Mende: Historic Centre, Cathedral and Causse
Mende lies in Lozère near the boundary of Cévennes National Park, enclosed by wooded limestone plateaux and crossed by the River Lot. The former capital of Gévaudan has a medieval centre, substantial religious and civic buildings, and paths leading from the river towards the Causse de Mende.
Things to See in Bar-le-Duc
Bar-le-Duc occupies the wooded Ornain valley and was once the capital of the independent Duchy of Bar. Its prosperous past is clearest in the Renaissance upper town, but the lower town, churches, bridges and later civic buildings add several other periods to the city’s architectural record.
Things to See in Épinal
Épinal is widely associated with the popular prints that made its name in the nineteenth century, but its built heritage is broader. Medieval ruins, a Chinese-inspired stair tower, churches drawing on several regional traditions and modern concrete-and-glass architecture all appear within the city and its immediate surroundings.