Digne les Bains, Haute-Provence

There are plenty of museums in Digne, one for Lavender, geology, archaeology and even one for brass instruments.

Two cathedrals, Notre Dame du Bourg and Saint Jerome, are worth visiting too. The latter houses the archaeological crypt where you can find out about the town's origins.

The Béridon Farm houses a collection of animals including llamas, bison and reindeer and it's open all year.

There are regular markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays in the morning at Place du General du Gaulle

Thanks to the surrounding mountains, Digne les Bains isn't short of things for you to do whilst you're here.

As well as swimming, mountain biking and watersports, there are numerous hikes you can do in and around the Geopark, cycling, fishing and golf. Via ferrata, canyoning, paragliding and rock climbing are also available for the more adventurous.

Read our reporter's experience of a hike to St Pancrace chapel from Digne.

You'll find a good range of restaurants serving all kinds of styles of cuisine in Digne, from local French specialities to Indian, Spanish and Greek.

There's a good choice of hotels, apartments and B&B's in the town, as well as mountain refuges and eight different campsites to choose from.

Take the Train des Pignes to get here from Nice, or the Route Napoleon if you're coming by car.