If the beauty of certain towns in France no longer needs to be proven, it is clear that there are much less charming towns everywhere in the country…
From the colorful streets of Provence to the sumptuous buildings of the capital via the unique aesthetic of the small villages of Brittany, Alsace or the South-West, our country stands out for its architecture, its heritage and its variety of styles. But don’t think that beauty is nestled in the four corners of France… Like every year, the Paysages de France association has revealed its ranking of the ugliest places in France!
Of course, beauty and ugliness remain very subjective notions, but some members of the association still managed to come to an agreement again this year… Thus, the ranking is intended to be ironic and wishes to denounce the growing visual pollution in France. “This is not a competition of the ugliest cities, but of places which symbolize the disfigurement of the landscape”assure the organizers of this unusual competition, which must make the mayors of the pinned cities cringe. And it’s up to them to conclude: “Let us hope that these 2025 prices will open the eyes of those who turn a blind eye in the name of progress.”
It is the village of Saint-Gervais, a town of 2,700 inhabitants located in the Vendée department (in the Pays de la Loire region), which finds itself this year on first place on this inglorious podium with the mention “We will not be spared anything”. Reference to a brand new digital municipal information panel installed just in front of the doors of a beautiful historic church… So, there are choices that automatically lead to our downfall. This also reopens the eternal debate between modernity and heritage!
In total, four cities stand out in this 2025 vintage. In the town of Vendargues, in Hérault, users have discovered a “advertising forest” made up of dozens of colorful panels installed on the side of the road. In Bernay, in Eure, residents spotted an advertising panel unnecessarily placed in the middle of a field!
Finally, in Limoges (Haute-Vienne), visitors can quickly feel stifled by the large retailers. And for good reason, a gigantic advertising panel sits at the entrance to a commercial area. So much so that Paysages de France renamed the place “Monument to the Ugly” !
