Mercure Bayeux Omaha Beach

The most visited country in the world (and by me)

by Mikebond

"French hidden pearls"

France is the European country I best know, since I have spent my summer holidays with my parents there every year from 1990 to 2004 and again in 2007. French is my favourite "foreign" language (I'm not bilingual yet, maybe one day...) and the only one my parents can speak. That's why we have traveled there so much.
During my 15 and more trips to the fourth largest European country, I have been to a lot of small and unknown locations that even French VTers such as Jean-Louis (JLBG) have never visited or heard of. It is a pity that there are so many hidden treasures in Europe, but also all over the world, that tourists often forget to visit because they are not mentioned in their guide.
So, let's start with small French treasures, divided by region:

Basse-Normandie
Balleroy, a small village with beautiful castle and gardens, known for the balloon exhibitions organized by American politician Michael Forbes;
Cerisy-la-Forêt ("Cerisy wood"), a small village with a medieval abbey;
Colleville-sur-Mer, a village in whose nearby you can visit the American cemetery, one of the largest military cemeteries in France;
Gatteville-le-Phare, a small village with a high lighthouse ("phare");
Port-en-Bessin, a village at Omaha Beach, one of the places from where the liberation of Europe started on June 6th 1944 (D-day).

Bretagne
Guerlesquin, a village near Morlaix where you can see a wonderful musical market on Mondays;
Guimiliau, the village with the most populated calvaire in whole Bretagne;
Plestin-les-Grèves, a village that is not worth visiting itself, but where I had the chance to attend a great folkloric evening of Breton dances;
Plouégat-Guérand, a tiny village where we had rented a beautiful house;
Saint-Jean-du-Doigt, another village near Morlaix with an interesting enclos paroissial, though not as great as that of Guimiliau;
Saint-Thégonnec, with its tragically famous enclos paroissial.

Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Ambleteuse, on the Côte d'Opale;
Beussent, with its famous chocolate factory.