▁is ▁a ▁special ▁prize ▁awarded ▁to ▁a ▁small ▁number ▁of ▁applic ants . ▁Label led ▁communes ▁display ▁their ▁flowers ▁on ▁road ▁signs ▁at ▁their ▁ent ran ces . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁some ▁ 4 , 9 3 1 ▁awarded ▁cities , ▁towns ▁and ▁villages ▁( 2 0 1 8 ). ▁They ▁represent ▁a ▁third ▁of ▁all ▁the ▁French ▁communes . ▁ 2 5 7 ▁of ▁them ▁have ▁four ▁flowers . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁Conc ours ▁des ▁vill es ▁et ▁villages ▁fle ur is ▁origin ates ▁in ▁the ▁various ▁h ort icult ural ▁cont ests ▁that ▁appeared ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁As ▁tour ism ▁was ▁growing , ▁compet itions ▁were ▁created ▁for ▁train ▁stations ▁and ▁hot els ▁for ▁them ▁to ▁improve ▁their ▁visual ▁quality . ▁The ▁French ▁Tour ing ▁Club ▁created ▁the ▁first ▁competition ▁dedicated ▁to ▁villages ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s . ▁Cal led ▁" Con c ours ▁des ▁villages ▁co qu ets " ▁( cos y ▁villages ▁contest ) ▁it ▁existed ▁until ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁After ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁the ▁Tour ing ▁Club ▁created ▁an ▁it iner ary ▁of ▁flower - deck ed ▁roads ▁(" routes ▁fle uries ") ▁together ▁with ▁the ▁H ort icult ural ▁Association ▁and ▁the ▁magazine ▁R ust ica . ▁The ▁success ▁of ▁the ▁it iner ary ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁present ▁Conc ours ▁des ▁vill es ▁et ▁villages ▁fle ur is ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁The