Perched In The French Alps Is A Forgotten, Abandoned Village With Panoramic Mountain Views

The French Alps are alive with some of France's most scenic and alluring destinations. Spectacular landscapes and rich history draw visitors to enchanting lakeside towns like Annecy, often called the Venice of the Alps, while winter sports enthusiasts flock to the slopes in breathtaking Les Trois Vallées, the largest ski area in the world. Rarely, however, is a deserted French village top of mind on an Alpine vacation. 

Yet France boasts several ghost towns that are worthy of a jaunt if you're in the area. The next time you visit the Southern French Alps, particularly the Provence Alpes Côtes d'Azur region, set aside half a day to tour the ruins of Le Hameau du Poil, an abandoned village perched 4,000 feet in the Alps offering panoramic mountain views. Not to be confused with Poil, a town near Nièvre in France's Burgundy region, Le Hameau du Poil, or Le Poil, is emblematic of France's abandoned villages.

Le Poil's population crested in the 1800s when roughly 300 inhabitants lived off the land, getting by on products from livestock like sheep, as well as honey, wheat, and produce. Eventually, the hardships inherent in rural living, combined with catastrophic events like the First and Second World Wars, drove Le Poil's residents from their mountainside homes. By the close of the 1930s, the entire village was empty.

Le Poil might have been lost to the dustbin of history altogether had it not been for Philippe Cougnot, a Parisian businessman who stumbled upon the abandoned hamlet in the 70s. Cougnot envisioned a revitalized village and established a non-profit organization to restore Le Poil. Cougnot's organization, Les Amis du Poil, or "The Friends of Le Poil," initially set out to renovate the village's local school and town hall.

Today, Les Amis du Poil is still proudly leading restoration efforts. In a nod to Le Poil's agrarian roots, the group also grows lavender and wheat in the forgotten village. "The village will never live again as before," Daniel Megy, the deputy mayor in charge of Le Poil, told French newspaper Le Monde. "But if ten years ago, one could still consider Le Poil a ghost town, this name is no longer justified. Now, there is a new life."

Reaching Le Poil, which is a little over a two-hour drive from France's oldest and second-largest city, Marseille, isn't for the faint of heart. The village is carved into the side of a jagged mountain hidden deep within the Southern Prealps. Once you've parked in the lot at nearby Les Blaches, it's a 45-minute walk to reach the village. Although the location might seem inhospitable, it's a scenic trek through undulating mountains and bucolic countryside that attracts 4,000 visitors per year.

Upon reaching the village, you'll find several decayed structures overgrown with grassy earth, as well as the towering remains of a stone church. Colorful frescoes left behind in the church in the 70s hint at some of the first attempts to bring Le Poil back to life. You'll discover a few restored homes scattered throughout the village, too. One of these is periodically inhabited by the head of Les Amis du Poil, a convenient base for undertaking restoration.

Hiking and cycling are popular activities in the surrounding area. Take note that the terrain is mountainous and challenging, so being fit and experienced is essential. For a lovely hike, pack a picnic and embark on a breathtaking seven-mile loop through Le Poil and Blaches that starts at Chabrejas on the D17 road. Mountain biking enthusiasts can cycle the 27.5-mile Church of Beynes loop, which starts at the Mézel-Châteauredon train station. The loop takes about five hours to complete and stretches through the Haut-Provence Geological Nature Reserve. For a less strenuous cycling route, the 18-mile Creisset Loop starts at the Chabrières train station and takes about three-and-a-half hours round-trip.