Among the various places we visit during our trip to France, we often hear that this or that city is one of them “the most beautiful village in France”. Under this designation is a legal association from 1901, which was born forty years ago to bring together all the small towns in France with a certain character, which are just waiting to be discovered…
Today, head south with the village of Cotignac in the Var department.
A place of pilgrimage for centuries
Here is one of the last villages marked “the most beautiful village in France” because its registration only dates back to the 2022 edition, although it is true that Cotignac has had plenty to tempt for a long time.
This small town of just over 2,000 inhabitants, at the gates of the Verdon Regional Natural Park, is actually famous for its old center, which is pleasant to walk around, especially on market days. It was built at the foot of this strange limestone cliff full of caves and troglodyte dwellings that surrounds a part of this city drowned in greenery.
Right there, on top of it, you can discover these two square towers, the remains of an old feudal castle that once protected this place.
But if Cotignac was marked in his time by the local lords and other counts of Provence who were interested in him, the church also left its mark there. After two apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the 16th century, the city has been a Catholic pilgrimage site for a very long time.E and XVIIE century.
The shrine of Notre-Dame-de-Grâces and the monastery of Saint-Joseph du Bessillon also originate from here, as well as several pilgrimages including the Holy Family dedicated to people who wish to have children. An important religious activity, therefore, with more than 100,000 pilgrims a year, making Cotignac one of the most visited places in its department.
> More information: mairiecotignac.fr