Located in west Finistère (Brittany), this unassuming village of 1,635 inhabitants suddenly found itself under the spotlight in October last year, when it became the first place in France to be awarded the title of ‘Best Tourism Village’.
This label, launched by UN Tourism in 2021, takes into account a village’s tourism appeal, environmental and social aspects, the quality of life for its inhabitants, plus its cultural and natural heritage.
The picturesque village sits by the River GoyenMaxal Tamor/Shutterstock
Architectural heritage
Pont-Croix’s main attraction is its heritage, particularly the Notre-Dame de Roscudon church, known as La Collégiale. Its entrance porch is particularly iconic, dating from the 14th Century and featuring intricate carved stonework, while the 63m spire from the 15th Century is said to have inspired those of Quimper cathedral.
The interior is far grander than you’d expect for a village church, with soaring stone pillars and arches and flooded with light coming through stained-glass windows that date from the 15th Century through to the 20th Century, showcasing several statues and Baroque altars.
Notre-Dame de Roscudon church, known as La CollégialeAnnaliza Davis
Just behind the church, the Séminaire is a huge 6,000m² structure that began life as an Ursuline convent in the 1650s, later became a military barracks then a seminary from 1822 before being abandoned in 1973.
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The town bought the property in 2015, and its historical significance was such that its €1.7million renovation project was supported by Mission Patrimoine, completed in 2024 and inaugurated by TV’s Stéphane Bern. The Séminaire now houses apartments, a doctors’ surgery, community spaces and a musical and cultural centre.
Adjacent to this is Chapelle Saint-Vincent, a beautiful radiating chapel from the early 20th Century with very photogenic architecture. A project is currently underway to renovate this chapel, built to replace the original Ursuline chapel that was, apparently, deemed to be too dark and without style.
Historic churches and chapels are dotted throughout the villageJAN KASZUBA/Shutterstock
If you visit in summer you can also explore the Marquisat, a stone building dating from around 1550 that once housed the local nobility and is now home to a museum. It’s a small and quaint space filled with furniture and everyday objects that recreate daily Breton life in the early 20th Century.
The River GoyenAnnaliza Davis
Riverside location
If you have the legs for walking, follow one of the two steep cobbled streets – la petite rue chère and la grande rue chère – that lead from the market square down to the River Goyen.
This estuary river offers a delightful walk along the river bank, using what used to be a railway track so it’s flat enough for you to take a pushchair or wheelchair, and is a great opportunity for bird-spotting.
The path leads to the pretty harbour town of Audierne, nine kilometres further west, where the river flows into the sea.
Weekly market
The heart of Pont-Croix is the Place de la République and, on a Thursday morning, it becomes a lot more lively as the weekly market attracts visitors from surrounding areas, especially in summer.
In addition to fresh organic produce, free-range eggs, home-made breads and pastries, you’ll usually find a book stall, a crêpe van and a food truck selling Vietnamese takeaway dishes.
Undoubtedly traditional
This is still a village where you will spot older housewives sporting a chequered tabard as they clean their windows, and on any given morning, you’ll encounter retired men gathered on bar stools in the bar-tabac sipping a glass of rosé and exchanging views.
On the one hand, there is a fairly modern Super U supermarket, an organic food store, a takeaway pizza place and a couple of garages (inexplicably, both of these are Peugeot), but visiting Pont-Croix always feels like you have taken a step back in time.
