Regional highlights

The starkly beautiful French Pyrenees, one of the last wilderness areas of Europe, alternates between lush valleys with forests of pine and beech, to higher, wilder areas of open ridges, high cirques and deep blue glacial lakes – perfect for hiking or mountain biking. Walk a portion (or all) of the Grand Randonee (GR10), a 800km-long trail that runs from Hendaye on the Atlantic coast to Banyuls on the Mediterranean. Or choose from a range of shorter walks to suit all abilities. Watch pelota, the world’s fastest ball game, in the pretty seaside town of St-Jean-de-Luz, then sunbathe on the beach. Catch a wave at trendy Biarritz, stroll the medieval streets of Bayonne or revitalise at one of numerous alpine spa resorts such as Cauterets, Luz-St-Sauveur, Barèges and Ax-les-Thermes. Highlights include:

Cirque de Gavarnie – Hike along rocky, pine-shaded slopes into open meadow and a vast alpine amphitheatre. Watch rainbows in the wind-teased plumes of the Grande Cascade, Europe’s highest waterfall at 423m, then refresh at the scenic Hôtel du Cirque et de la Cascade.

Grotte de Niaux – Explore a cluster of prehistoric caves that are home to vivid images painted by Cro-Magnon humans more than 10,000 years ago. Take a guided tour along a slippery subterranean riverbed into a 4km-long gallery inside the Niaux Cave, one of the best-preserved caves. See vivid images of bison, horses, ibex and stags, all drawn with a dark outline and shaded using a crayon of bison fat and manganese oxide. Located 2km south of Tarascon-sur-Ariège.

Stretching from the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean coast inland towards the Massif Central, Languedoc offers great medieval architecture scattered amid a dramatic landscape of lush, hilly countryside and plunging river gorges bisected by mountain ridges. The region’s history is inextricably mingled with that of the Cathars and the Albigensian Crusades, which began in 1208. Explore ruined Cathar castles, medieval towns at Cordes and Carcassonne, ancient monasteries in Albi and St-Guilhem-le-Désert and extensive Roman remains at Nîmes. Cruise the Canal du Midi from Toulouse to Age on the Mediterannean and admire the best of Toulouse-Lautrec's Belle Epoque work at Albi.

Cathar castles – Discover imposing 12th century ruined fortresses scattered across the mountains to the west and north of Perpignan. These relics of the once-independent and rebellious peoples of Languedoc offer a fascinating insight into the brutal Albigensian Crusades, waged against the Cathars by the Roman Catholic Church. The castles are easily explored on foot, by car or the narrow-gauge Train du Pays Cathare. Hike the GR36 from Carcassonne to St-Paul-de-Fenouillet to pass most of the castles or take the Sentier Cathare, from Port La-Nouvelle to Foix.

Carcassonne – Explore the narrow streets of this atmospheric medieval fortress town, one of the most dramatic in Languedoc. Stroll along the lices, the path than runs between the inner and outer fortified walls, wander through the restored Cité, visit the 12th century Cathedral St-Nazaire, tour the inner fortress of the Château Comtal, then climb one of the 52 watchtowers for spectacular views over the lush green countryside.

Cordes-sur-Ciel – Climb up steep cobbled lanes past 13th and 14th century Gothic houses through one of the region's oldest and best-preserved bastides (fortified towns). Learn about the history of this former Cathar stronghold, founded in 1222, in the town’s Musée Charles-Portal.

The Canal du Midi – Discover the best of south-west France along this pretty tree-lined canal, which was built between 1667 and 1681 and runs for 240km from the River Garonne at Toulouse via Carcassonne to the Mediterranean Sea at Agde. Cycle or walk the canal-side paths of this UNESCO World Heritage Site or, in hire a houseboat or barge for a bucolic voyage through green meadows sprinkled with flowering wild gladioli and yellow irises in spring.

Petit Train Jaune – Discover the dramatic Tet Valley from the open-carriage of this quaint narrow-gauge train.

