Cotignac village

It’s hardly a coincidence that Cotignac has attracted many artists over the years. The village is beautiful, but not self-consciously so. It lies nicely sheltered by the cliff with the Saracen towers. Water flows continuously from about 18 fountains spread throughout the streets. The village is a good size, with about 1,800 inhabitants – a mixture of French people, foreigners and tourists.

But Cotignac’s best attribute is the beautiful and well-functioning main square. Shops, bars, cafés, restaurants, and not least – people. Some may miss a hectic night on the town. But in Cotignac, people say ”bonne nuit” at around 11pm and appreciate no late testing of loud stereos by an open window. It is better to listen to the frogs’ sleep-inducing music up on the cliff.

Can one be objective about one’s own village? Well, we’ve tried. The truth is that we haven’t yet discovered a nicer place anywhere in Provence. There are at least 200 villages to compare with, and surely one should trust science? But it’s best to see for yourself. First, there’s Cotignac: www.provencebeyond.com/villages/cotignac then the neighbouring villages of Carces, Montfort, Salernes, Lorgues or others which you will discover yourself. They are all lovely, of course...