Rochefort-en-Terre, Brittany, France

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Rochefort-en-Terre is now one of Brittany’s most visited sites after being put on the map in 1907 by the French-born American painter Alfred Klotz who bought the local chateau. Klotz encouraged the residents to decorate their houses with geraniums, a practice that continues today and helped lead Rochefort in winning numerous awards as one of France’s most beautiful villages. Total population of this jewel has been around 600 for the last two hundred years. Endowed with a stunning mix of architectural styles, ranging from 16th-century half-timbered buildings to stone-built Renaissance structures like the Post Office. Building on its arty past, the streets are replete with artists studios and a variety of craftspeople including potters, a candle maker, a toy maker and so on. Biscuits are a particular local feature with several artisan biscuit makers offering distinctive lines. See Slideshow.