La Tourette

When staying at La Tourette, the Bastide villages of south-west France are yours to explore. Have a wander past Gothic mansions in the medieval streets of Cordes-sur-Ciel (10 minutes’ drive), pick up sweet treats from the Museum of Sugar and Chocolate Arts and potter around water gardens at the exotic Jardin des Paradis. Taste full-bodied Gaillac wines at local vineyards (there are several within 20 minutes’ drive), or head into Gaillac town itself (25 minutes) for more tastings at the celebrated Maison des Vins de Gaillac. You’ll find it in the grounds of the pink-stone Benedictine Abbaye Saint Michel, overlooking the River Tarn,and well-worth looking inside. The lovely UNESCO-listed city of Albi (half an hour) deserves your attention too; make your first stop the Pont Vieux observation point for views over ancient rooftops to the vast 13th-century cathedral, then have a wander past half-timbered houses in the historic Castelnau district.