Belley

A small French town in the Ain department with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, Belley serves as the historical capital of the Bugey region and a subprefecture of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The town changed hands repeatedly through the early Middle Ages — passing through the Holy Roman Empire and later under the counts of Savoy — and sits within reach of mountains and UNESCO-listed sites in the wider region.

• Population9,145
• Nearest water1.6 km
• Nearest mountain3.8 km
• UNESCO within 50 km8