L’auteur de l’article apprécie à la fois le patrimoine de la ville et le fait qu’elle sache évoluer. Midi Libre – DR
Should we expect to see a wave of English tourists flooding into Mende ? A few weeks ago, the prestigious British daily The Telegraph published a ranking of the ten most attractive small towns in France. And surprise, Mende is in fourth position just below Hyères and ahead of Annecy !
The prefecture of Lozère in the top of the most attractive small French towns, who would have believed it? Even the mayor of Mende, Régine Bourgade, seems surprised by the ranking published this December in the British daily The Telegraph. “We are lucky to be among the favorites, it could have been other cities“, the city councilor points out.
The only other town in Occitanie to appear there is Figeac, a sub-prefecture of Lot, in second place behind Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The region is, however, well represented in the ranking of “not so pretty” cities with Narbonne-Plage in fifth place, Alès in fourth and Decazeville in third.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000A city of character
The author of the article, Anthony Peregrine, has lived in France for over twenty years. According to him, “To be attractive, a small town must have character, one or more stories and give the feeling that it is alive with or without visitors.” He describes Mende as a “valiant grey city that is piled up along the Lot and around a gigantic Gothic cathedral that rises like a cardinal among the priests”.
Heritage and modernity
In his article, Anthony Peregrine explains that it was long difficult to find everything you need in the prefecture of Lozère, but that the city has since opened up and brightened up. “The streets and shops seem to have arrived in the 21st century.” He particularly praises the merits of the cheese section at Hyper U, “the best presented of all those I know”, and recommends stay at the Hôtel de France to enjoy “21st century comfort in an 18th century townhouse”.
While the author notes that the city is evolving, he appreciates the fact that it has managed to preserve its heritage: “The past remains present.” He mentions in particular the hermitage, the martyr Saint Privat “thrown from the top of a cliff in a barrel pierced with nails by barbarians” and Pope Urban V.
“It's always positive when the city is highlighted”
Some passages may however seem somewhat incongruous, as when Anthony Peregrine evokes “crowded narrow streets” (“he must have come on a feast day”, wonders the mayor) or the “face rougeaud” passers-by (“when it's -8°, you quickly get a red face“, continues the city councilor). “It's always positive when the city is highlighted, even if there are some slightly caricatured aspects of rurality, summarizes Régine Bourgade. He notes that there is authenticity, modernity, a gastronomic quality, it can only be a plus for us.“
Especially since the British are not part of Mende's usual tourist clientele. While many of Her Majesty's citizens roam the Cévennes and the Tarn Gorges in the summer, fewer still make it to the Lozère prefecture. Will there be more of them from now on? ? Only the future will tell. “Maybe we'll have a new Stevenson“, the mayor of Mende says.