peace and quiet.

Wonderfully becalmed by our brief foray into “Little Carcassonne,” it was time to see what its namesake—the big version—had to offer . . .

Toute l’aventure:

64 thoughts

  3. Wow, what a gem of a village! I love its abundant natural setting – it looks like time does not seem to have a hold on this medieval decor with cinematographic charm – and I love how everything seems to transport you to an intimate and authentic atmosphere: its cobbled streets, its half-timbered merchant houses, its stone houses with Romanesque tiles, its flower beds… and its hundreds of climbing roses on the facades of the houses.

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  16. When I lived in France, I did my best to visit as many “plus beaux villages de France” as I could. Never heard of Camon, but I’d love to go with its charming, cobblestone streets and plenty of gorgeous doors!

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  22. I mean… if you have to pay for your spot on the list, it seems less like a list of most beautiful villages and more like a list of “most willing to pay for it” villages. Nonetheless, Camon looks lovely!

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    1. True. It kind of reminded me of the USDA Organic label. There are some farmers who are 95% organic or 100% organic but just can’t (or won’t) pay the fee that comes along with getting that label. There are also some villages, if I’m not mistaken, who have taken themselves off the list because of overtourism and/or not wanting to pay the fee anymore.

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