Beauty is everywhere for those who want to see it. Despite everything, in some cases, it is still much more difficult to perceive than elsewhere. The association Paysage de France understood this well and decided to distribute, as every year, its ugly France prizes. Originally, its purpose was to “protect, rehabilitate and enhance urban and non-urban landscapes, the latter constituting an essential part of the common heritage of the nation”, as it specifies on its site.

Thus, this is what she wishes to defend by distributing this prize. “The beautiful, the ugly, is of course subjective. It is therefore up to everyone to open their eyes and take their own view of the places selected. This is not a ranking of the ugliest cities, but from four places in France, in four municipalities in France, which, for us, represent a bit of ugly France”, specifies the press release from the association.

The mayors of the four municipalities concerned thus had the pleasure of receiving their distinction a few days ago. If this should certainly not make them happy, the association nevertheless specifies that it does not do this in order to “stigmatize this or that municipality, but to highlight attacks on urban landscapes”.

What she really wants is for local elected officials to act to modify local regulations concerning advertisements or digital panels, the association’s main targets.

Discover in our slideshow the four prizes awarded by the association as well as the municipalities concerned.