Perouges, France is one of those beautiful places that make you come to Europe and to France in particular. A small medieval village perched up on top of a hill, Perouges is a perfectly preserved medieval jewel. Perouges is one of the places that make you stop and say: “This is why I love coming to Europe and visit. You would never find anything like this in America.” Read on to see what I loved about Perouges.
Perouges is my favorite on my list of day trips from Geneva. This beautiful medieval village is a jewel and, like most tourist attractions in France, it is very well maintained. Put on some comfortable shoes and let’s explore the best thing to do in Perouges France.
My Favorite Tourist Attractions in Perouges France
The medieval Fortress contains almost all attractions in Perouges.
- Walk to the main village square and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells
- Walk through the rest of the small and narrow streets. Take your time and walk slowly. The village is very small and you can visit it in about three hours.
- Have some wine and cheese at the Caveau De Saint Vincent
- Walk along the outside fortress walls and take in the views of the old buildings and the beautiful views of the surrounding countryside
Map of Perouges, France and surrounding areas
With our list of things to see and do, let’s start our walking tour of Perouges.
1. Walk Through the Medieval Village
Walking in between old stone buildings is among the best things to do in Perouges
See my photos from Perouges
Walking from the parking lot through the green grass and small wooden staircase coming up to the old wall and tower of the old city fortress is just a delightful way to start your visit.
The imposing tower from the entrance makes you go back to medieval times when knights and fair maidens were walking through these walls and narrow streets. Inside the village walls, I found beautiful stone buildings built all together in one long and circular wall. Flowers and grape vines were around all the windows and doors, giving Perouges a fairy-tale look.
Beautiful view of stone buildings in the main square of Perouges
See my photos from Perouges
Making my way slowly towards the main square I stopped at one of the small “galette” bakeries that sell the traditional pizza-like sweet crust. It was crunchy and sweet and would have worked very well with coffee.
As the main square opened up before me I stopped in order to take in the sights and smells that were coming from the few small restaurants. You can easily see why walking around the old fortress comes first on my list of things to do in Perouges.
The old stone buildings with visible wooden beams were perfectly and beautifully preserved. The locals love to add colorful flowers in the windows making these old buildings just very pretty to look at.
2. Taste Local Wine & Meats
Perouges, France – Beautiful cellars turned into restaurant
See my photos from Perouges
Food comes second on my list of things to do in Perouges France. Since it was getting close to lunch time my cousin took me to enjoy a traditional plate of cold cuts and cheese with a glass of wine at a delightful cellar turned restaurant called Caveau de Saint Vincent. We sat down on these small wooden stools and had great dry salami and local sausages paired with delicious local red wine.
3. Enjoy the Gorgeous Countryside Views
Perouges, France – Gorgeous view of rolling hills and fruit trees from the surrounding countryside
See my photos from Perouges
Last but not least on my list of favorite things to do in Perouges come the beautiful countryside views surrounding the medieval Fortress. Once I completed my slow tour of all the streets and alleys and took lots of travel photos I worked my way outside of the old fortress walls.
The beautiful French countryside that was in front of my eyes was simply delightful. A group of cows was resting in the shade and the beautiful green color of the rolling hills was soothing. I started walking along the old walls which gave me great views of the village.
Plan Your Trip to Perouges France
Search my list of hotels in the Rhone-Alpes area of France. If you are headed to Perouges, consider staying at The Resid for Calixte right in Perouges.
Driving directions to Perouges France. Perouges is about 1.5 hours driving distance from Geneva, Switzerland and about 30 minutes drive from Lyon, France. I drove from Geneva, and the road is beautiful, going through the Jura mountains.
Find a great deal on a rental car in France. Being a small place, Perouges is best reached by car. Save up to 30% by comparing all major rental car companies and picking the best deal for you.
Find a private tour of Perouges. If you are in Lyon, you can easily find a day tour of Perouges.
Visit the official city of Perouges website. Here you will find current events and more information to prepare your trip.
Is it Worth Visiting Perouges France?
Perouges was such a great place to visit! It is a delight for your tourist eyes especially if you are looking for medieval villages. The stone buildings all inside a medieval wall give Perouges a definite “old” charm and the place immediately transports you into a different time in history. Now that you have a good idea about the best things to do in Perouges, you can plan your trip there next time you visit Geneva or Lyon.
Take My SMART Travel Course and learn how to plan your travel confidently through step by step videos. Save money and frustration and become a SMART traveler using my time-tested travel strategy.
Read My SMART Travel Book and learn my best travel tips from 20+ years of international travel experience in less than 40 pages. These will save you lots of money and frustration on your next trip.
