Even if you had a Back to the Future DeLorean, you wouldn't notice much change in the town of Pujols. The medieval, 11th century village located in the South of France is frozen in time. Okay so you may notice a few iPhones here and there but hey, let's use our imagination!
Although Pujols has less than 4,000 inhabitants, it most certainly does not fall short in the tourism department. Several English flock here to catch the epic view of the Lot-et-Garonne department and to see the quaint neighborhood made of stone. It is picture-perfect, and indeed another member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages in France).
You can walk Pujols in a matter of 15 minutes, or in a matter of 45 if you are an obsessive picture-taker like myself. To enter, you must walk through the gates of the Bell Tower. The town has been fortified since the 13th century and those walls ain't movin'! As with most fortifications, there was once a castle, but unfortunately for us there are few remains left.
The church of Saint Nicholas and the church of Saint Foy are the main attractions. Saint Nicholas was made a college by John Pujols in the early 1500's. Saint Foy was built nearly a century later, strictly for religious purposes; now, however, it is being held as an art exhibit with gorgeous but EXPENSIVE pieces.
More than anything, I enjoy this home. Each time I visit the owner is outside with her cat, watching the action. The exterior is decorated from top to bottom in gorgeous flowers and all I want is to be able to see what the inside looks like! I won't deem her the Cat Lady, but most certainly the Lady of Pujols.
Facing directly in front of her home is a great restaurant, Le Bastidou. It is one of the only spots to go in Pujols, so thankfully it is good. If you are there in the summer, you just may not find a table. However, in the off season the village is fairly quiet. I recommend May-Sept because the view and the flowers are so much more vibrant.
From a photography standpoint Pujols is a dream. Between the decorated window sills, the view of Villeneuve-sur-Lot, and the tiny streets, it's a postcard in itself. If you are as daring as I was you will hop up on the Pujols sign and take a picture (good luck getting up there though. I had a 6-foot-3-inch boyfriend to help!).