This handsome French city on the banks of the Garonne is steeped in history, boasts elegant architecture and has a rich culinary heritage.
Bordeaux
Chapelle Notre-Dame at Bétharram
This lavish and unusual 17th century church on the banks of the Gave de Pau has been a popular site with Christian pilgrims for centuries.
Grottes de Bétharram
A subterranean delight, the Grottes de Bétharram are a series of caves underneath the Pyrenees that can be visited on a guided tour.
Pau
Béarn's elegant capital was once home to the kings and queens of Navarre, and as such, boasts a rather impressive château.
Ossau Valley
A road trip through the Ossau Valley, one of a number of valleys cutting a swathe through the Pyrenees.
Madiran
A road trip around the vineyards of this Gascon town, known for its full-bodied, robust red wines and a lesser known white, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh.
Lourdes
France's most famous pilgrimage site is home to a ginormous basilica, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, as well as a striking castle atop a very tall rock.
Oloron-Sainte-Marie
The capital of the Haut Béarn region is situated around the point where the Gave d'Aspe and the Gave d'Ossau meet, and has been a major trading hub since the 11th century.
Béarn
In the shadow of the Pyrenees, lies the ancient region of Béarn. A wild, untamed land, it's an area of myths and legends, and has an otherworldly, spiritual feel.
Poitiers
With its ancient churches, numerous bookstores and tempting food shops, Poitiers is one of my favourite French cities. Its medieval centre is a maze of winding streets filled with charming timber-clad buildings.
Coulon
One of the most beautiful villages in France, the tree-lined canals of the Green Venice are renowned for their charm and idyllic beauty.
Angles-sur-l’Anglin
Situated around the idyllic River Anglin, this charming village is home to picture-perfect medieval buildings, a ruined cliff-top castle and a series of 14,000-year-old Paleolithic cave sculptures.
Little Old World 