The magnificent Saint-Just basilica of Valcabrère stands in a bucolic setting below the village of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges. This religious building constitutes a magnificent example of Romanesque art. Built in the 11th and 12th centuries, it possesses a remarkable chevet and is the perfect place for contemplation. From the chevet, visitors can also enjoy a magnificent view of the surroundings especially St Bertrand de Comminges cathedral up on the hill.

In summer, the Comminges festival offers classical concerts taking place in various religious monuments, such as the Saint-Just basilica of Valcabrère, the Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges cathedral, the Saint-Gaudens collegiate church and the Martres-Tolosane church.

Benefiting from the peaceful and green environment of the Comminges hills, the beautiful hilltop village of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges is famous for its cathedral. Situated on the Way of St James (Santiago de Compostela pilgrim route), the Sainte-Marie cathedral majestically dominates the picturesque houses of the town. Famous for its cloister, the Romano-Gothic cathedral is also well-known for the magnificent wooden panelling it holds. The canons chancel is indeed particularly sumptuous with its rood screen, its fence and its 66 carved wooden stalls. The cloister of the cathedral consists of four galleries, among which three are of Romanesque style and one of Gothic style. The sarcophaguses situated in the North gallery, as well as a carved pillar representing four evangelists are also visible there. The Midi gallery overlooking the surrounding green hills offers a beautiful view of the unspoiled landscapes of the Comminges.

The medieval castle of Mauvezin, which dominates the Les Baronnies area, is home to a history and folk museum in six of its rooms. Visitors can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding scenery from the top of its keep.

Towering over the pretty village of Simorre and Astarac country from the top of its towers and crenellations, the pretty Abbey Church of Our Lady was built in the 14th century, then renovated by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century. Adorned with an octagonal lantern tower, this beautiful fortress-style brick building contains glass walls from the 14th and 15th centuries, sculpted stalls from the 15th century, and, in the sacristy, mural paintings from the 14th century.

Around the fortified church, you can take a walk through the picturesque streets and squares, lined with half-timbered houses with corbels.

Nestling in the heart of the Bigorre area between Col d'Aspin and Col Peyresourde mountain passes at the confluence of the Neste d'Aure and Neste du Louron rivers, the pleasant village of Arreau forms a beautiful group of buildings: period homes like the Maison des Lys and Château des Nestes, the covered market and pretty old slate-roofed houses.

Not to be missed: the local farmers' market that takes places every Thursday morning in the covered market.

Not far from Saint-Gaudens, Salies-du-Salat is a health resort town renowned for its salt water with healing properties.

Famous spa town of the Pyrenees, Bagnères-de-Luchon is a dynamic town dedicated to fitness, well-being and sport. Firstly thanks to its renowned thermal baths, but also to the range of sporting activities it offers all year round, in summer as in winter. Fishing, mountain-biking, canoeing, climbing, paragliding, skiing and hiking in the fabulous setting of the Pyrenees will certainly keep sporty types busy! A cable car from Luchon takes you up to Superbagnères ski resort in 15 minutes.

Built in the 14th and 15th centuries, the former Cathedral of St. Mary in Lombez, a listed Historic Monument, was a bishop's palace from 1317 to 1801. This imposing brick-clad Southern European gothic building is crowned by an octagonal Toulouse-style bell tower with five storeys. Inside, visitors can admire the 16th-century stained glass windows, 17th-century stalls and a treasury, consisting of a Romanesque baptismal font and sacerdotal objects.

Near the cathedral stand a picturesque covered market hall and old brick and timber-framed houses.

Located between Arreau and Bagnères-de-Bigorre and reaching an altitude of 1,489 metres at its peak, Aspin pass is a firm favourite with cycling fans and offers stunning 360° views of the surrounding mountains.

Located at the heart of the Pyrenees mountains, the lovely village of Saint-Lary-Soulan is both a spa and a ski resort – a dream destination for all those wishing to combine health treatments and outdoor sports. Among the activities on offer are downhill and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter, and hiking, mountain-biking and horse-riding in summer.

Situated in the Pyrenees massif, the mountainous part of the Haute-Garonne combines nature, sport and relaxation. Wonderful wild and unspoiled landscapes can be explored in the Oueil, Pique and Lys valleys. Dotted with typical villages, hiking trails, waterfalls and mountain lakes, this wild area is very popular with nature lovers. Unmissable, the Oô lake situated at an altitude of 1,504 metres is sumptuous with its 275-metre high waterfall and its wonderful setting. This beautiful site can only be reached after a one-hour walk.

In the winter, the Pyrenees mountains also attract skiers with the Superbagnères, Peyragudes and Mourtis ski resorts.

The highest point of the Haute-Garonne is the Perdiguère peak, which reaches 3222 metres.

The unspoiled and lush Louron valley also boasts a rich architectural heritage with a string of picturesque villages and Romanesque churches, particularly those in Cazaux-Fréchet, Mont and Vielle-Louron, which contain magnificent wall paintings.

In the heart of this high Pyrenean valley surrounded by mountains stands Génos-Loudenvielle lake, a huge expanse of water offering various leisure activities, including walking around the footpath that encircles the lake.

The fortified town of Mirande, known for its famous country music festival which takes place every year in July, is also known for its Museum of Fine Arts and Decorative Arts. This museum stands on Rue de l'Évêché and contains a rich collection of Italian, Flemish and French paintings from the 15th to 19th centuries along with a fine set of antique ceramics.

