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The beautiful village of Pérouges

1 - Pérouges is a small French commune with a population of just over 1,200. It is about 30 kilometres northeast of Lyon and 120 kilometres southwest of Geneva, on a hill. Many tourists visit the town because you can see what streets and houses looked like in the Middle Ages and how people lived back then. The houses and streets were restored some time ago. Today, the town is considered one of the most beautiful villages in France.

2 - The streets are paved with cobblestones. Most of the houses date from the 14th and 15th centuries. They were built from stone, cobblestones and earth. Many have an arched doorway on the ground floor and cross-frame windows on the upper floor. In the past, many craftspeople lived here. There were especially many weavers, who made clothes from hemp.

3 - The town was protected by a double ring of walls, although only remnants remain. Lindenplatz is the town’s central square. On the square, there is a beautiful guild hall and a large sundial. The main street, Rue des Princes, was the town’s shopping street, where weavers, blacksmiths and other craftspeople lived and worked. There is also a manor house and a church dating from the 15th century.

4 - People who live in Pérouges today or visit the town do not have to go without any modern conveniences. Nobody dumps rubbish in the streets anymore, and people no longer share their homes with cows, goats, horses or pigs. Toilets have flushes now, not pit toilets. You can stay in hotels and eat in restaurants. One local speciality is sugar tart. To make it, you use butter, eggs, lemon zest, sugar and flour. These are made into a dough, rolled out into flat rounds, then brushed with butter, sprinkled with sugar and baked in a hot oven for 7 minutes.

5 - Jousting events and large music festivals are sometimes held in this town. Films have also been made here. If you ever happen to be passing by, do stop in—it’s worth a visit.

Images: Hamsterkiste