Carcassonne

Set atop a hill overlooking lush green countryside and the Aude River, Carcassonne is a spectacular medieval town that looks lifted from the pages of a storybook—literally, perhaps, as its circle of towers and battlements (comprising the longest city walls in Europe) is said to be the setting for Charles Perrault's classic tale Puss in Boots. With its turrets and castellated walls, it appeals to children and those who dream about the Middle Ages.