2 Best Sights in Toulouse and the Languedoc, France

Perpignan's alluring town center is lined with rosemary bushes and landmarked by a medieval monument, the 14th-century Castillet, with its tall, crenellated twin towers. Originally this hulking brick building was the main gate to the city; later it was used as a prison. Now the Casa Pairal, a museum devoted to Catalan art and traditions, is housed here.

Richly sculpted cloisters link the cathedral to the former Palais des Archevêques, home to collections covering archaeology, art, and history. Note the Donjon Gilles-Aycelin and its late-13th-century keep; climb the 162 steps to the top for a view over the town and surrounding region.