Perouges

Perouges is a medieval walled hilltop village in the Ain department of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France, about 35 km north-east of Lyon. It is listed among the Plus Beaux Villages de France and is known for its cobbled lanes, stone houses and the Place du Tilleul. The usual route is a TER train from Lyon Part-Dieu to Meximieux-Perouges, about 25 minutes and around EUR 7 (~$7.85) each way. The village is roughly 2.5 km from the station and uphill, so visitors either walk about 35 minutes or take a taxi. By car, the A42 to the Meximieux exit takes about 40 minutes, with paid parking outside the pedestrian village. A good one-day arc starts with an arrival by late morning, a slow walk through the main gate and up the lanes to the Place de la Halle and the Place du Tilleul, and time to look into small craft workshops and the village museum area. Lunch is the natural highlight: the local galette, a sweet sugar tart, is sold at the Hostellerie du Vieux Perouges and in several bakeries, and the restaurants serve regional dishes. The afternoon suits photographs from the ramparts and a stroll around the outer walls before the late-afternoon train back to Lyon. Because the village is small, two to three hours covers the main lanes, which is why many visitors pair it with a visit to the nearby Dombes ponds or the Parc des Oiseaux. The best season is April to October, when restaurants and shops are open and the light is good; weekends in summer are the busiest, so a weekday morning is calmer. The tourist information site perouges.org lists current events, such as the medieval-themed festivals held in some seasons.