The Melancholy Truth of Cameron Highlands’ French Village: Beauty Shadowed by Decay and Disappointme

#springitinerary Today, I planned to take my kids out for a casual stroll, but unexpectedly stumbled upon the “French Village” in Cameron Highlands. The first thing that surprised me was—there’s an entrance fee! RM42 for 4 people. Although entrance fees at attractions are common nowadays, paying naturally comes with certain expectations. But the so-called “French Village” is really just one street, flanked by lodging areas that have clearly been vacant for a long time. The flowers that should be blooming have been replaced by plastic ones, giving off a strange postmodern deserted vibe. The exterior walls are left unpainted, and the facilities are run down: restaurants are closed, and the restrooms look like they’ve just survived a flood—basically unusable. Apart from a chain coffee shop under the same management, there’s almost no other operating business in the entire area. What baffles me most is: with such a rundown state, why even charge an entrance fee? Since I was already there, I decided to “make the best of it,” bought two drinks at Starbucks, stared blankly at this “ruin,” and quietly left. The Cameron Highlands French Village’s reputation is far better than the actual experience. If you plan to visit, think twice. #travel