Abbaye de Flaran

This serene Cistercian abbey is one of the loveliest in the Gers département. Founded in 1151 and guarded by a 14th-century fortress door, it was abandoned after the Revolution but the building is remarkably well preserved. Among the rooms on show are the monks' cloister and refectory, and there's a herb garden out the back. On the 2nd floor, the sleeping cells host a superb collection of paintings, including works by Toulouse-Lautrec, Cézanne and Renoir. It's near Valence-sur-Baïse, 10km south of Condom.