St-Guilhem-le-Désert – Explore this ancient 9th century Carolingian monastery founded by St Guilhem, comrade-in-arms of Charlemagne, then hike up the valley to the ruins of a castle on the ridge above for spectacular views over the tiled-roofed village perched scenically on the edge of the Verdus River. Nearby lies the Grotte de Clamouse, a beautiful cave boasting stalactites, a subterranean river and three expansive grottoes.

Musée Toulouse-Lautrec – Examine the most comprehensive collection of Toulouse-Lautrec's Belle Epoque work of prostitutes, cabaret dancers and café patrons, housed in the beautiful 13th century Palais de la Berbie fortress, in the artist’s home town of Albi. The collection boasts paintings, drawings, lithographs and posters, from his earliest work to the very last.

Nimes – Explore France’s 2000-year-old, best-preserved Roman amphitheatre, known as Les Arènes. Behind its arcaded two-storey facade lies massive interior vaulting, riddled with corridors and supporting raked tiers of seats that can accommodate more than 24,000 spectators. Today this former site of gladiatorial combat hosts bloodletting of a different kind – bullfighting. Discover the Maison Carré, built on a platform at the edge of the ancient Roman forum and the only complete Roman temple in the world; explore the Magne Tower to see all that remains of the original city fortifications – climb to the top for panoramic views over Nimes; then wander the narrow ancient streets of the ‘old town’, now crowded with boutiques, restaurants and cafes.

Explore a charming region of rugged cliffs and gorges scattered with medieval hilltop villages nestling between fields of purple lavender and multi-coloured vineyards. Wander the narrow cobbled streets of Les Baux and Gordes, just two of the more famous medieval hilltop villages for which Provence is renowned, or discover others less frequented. Ponder the picturesque scenery and walk in the footsteps of Vincent Van Gogh, who captured this scenic region so vividly in many of his paintings. Hike through the Gorges du Verdon, across the gentle hills of the Luberon or through the unspoiled alpine wilderness of the Parc National du Mercantour, looking out for chamois and golden eagles. Highlights include:

Arles- Wander the narrow lanes of the historic centre crowded with craft shops, wine bars and bistros. In this former Roman city, discover numerous sarcophagi and colourful mosaics in the popular-lined avenue of tombs in Les Alyscamps cemetery, stroll the dramatic Roman ampitheatre that dates from the 1st century BC and learn about the five centuries of Roman rule at the spacious Musée de l'Arles Antique.

Avignon - Tour the maze of narrow streets in this medieval city and wander along the low fortified wall (that once bordered a deep protective moat) that runs unbroken for nearly 5km. Discover a world-class collection of Italian Renaissance paintings from Botticelli, Carpaccio and Crivelli inside the Petit Palais, a former archbishop's palace. Explore the austere Palais des Papes; admire paintings by Brueghel, Buffet, Daumier, Bonnard and Vuillard in the Musée Calvet, an elegant 18th century mansion; or discover works by Picasso, Degas, Derain, Modigliani, Van Gogh, Manet and Cezanne in the Musée Angladon. Stroll across the 800-year-old Pont St-Bénézet (from the song Sur le Pont). Don’t miss the celebrated Festival d'Avignon, which is held annually for three weeks between July and August.

Lyon - Stroll the narrow cobblestone streets of 'Vieux Lyon', now a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, and explore the unique narrow alleyways that pass through buildings linking inner courtyards to nearby streets – once used by the Resistance during World War II. Stroll past 17th and 18th century mansions and museums to the Basilique de Notre-Dame. Discover a magnificent collection of sculptures, paintings, antiquities and objets d'art spanning 5000 years of history inside the Musée des Beaux Arts, housed in the Palais Saint Pierre, a former 17th century royal Benedictine abbey on the city's grandest square, Place des Terreaux. Stroll through the remains of two ancient Roman theatres, one of which dates to 15 BC and is still used today for open-air performances in summer. Don’t miss Les Halles de Lyon, the famous covered food market that is home to a mountain of delicious regional specialties, or the Institut Lumiere inside the Villa Lumiere, where the Lumiere brothers lived and invented the first moving picture.

