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Famous for its extensive and elaborate gardens,
Villandry is one of the must-see châteaux of the Loire Valley. The chateau complements the garden – buy a combined ticket for maximum effect!

Newly minted UNESCO sites, the Royal Castles of the Languedoc, in southern France, were once a hotbed for the Cathar religion – none more so than Montségur, where 225 people were burnt for refusing to give up their beliefs.

It is a distinctive giant wedge in the heart of the Couserans region of the Ariège, yet the 1,903 m peak of Mt Béas is strangely overlooked as a walking destination – it shouldn’t be!