Superstar DJs playing amid lumbering mechanical beasts, an abundance of gastronomical delights and a profound history of violent upheaval and technical innovation - Toulouse found a way of leaving a unique impression on me ....
Several French cities have this summer introduced a curfew for teenagers in a bid to curb youth violence, but even some mayors are not sure if the ban should be enforced ....
The second is the excellent Musée Jacques Cartier, in the former home of this 16th-centuryFrench seafarer and explorer who “discovered” Canada (£6; musee-jacques-cartier.fr) ... The laid-back French city with a Spanish vibe and all-year sunshine.
When I was invited on a trip to Cognac in the south of France, I could never have anticipated learning so much about myself and my hometown in the process ... .