Château d’Angers

Looming above the river, this forbidding medieval castle – seat of power of the once-mighty counts of Anjou – is ringed by moats, 2.5m-thick walls and 17 scarily massive round towers. The centrepiece is the stunning Tenture de l’Apocalypse (Apocalypse Tapestry), a 104m-long series of tapestries commissioned in 1375 to illustrate the story of the final battle between good and evil, as prophesied in the Bible's Book of Revelation. The vivid scenes mix terror, pathos, extreme violence and humour, giving visitors an extraordinary peek into the medieval mind, its dreams and its deepest fears.You can walk around the top of the castle's ramparts, which afford spectacular views, along the Chemin de Rond (Parapet Walk).