Blesle is one listed as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France". This charming Auvergne village is a great stopping point for discovering the Romanesque architecture of the region. Founded in the mid 9th century, a Benedictine abbey paved the way for the establishment and expansion of the village of Blesle. In the 11th century, the Barons of Mercoeur built a fortress here, of which only the keep still exists. In the 12th century Blesle underwent further expansion and was surrounded by ramparts. As you wander through the narrow streets, discover the timber framed houses and their marvellous carved doors. The Romanesque church of Saint-Pierre, the Barons of Mercoeur’s keep, dating from the 11th century (former castle), the chapel of Notre-Dame de la Chaigne, the church tower of the former Church of St-Martin, (all that remains of a church destroyed back in 1793), and the old town with its half-timbered houses and the headdress museum.