When I think of travelling through French towns in summer, colourful flowers and abundant foliage always come to mind. What a grand scheme is the Ville Fleurie!

Ville fleurie

When I think of travelling through French towns in summer, colourful flowers and abundant foliage always come to mind. What a grand scheme is the Ville Fleurie!

This scheme to get towns and cities blooming, making the most of green spaces, was introduced in 1959. Now thousands of cities, small towns and villages take part and the criteria have been extended to include modern themes such as biodiversity.

I like the determined use of space, such as exotic looking canna lilies burgeoning in the tiniest flower bed created on a pavement corner or a small piece of wasteland thriving with purple petunias. On a long journey, my heart always lifts when I see the ‘Ville Fleurie’ sign at the approach to a town, because I know it will be a visual delight.

That sign, by the way, indicates an award winning display as judged by the Ville Fleurie council, run by the Ministry of Tourism.