Fourcès Toulouse, Gers & Vallée Du Tarn

Some 13km northwest of Condom, Fourcès (the 's' is pronounced) is a picturesque bastide (fortified town) on the River Auzoue. The village's well-preserved stone houses and 13th-century bell tower are squeezed into a near-perfect circle. This unique design has earned sleepy Fourcès a reputation as one of the prettiest villages in southwest France, though there is little to keep travellers here beyond an hour or two admiring its architecture. The village bursts into colour during the last weekend of April for its Marché aux Fleurs, more a flower festival than a market.