Aix-en-Provence – Stroll the majestic tree-lined cours Mirabeau into fountained squares, crowded with 16th century architecture and explore a labyrinth of tiny lanes lined with cafes, restaurants and shops. Admire paintings by Rubens in the church of the Madeleine, examine Nicholas Froment's 1476 triptych in the Cathedral St-Sauveur, discover a superb collection of tapestries in the Musée des Tapisseries and visit Atelier Cezanne, where the painter Pual Cezanne lived and worked. In Aix you may also discover some of the best markets in Provence.

Gordes – Climb winding streets past ancient stone buildings to the summit of this beautiful mountain village for expansive views over the surrounding countryside. Explore the 11th century castle, which was partially rebuilt in Renaissance style in the 16th century, and the 12th century Romanesque Sénanque Abbey, still inhabited by Cistercian monks. Gordes was an active Resistance village during World War II and was later awarded a medal, the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945.

Les Gorges du Verdon – Hike, cycle or drive along Europe’s largest gorge, with stunning views from the Balcons de la Mescla, a 250m-high vantage point overlooking the 21km-long canyon. Drive along the Corniche and the Route des Crêtes, which offers breathtaking views and a hair-raising, sheer 800m drop into the River Verdon.

The Camargue - Explore the marshland of the Rhone delta by kayak, on horseback or on foot to discover the region’s famous wild white horses, magnificent bulls and wildlife that includes pink flamingos, waterfowl, wild boars, beavers, water snakes and turtles.

The fabled French Riviera is world renowned for its glamorous nightlife, exposed beaches and the chic resorts of Cannes, St Tropez, Cap d'Antibes and St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Along with neighbouring Monaco, the 160km-long Côte d'Azur attracts the rich and famous as well as artists drawn by the inspiration of its hillside beauty and sultry climate. Head to La Croisette in Cannes to see the beautiful people at play and to the hillside village of Cimiez to visit the Matisse Museum. Take lunch in the lively Place aux Herbes in fashionable St Tropez and pop into Antibes to ogle the huge luxury yachts. In Monaco, try your luck in the elegant gold and marble Le Grande Casino and check out the home of Monaco’s royal family in the 13th century Palais du Prince. Highlights include:

St Tropez - Stroll the narrow lanes along the waterfront to the oldest part of St Tropez, one of the French Riviera’s liveliest towns, where twisting narrow streets open on to tiny squares and fountains. Climb the 16th century Citadel for great views then join the locals at the beach. Or escape the heat with a glass of chilled white wine on the terrace of a sidewalk café while watching the ‘beautiful people’ flirt on the waterfront.

La Foundation Maeght – Inside one of the world’s most famous small museums of modern art, discover a fabulous collection of art works by Picasso, Rouault, Léger, Miro, Braque, Kandinsky and Matisse. Located in the charming village of St-Paul-de-Venice.

Les Calanques – Experience a 20km stretch of narrow, deep fjord-like inlets that lie beneath limestone cliffs. These rocky promontories can be explored by boat or along several hiking trails leading to isolated coves sheltered by pine trees and are perfect for sunbathing and swimming – especially at En Vau and Port Pin. Note: The underwater Cosquer Cave at Morgiou contains some of the oldest cave paintings in the world – unfortunately the entrance is 35m under water and access is prohibited.

Ste-Honorat - This small island has hosted a monastery since 410 AD and is famous for a bishop’s seminary, which trained St Patrick before he set sail for Ireland. Visit the present church, see the 11th century fortified monastery and stroll along the shore amid the vineyards, olive and eucalyptus trees and wild honeysuckle.

Monte Carlo - Explore the fairytale kingdom of Monte Carlo. Glittering with opulence and jet-set glamour, the action of Monte Carlo often centres around the ornate Belle Epoque Casino de Monte Carlo. Elsewhere in Monte Carlo, discover the 13th century Palais du Prince, from where the Grimaldi dynasty has ruled since 1297 AD, the cathedral where Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier and the Rock of Monaco, where colourful gardens cascade to the sea. Stroll through the narrow winding streets of the Old Town, with its vaulted passageways and bronze cannons or go clubbing and dance the night away.