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The finest example of Gothic architecture in Provence was erected to house the relics of Mary Magdalene, “discovered” on the site in 1280. The basilica appears unfinished from the outside (there is no belfry) but within, the sense of space and balance is stunning. So too are the treasures, notably a 16th-century altarpiece depicting the Passion and a renowned 17th-century organ. Mary Magdalene’s remains are in a reliquary and a marble sarcophagus in the crypt.

The restored 18th-century country house is superbly sited amid lavender and olive trees above Grasse. Equally splendid is the cooking of chef Jacques Chibois (see Bastide St-Antoine, Grasse).

For once, a restaurant with real vegetarian options, such as asparagus in anise and olive oil or melon with tomatoes. Great for carnivores too.

The French leg of the World Volleyball Grand Slam, and the richest.

France’s richest fortified dessert wine, made from the muscat grape.

Beauvezer, in the dramatic Vallée du Haut Verdon, stands 1,179 m (3,600 ft) above sea level. Once a frontier fortress, it still has its formidable battlements.

Embiez’s baby brother has a tiny harbour and beaches – you can do the tour in 20 minutes. But the tourist development is as sensitive as on Embiez, marrying the landscape extremely naturally.

The pretty little town of Biot sits serenely on a hilltop among pinewoods. It is renowned for its high-quality decorative glassware, which you can watch being blown at La Verrerie de Biot. The modern Musée Fernand Léger contains more than 400 drawings and paintings by the artist (see Musée Fernand Léger, Biot).

The two bars on two floors provide a stylish, fashionable gathering place for the trendier elements of the gay community.