After visiting the museum, it's time to discover Mirande town centre. The town square, Place d'Astarac, features a kiosk and is surrounded by arcade houses. There is also the Church of St. Mary, an old 15th-century cathedral in the southern European gothic style, with superb flying buttresses spanning Rue de l'Évêché.

Located at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains on the banks of the Adour river, the welcoming spa resort of Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a top destination for many reasons: the lively old quarter with beautiful old houses dominated by the Flamboyant Gothic Tour des Jacobins tower, the thermal baths with curative properties, the spa and well-being centre Aquensis, the casino and the lovely Parc Thermal spa garden which is a great place for a stroll.

Not to be missed: the Street Arts Weekend festival (Week-end des Arts de la Rue) that takes place every beginning of August in the town's streets, squares and gardens – the atmosphere is fantastic!

Located 11 kilometres from Marciac, the little village of Tillac is worth a trip for its charming main street, which is lined with a series of pretty old houses with arcades and timber frames. A visit to this picturesque castle village on a plain will also provide a chance to discover its two medieval towers and its Church of St. James the Major.

The Médous cave located in Asté, not far from Bagnères-de-Bigorre, was discovered in 1948 by three potholers and is noteworthy for its large number of concretions. The wealth of stalactites, stalagmites and draperies make this a truly stunning visit. A section of the tour takes place on board a boat on an underground river.

Tarbes, the chief town of the Hautes-Pyrénées département and capital of the Bigorre area, is known for its beautiful garden, the Jardin Massey, which figures on France's official list of Jardins Remarquables. This wonderful landscape park created in the 19th century by the naturalist Placide Massey features a network of footpaths and a large number of rare tree species. A Moorish-inspired mansion topped with an observation tower stands in the middle of the park. It houses the Massey museum which has a collection of fine art and one based on the history of the hussars.

Also worth visiting is the Haras National de Tarbes (national stud farm) founded by Napoleon in 1806, and today a listed building. A guided tour of this Empire-style group of buildings shows you the stables, stallions of different breeds and a collection of horse-drawn vehicles. The Maison du Cheval there is a museum in a former indoor school dedicated to the world of horses and in particular images of the horse in the Midi-Pyrénées region. Every year, the European equestrian show festival, Equestria, is held at the Haras National de Tarbes in late July / early August: a festive event in which the worlds of horses and the arts come together.

Fine food fans should make a point of visiting Halle Marcadieu covered market for its fresh produce market every Thursday morning.

As an ancient episcopal see, the medieval town of Saint-Lizier, one of France's "Most Beautiful Villages", has preserved an important religious heritage from its rich past. Dominated by a Toulouse Gothic-style octagonal belfry, Saint-Lizier cathedral, built from the 11th to 15th centuries, contains a beautiful collection of Romanesque frescoes in the apse and north absidiole, including Christ in Majesty and an illustration of Heavenly Jerusalem. Also not to be missed are the cathedral's superb Romanesque cloisters with carved capitals, and the Le Couserans bishops' treasure house for its gold- and silverware, such as the silver reliquary bust of St Lizier. Not far from the cathedral is the old hospital (Hôtel-Dieu), home to a 13th-century dispensary with a fine collection of earthenware pots.

No visit to Saint-Lizier would be complete without a wander through its narrow cobbled streets lined with old houses, right up to the 17th-century former bishop's palace (Palais des Évêques), which today houses a museum of popular arts and traditions.

Saint-Lizier festival, which takes place every first fortnight in August, is a renowned classical music event.

Saint-Girons, the main town of Le Couserans, enjoys a pleasant location on the banks of the Salat. A riverside walk takes in Champ de Mars promenade, Pont Vieux bridge, Saint-Girons church and the Viscounts' Palace (Palais des Vicomtes) and gardens.

After your walk, make a point of sampling a croustade, a delicious local pie made with puff pastry and fruit!

A colourful and flavourful market takes place every Saturday morning under the plane trees on the Champ de Mars.

Only accessible by hikers, Néouvielle Nature Reserve is a wild and protected area adjoining the Pyrenees National Park. Its highest point is Pic Long peak, located 3,192 metres above sea level. Dotted with around 100 high-altitude lakes, this granite mountain area is sheer heaven for fans of walking and unspoiled scenery. Sites worth seeing on a hike include Pic de Néouvielle peak and Orédon, Oule, Aumar and Aubert lakes.

Located at an altitude of 2,115 metres, Tourmalet pass is a legendary section of the Tour de France. Cycling fans, hikers and motorists crossing it enjoy beautiful views over the Pyrenees mountains. On the way back down to the resort of Barèges, you can visit Tourmalet botanical garden, open from mid-May to mid-September, where no fewer than 2,500 Pyrenean plant species grow. An excellent introduction to the local flora!

Reaching an altitude of 2,877 metres at its peak, the Pic du Midi de Bigorre is famous for its astronomical observatory and stunning panoramic view of the Pyrenees mountains. To get to the summit, you can either take the cable car leaving from La Mongie or walk up a footpath. With either option, the moment of arrival is fantastic and the view takes your breath away! As well as the superb 360° view, there's a museum dedicated to astronomy and the history of the Pic du Midi.