Île de Ré
A hike up the 117 steps inside the bell stone of fortified Église St-Martin rewards with a mighty fine panorama of St-Martin-de-Ré and the coast. The well…
Must-see attractions in Southwest France
Institut Culturel Bernard Magrez
Bordeaux
Glittering glass chandeliers, parquet flooring, original moulded ceilings and pretty peppermint-green painted wood-panelling create a wonderfully romantic…
Biarritz
Grand by name, grand by nature, Biarritz’ vast main beach has been the place at which to be seen since the days of Napoléon II and Eugénie. It's wall to…
Bayonne
Bayonne's venerable fine-arts museum is undergoing an extensive expansion, which will give it more spacious, modern galleries – veritably doubling its…
Gironde
Château Lynch-Bages, gracefully set in the wealthy hamlet of Bages, 2km southwest of Pauillac, is one of the best-known Médoc wineries – due in no small…
Toulouse
Having trouble imagining Toulouse decorated with 4th-century nude Venuses and Corinthian columns? This light-filled museum neatly aligns the city's modern…
Toulouse
Toulouse boasts more than 50 hôtels particuliers – private mansions built for the city's nobles and aristocrats during the 16th and 17th centuries. Among…
Toulouse
Browse a treasure trove of religious art, pharmaceutical items and impressive clocks and watches, lovingly assembled by local collector Paul Dupuy and…
Toulouse, Gers & Vallée du Tarn
Even travellers weary of traipsing around yet another French church will be delighted by Auch’s Unesco World Heritage–listed cathedral, a flamboyant late…
Atlantic Coast
This futuristic theme park takes you whizzing through space, diving into the deep-blue ocean depths, and racing around city streets and on a close…
Bordeaux
It was around this vast Romanesque complex that the quartier of Saint-Seurin grew in the 11th century. As early as the 5th century, a church dedicated to…
Gironde
The small but fascinating House of the Oyster at Port de Larros explains how oysters are farmed in the Bassin d'Arcachon – from the baby beginnings when…
Bordeaux
Guarded by a twinset of witch-hat capped towers, this Gothic belfry was built on the vestiges of 13th-century protective ramparts and later served as both…
The Pyrenees
For the full Monty Python medieval vibe, tackle the steep 20-minute climb to the ruins of this hilltop fortress, 32km east of Foix (and don't forget to…
Bordeaux
The city's finest people-watching square, place de la Victoire throbs with students lingering over drinks on the vast cafe terraces here. Tray-wielding…
Bordeaux
This unusual museum explores the role of French customs from modern day to the 1730s when the magnificent Hôtel des Fermes du Roy (1735–38) was built on…
Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux
The Lot
Not to be confused with the Château de Castelnaud, Castelnau-Bretenoux was constructed in the 12th century and saw heavy action during the Hundred Years…
The Dordogne
North of the cathedral is this fabulous tangle of cobblestone streets lined with medieval houses. The best examples are along rue du Plantier, rue de la…
Nantes
Opened in 1860, this exquisitely landscaped park is among France's most interesting botanical gardens. Century-old magnolia and mulberry trees, Japanese…
Bordeaux
The evolution of Occidental art from the Renaissance to the mid-20th century is on view at Bordeaux’s Museum of Fine Arts, which occupies two wings of the…
Bordeaux
Rub shoulders with bohemian Bordeaux at this ramshackle atelier (artist workshop) where Jean-François Buisson, one of several resident artists, welds…
The Pyrenees
This townhouse is the birthplace of one of Napoléon’s favourite generals, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte (nicknamed ‘Sergent belle-jambe’, on account of his…
Bordeaux
Exquisite decorative sculptures representing greed, lust and other terrible age-old vices adorn the striking Romanesque façade of this elegant church in…
The Pyrenees
Eighteen kilometres south of Foix, near Tarascon-sur-Ariège, this excellent museum-park provides a useful primer on the area’s prehistoric past. The…
Poitiers
The celebrated western façade of this Romanesque church was exquisitely sculpted in soft gold stone between 1115 and 1130. Spot the temptation of Adam and…
The Lot
Discovered in 1922, the 1200m-long Grotte de Pech Merle is one of the few decorated caves found around the Lot Valley. It has several wonderful galleries…
Lourdes
Lourdes’ imposing castle stands on a sheer hill just behind the town. There’s been a stronghold here since Roman times, but the present building combines…
Toulouse, Gers & Vallée du Tarn
Some 13km northwest of Condom, Fourcès (the 's' is pronounced) is a picturesque bastide (fortified town) on the River Auzoue. The village's well-preserved…
St-Jean Pied de Port
From the top of rue de la Citadelle, a rough cobblestone path ascends to the massive citadel itself, from where there's a spectacular panorama of the town…
Limousin
The history of Pompadour's 15th-century château is intertwined with that of its stud farm. While you can peek in 11 rooms on a self-guided tour (the…
Parc National des Pyrénées
The griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) was once a familiar sight over the Pyrenees, but habitat loss and hunting have taken their toll on these strange,…
Gironde
The town of Blaye is best known for its imposing citadel built by François Ferry, under the supervision of that master citadel designer, Vauban, in 1685…
The Pyrenees
Twenty-two kilometres northwest of Ax-les-Thermes on the N20 near Ussat-les-Bains, Europe’s largest cave system burrows its way through the soft limestone…
Lourdes
Panoramic views of Lourdes and the central Pyrenees are on offer from this rocky outcrop just outside town. There are two routes to the top: a punishing…
The Lot
Feeling energetic? The return walking loop from Autoire's waterfall (around 1km) passes by a spur trail that climbs another kilometre up to the base of…
Toulouse, Gers & Vallée du Tarn
These 374 stone steps flow luxuriantly from place Salinis, behind Auch’s cathedral, to bd Sadi Carnot by the Gers River, over a drop of 35m. Scenic…
The Pyrenees
Overlooking a lush valley at the foot of the Pyrenees and sitting on the route to Santiago de Compostela, this striking cathedral has been an important…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
The Dordogne is famous for its foie gras. You’ll see duck and goose farms dotted throughout the countryside, many of which offer guided tours and…
Bordeaux
Built in 1824 as a warehouse for French colonial produce such as coffee, cocoa, peanuts and vanilla, the cavernous Entrepôts Lainé creates a dramatic…
Réserve Naturelle Marais d'Yves
La Rochelle
An easy 15km drive south of La Rochelle, this nature reserve runs a free nature centre where you can peer through telescopes to watch some of the 192…
