France is a large country, the largest in Western Europe. It is also the world's most popular tourist destination. But as in any country, tourism in France tends to be mostly concentrated in a small number of regions and areas. In many of the approximately 36,600 communes of France you will never see a tourist, except by accident. My destination was the northeast of the country, with many rural areas where the population today is less than it was a hundred years ago, and the small towns and villages still have a pace of life that is far removed from the hectic frenzy of the cities, the beach resorts, and other main stops. It must be said, many of those villages are downright boring and depressing and far from photogenic. That’s why I quickly focused on villages with a little more color in the streets and if possible with some distinctive architecture.
In these galleries you will see many images of half-timbered houses, a strong Germanic influence on the architecture found in the Alsace region. And yes, many empty streets, the summer season was almost over, the shutters mostly closed. Where were the locals?
This series is a selection of photos taken during a 7 day trip by car. Except villages, streets and buildings you also will find landscapes and other stuff here.
Make sure you view the pictures in *original* size for the sharpest image (see size-options under each photo) and click on the view map button if you want to take note of the exact location.
