The Dordogne
This narrow, very long cave 1.5km east of Font de Gaume was the first rediscovered in the valley, in 1901, and is renowned for its animal engravings. Look…
Must-see attractions in Southwest France
Musée National Adrien Dubouché
Limoges
This museum, founded in 1845, has one of France’s two outstanding ceramics collections (the other is in Sèvres, southwest of Paris), so it’s a must for…
Toulouse
This aviation museum was built on the very spot the A380 Airbus was first completed. Here you can admire commercial and military aircraft and learn behind…
The Dordogne
Towering gloriously atop a limestone bluff, this 12th-century fortress’ panoramic position above the Dordogne made it a key defensive position during the…
The Dordogne
Périgueux’ most distinctive landmark is most notable for its five creamy Byzantine tower-topped domes (inspired by either St Mark’s Basilica in Venice or…
Musée Basque et de l'Histoire de Bayonne
Bayonne
If you're still getting to grips with the complex culture and history of the Basque region, this excellent ethnographic museum is a great place to start…
Bordeaux
This imposing Flamboyant Gothic church lies at the heart of St-Michel. Begun in the 14th century, it took more than 200 years to complete and is best…
Cahors
The seven-span Pont Valentré, on the western side of the city, south of the train station, is one of France’s most iconic medieval bridges, built as part…
Cahors
The airy nave of Cahors’ Romanesque cathedral, consecrated in 1119, is topped by two cupolas (at 18m wide, the largest in France). Some of the frescoes…
Limoges
Built between 1273 and 1888, Limoges’ Gothic cathedral is worth a visit for the Flamboyant-style Portail St-Jean, as well as a glorious rose window, a…
The Dordogne
From the town’s three gateways, Monpazier’s flat, grid-straight streets lead to the arcaded market square (also known as place Centrale), surrounded by an…
Limoges
Named for the two granite lions flanking its door, Église St-Michel des Lions was built between the 14th and 16th centuries. It contains the relics …
Limousin
This still-operational 11th-century church is a Romanesque wonder, renowned for its 14m-wide domed roof. The stalls in the nave are decorated with carved…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
A life-size statue of three bronze geese stands in the centre of beautiful place du Marché aux Oies (Goose Market Sq), where live geese are still sold…
Tarn
Rosy brick characteristic of the Toulouse area heightens the majesty of this abbey and its exceptional Romanesque cloister. Awarded Unesco World Heritage…
Nantes
A six-year renovation job by London architects Stanton Williams has done wonders for Nantes’ art museum, open again since 2017 inside the historic Palais…
Toulouse
This well-preserved Romanesque edifice is built from golden and rose-hued stonework up to the tip of the octogonal bell tower. Entry is free, but it’s…
Bordeaux
This is Bordeaux's most iconic square. A mirage of elegance and symmetry, it was laid out by architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel between 1730 and 1775 and…
The Pyrenees
Originally the residence of the monarchs of Navarre, Pau’s castle was transformed into a Renaissance château amid lavish gardens by Marguerite…
Bordeaux
The main entrance into medieval Bordeaux, this grandiose 15th-century city gate was built to celebrate King Charles VII's victory at the Battle of Fornovo…
Toulouse
On the eastern side of place du Capitole (the main square) is the 128m-long façade of the Capitole, Toulouse's city hall. This neoclassical masterpiece,…
Limousin
Through multimedia displays and survival testimonies, this moving museum pays tribute to the 642 victims of the brutal Oradour-sur-Glane massacre, which…
The Dordogne
Inside a marvellous modern building alongside the cliffs, this museum provides a fine prehistory primer, with the most comprehensive collection of…
Toulouse
This luxurious museum of fine arts and historic design is housed within Toulouse’s most impressive hôtel particulier (private mansion), the Hôtel d…
Bordeaux
Gallo-Roman statues and relics dating back 25,000 years are among the highlights at this bright and spacious, well-curated history and civilisations…
Nantes
Overlooking the river, this is a magical museum with 1st-edition books, hand-edited manuscripts and cardboard theatre cut-outs. Child-friendly interactive…
Toulouse, Gers & Vallée du Tarn
The foundations of this formidable cathedral date back to 1011, when the site hosted a Benedictine abbey. The cathedral was rebuilt in Flamboyant Gothic…
Toulouse, Gers & Vallée du Tarn
The Canal du Midi is an engineering wonder, a 241km waterway constructed under Louis XIV to link the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea. Deservedly…
Abbaye de St-Savin sur Gartempe
Atlantic Coast
Nicknamed the 'Romanesque Sistine Chapel', this Romanesque abbey-church – a Unesco World Heritage Site – showcases extraordinarily fine frescoes from the…
The Dordogne
This 15th-century château, 3km southwest of Beynac, is famous for its fabulous former owner: glamorous dancer, singer and music-hall star Josephine Baker …
French Basque Country
At this workshop in the village of Larressore, around 6km north of Espelette, craftspeople make the traditional wooden walking sticks known as makhila,…
The Pyrenees
Twenty-five kilometres northwest of Foix, near Le Mas d’Azil, this rock shelter is famous for its rich finds of prehistoric tools. Visits are by guided…
Rivière Souterraine de Labouiche
The Pyrenees
Deep beneath the village of Labouiche, 6km northwest of Foix, flows Europe’s longest navigable underground river. Discovered in 1908 by a local doctor, it…
Bordeaux
This small Wine and Trade Museum, hidden in one of the city's oldest buildings – an Irish merchant's house dating to 1720 in the ancient trading district…
Bordeaux
A trio of dedicated mechanics help locals fix their own cars and bicycles at this alternative garage that doubles as experimental cultural space in the…
The Dordogne
While most of the Vézère’s caves contain engravings and paintings, this overhanging cliff-face contains a handful of unusual large carvings in relief,…
Musée de la Mer et de la Marine
Bordeaux
Slated to open in early 2019, this landmark new museum by the Basins à Flot comprises three floors of exhibition space devoted to almost everything there…
French Basque Country
Who knows what the first inhabitants of the Grottes de Sare, some 20,000 years ago, would make of today's whiz-bang technology that now lights up the…
Toulouse, Gers & Vallée du Tarn
About 15km west of Condom near the little town of Montréal du Gers lie the excavated remains of a 2nd- to 5th-century Gallo-Roman villa. Discovered in the…
Toulouse, Gers & Vallée du Tarn
A twin-towered medieval church and cloisters is the focal point of tiny La Romieu, 12km northeast of Condom. This lonely village outpost first sprang up…
