Should we expect to see a wave of English tourists flooding into Mende? A few weeks ago, the prestigious British daily The Telegraph released 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 Lozère prefecture in the top of the most attractive small French towns, who would have thought it? Even the mayor of Mende, Régine Bourgade, seems surprised by the ranking published this December in the British daily The Telegraph. “We're lucky to be among the favorites, it could have been other cities“, points out the city councilor.
The only other commune in Occitanie to appear there is Figeac, sub-prefecture of Lot, in second position behind Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The region is, however, well represented in the ranking of cities.not so pretty” with Narbonne-Plage in fifth position, Alès in fourth and Decazeville in third.
A city of character
The author of the article, Anthony Peregrine, has lived in France for more than 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 gray city which crowds along the Lot and around a gigantic Gothic cathedral which rises like a cardinal among the priests”.
Heritage and modernity
In his article, Anthony Peregrine explains that it has long been difficult to find everything necessary in the Lozère prefecture, but that the city has since opened up and lit up. “The streets and shops seem to have arrived in the 21st centurye century.” He particularly praises the merits of Hyper U's cheese section, “the best presented of all those I know”, and recommends staying at the Hôtel de France to enjoy the “comfort du 21e century in an 18th century town housee“.
If 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 into a barrel pierced with nails by barbarians” and Pope Urban V.
“It's always positive when the city is highlighted.”
However, certain passages may seem somewhat incongruous, such as when Anthony Peregrine mentions “crowded narrow streets“(“he must have come on a holiday”, the mayor is surprised) or even the “red face“passers-by (“when it's -8°, your face quickly turns red“, continues the councilor). “It's always positive when the city is highlighted, even if there are somewhat caricatured aspects of ruralitysummarizes Régine Bourgade. He notes that there is authenticity, modernity, gastronomic quality, that can only be a plus for us.“
Especially since the British are not part of Mende's usual tourist clientele. If his majesty's citizens are numerous to explore the Cévennes and the Tarn gorges in the summer, fewer of them make it to the prefecture of Lozère. Will there be more of them from now on? Only time will tell. “Maybe we'll have a new Stevenson“, slips the mayor of Mende.
