Getaway - Albi
A veritable symbol of the city is St. Cécile's cathedral, built between the 13th and 16th centuries, and a masterpiece of southern Gothic. The defensive aspect of this brick fortress integrated into the ramparts forms a contrast with the richness of its interior decoration: remarkable frescoes on t

Getaway - Bayonne
Bayonne, a city of festivity (a Feria in August when cows are let loose in the streets), the Basque ball game of pelote and bullfighting, where gastronomy is a tradition and the ham absolutely delicious. The houses have a beauty of a bygone age, with a South-western flavour. The town is one of sun

Getaway - Biarritz
Made fashionable by Napoleon III, over the ages Biarritz has remained a captivating seaside resort on the shores of the Gulf of Gascony. From Victor Hugo to Sinatra, not forgetting Sarah Bernhardt, Dumas, Rita Hayworth and the major figures of European aristocracy, this town with its mild climate,

Getaway - Bordeaux
Capital of the Gironde region, renowned for its wine, Bordeaux has managed to preserve the attractions of its culinary and architectural heritage but, at the same time, open up to the 21st century. Along its streets, the centuries gradually fall away. From religious buildings (St. Andrew's Cathe

Getaway - Brantôme
Coiled up in the arms of the River Dronne, Brantôme is an old stopping place on the pilgrim's road to Santiago de Compostella. The abbey on the riverbank has an astonishing bell-tower built on the rocky overhang above the church.

Getaway - Carcassonne
Perched on a rocky spur on the right bank of the River Aude stands the medieval fortified city of Carcassonne, timeless and magnificent. The freestone gateways, castle and Basilica of Saint-Nazaire, restored in the 19th century are veritable marvels. Since the 14th century, the “Pont Vieux

Getaway - Cognac
The birthplace of Francis the 1st and Jean Monnet, Cognac is famous for its brandy discovered in the 17th century. On the banks of the River Charente, this river port expanded as a trading centre which enabled rich development of its buildings. There is a superb series of constructions, including

Getaway - Corrèze
In Corrèze, the ultimate in green countryside, Brive-la-Gaillarde is the pivot of a community of small villages with a unique charm. It contains a wealth of captivating buildings such as St-Martin's collegiate church and the Hôtel de Labenche. To the south, Collonges-la-Rouge takes its name from

Getaway - Dordogne Valley
To the north of Quercy, in the “Black” Perigord is a beautiful green area composed of a series of bushy oak forests with a river running through, the Dordogne. From village to village, you pass through protected nature, making the most of the unsuspected beauty of these small, secluded

Getaway - Ile de Ré
A few kilometres off the Atlantic Coast of France, the Ile de Ré is entirely focussed on leisure and sport. Here cycling is a byword. 100 kilometres of cycle paths are perfect for visiting the sights of the island. From sandy beaches to the fortified walls of Saint-Martin de Ré (designed by V

Getaway - La Rochelle
A fortified harbour on the Atlantic Coast, the history of La Rochelle bears the stamp of the conflicts between the French and the English and the wars of religion which culminated in a siege led by Richelieu in the 17th century. Its architecture still dates back to that time and is a major centre

Getaway - Laguiole and Aubrac
A rural region with extensive pastureland, Aubrac is anchored in a long tradition of cattle raising and gastronomy where Tomme cheese and Aligot, a potato and cheese dish, are firm favourites. In the heart of this countryside of rounded summits and eroded rock, the town of Laguiole is well-known fo

Getaway - Lascaux
One of the main elements of worldwide renown in the Dordogne are the caves with prehistoric paintings in the Vézère Valley, composed of a series of sites and caves with murals tracing the art and life of prehistoric man. The most famous of these, Lascaux, contains over 1,500 extraordinary rock pai

Getaway - Limoges
The city of porcelain and enamelling, Limoges experienced an uncommon period of expansion due to Turgot who developed the world's first porcelain factories there. Nowadays, its porcelain is still well-known all over the world and contributes to the renown of French know-how. In addition to its f

Getaway - Lourdes
Lourdes, the city of miracles where the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, is marked by spirituality and hope. It is a major pilgrimage venue and the town has numerous religious buildings (such as the basilica and Church of the Sacred Heart) as well as many museums devoted to religious a

Getaway - Medoc and Pauillac
On the banks of the Gironde estuary, Pauillac is one of France's oldest yachting harbours. Nonetheless, the town's fame stems from its vineyards. There are many Medoc “grands crus” produced from grapes grown on the hills around the town. Next to one another are the excel

Getaway - Mont-de-Marsan
The ‘capital’ of the Landes is at the heart of a region famous for its gastronomy and its forest landscapes. The town is the military and administrative centre and an excellent gateway into a land with a remarkable art of living. Mont-de-Marsan is the prefecture of the Department of t

Getaway - Périgord
The four different areas of the Perigord are located around Périgueux. In the centre is the “White” Perigord, stretching along the Isle Valley, its broad grassy plains alternating with chalk plateaux that give it its name. In the north, large expanses of forestland and meadows with

Getaway - Quercy and Cahors
Partly in the Lot and partly in the Tarn-et-Garonne Départements, the Quercy landscape is one of valleys dotted with pleasant villages such as St-Cirq Lapopie, Figeac and Cahors. Nature has shown a creative bent by making remarkable geological curiosities such as the Grotte du pêche-merle (caves) a

Getaway - Rocamadour & Gouffre de Padirac
A strange city built in steps, half dug out of the chalky cliffside, Rocamadour amazes and captivates visitors due to its unusual aspect. Not far away the Gouffre de Padirac is an abyss taking a prodigious dive into the earth via a network of twenty-two kilometres of galleries and underground rive

Getaway - Saint-Emilion
Saint-Emilion was founded in the 8th century by a monk who gave it its name. It is still unique worldwide for its troglodyte structures (the monolithic Cathedral and hermitage founded by the saint in particular) and its town walls and Romanesque buildings that form a gripping harmonious setting. T

Getaway - Saint-Jean-de-Luz
A prosperous old fishing port, once the haunt of pirates, St-Jean-de-Luz has been able to preserve its heritage and, at the same time, develop tourism as a holiday resort. The historic buildings (including the Church of St. John the Baptist where Louis XIV married the Infanta of Spain) and modern b

Getaway - Sarlat and Les Eyzies
While the medieval architecture and old light-ochre chalky stonework makes Sarlat an entrancing sight, the capital of the Black Perigord is interesting for its thousand-year old history and wild surroundings. The town contains treasures such as the “Lanterne des Morts” tower and the 

Getaway - The Gorges du Tarn
The River Tarn takes its source on Mount Lozère and winds its way from Ispagnac to Rozier, in narrows and gorges, calm in places and wild in others, in an extraordinary setting. There are many ways to enjoy the scenery: by car, hiking, a canoeing trip - each to his own. Along the way, do not miss

Getaway - The Pyrénées
Forming the frontier between France and Spain, the Pyrénées are a succession of peaks and valleys, preserving flora and fauna in one of the landscapes least touched by the hand of Man. Here hiking is a way of life but many superb sites with unsurpassed panoramic views can be reached by mechanical

Getaway - Toulouse
A prosperous metropolis in the Southwest of France, (Airbus and Aérospatiale are its most noteworthy industrial groups), Toulouse combines modernity with a rich history that has left permanent traces in the “Pink City”. The old quarter is marvellous with its mixture of churches, basilic

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