I visited the most beautiful village in France ! And more...

I recently spent a delightful long weekend in the south of France and discovered the village of Gordes, France's prettiest village — and what a joy it was!

The journey began in Munich, where I hopped on a long train ride to Paris for a work trip. For those unfamiliar with the route, the French TGV makes it a jovial 6-hour ride. Sure, it takes less time to fly, but you get to relax, enjoy the views, and give your carbon footprint a little break — win-win!

While in Paris, I carved out time to make a mandatory pilgrimage to La Grande Épicerie de Paris. I couldn’t resist stocking up on my beloved French treats: mustard, tarama, goat cheese, and the ever-glorious Saint Nectaire. I didn’t anticipate the scorching southern heat awaiting me, though — not the best news for my dairy treasures!

Once work was wrapped up, I jumped back on the TGV, this time heading toward Nîmes — often called the most Roman city outside of Italy. Just 3.5 hours later, I arrived at a train station that looked like a charming fusion of modern design and ancient ruins (no clue if the stones were actually Roman, but I liked the idea!). I was joined there by car, and just like that, our little road trip began across the Occitanie and Provence.

Our first stop was the iconic Pont du Gard, a magnificent Roman aqueduct bridge that has stood proudly for over 2,000 years

I was in awe — it’s so well preserved, it almost felt like time travel.

Pont du Gard

View from the Pont du Gard

Pont du Gard up-close

A few kilometers away, we reached the sleepy village of Castillon-du-Gard, our home for the night. After a delightful lunch by the pool, a refreshing nap and a quick wardrobe change, we headed to explore Gordes — a village often crowned the most beautiful in all of France.

Castillon-du-Gard

Castillon-du-Gard

Castillon-du-Gard

Swimmingpool with a view

View from the hotel pool

En route, we took a quick detour to a spot recommended by one of my colleagues from the Paris office: the Abbaye de Sénanque, where endless lavender fields stretched before us like a dream. The colors! The scent!

Lavender truly defines Provence — it's on the roadsides, in shops, in every hotel. You can’t miss it, and you wouldn’t want to.

We reached #Gordes just before sunset and left the car at the entrance of the hilltop village. A short walk led us to a restaurant with the most breathtaking views of the #Lubéron vineyards. The atmosphere, the food, the impeccable service — it was a slice of Provençal heaven. Hard to imagine that just a day later, tragic news would emerge about a wedding shooting in a nearby town. Life can be so full of contrasts.

View from the restaurant in Gordes

View from the restaurant in Gordes

That night, we returned to Castillon-du-Gard and enjoyed a cozy, peaceful evening, planning our next adventure under the blazing southern sun (hello, 35 degrees!).

Next stop: Avignon and Montpellier. Avignon completely charmed me — a medieval city wrapped in ancient medieval walls. Seeing the famous, never finished, Pont d’Avignon felt like a nostalgic full-circle moment. For anyone raised in French culture, the children’s song “Sur le pont d’Avignon” is an anthem of early years — and yes, it has millions of YouTube views to this day!

I also learned that popes once called this place home before they moved their headquarters to Rome.

Pont d'Avignon

Avignon, old town

After a quick lunch, we hit the road to #Montpellier, which turned out to be like a mini-Paris — full of elegant Haussmannian buildings and even a tiny Arc de Triomphe! And lucky us — we visited during the Fête de la Musique, with lively street parties happening at nearly every corner. The whole city was buzzing with music and energy. Whether it was naturally filled with free-spirited folks or just the vibe of the day, it felt like a hippy-hipster utopia.

That night, we retreated to a serene Domaine in #Lavérune, just outside the city. It was the definition of calm — the only sounds were the occasional neighs of horses. The bamboo trees at the entrance instantly transported me back to the bamboo forest in Kyoto — such a peaceful, grounding place.

And then, too soon, it was time to pack up and head to Barcelona.

One tiny hiccup? My cheese saga. I spent the entire trip worrying about the gourmet goodies I’d bought in Paris — especially with the heat and all the hotel-hopping. I asked practically every hotel receptionist and waiter along the way to refrigerate my insulated cheese bag... only to keep forgetting I’d done so and sheepishly return each time asking, “Did I leave my cheese with you?”