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Tucked away in the hills, the little village of Les Mées is best known for the strange rock formations known as the Pénitents des Mées. Legend says these pinnacles were once monks who broke their vows of chastity and were turned to stone by St Donat (see Les Pénitents des Mées).

The enigmatic Rotonde, a Roman relic whose purpose is still a puzzle, crowns the village to which it lends its name, a picturesque cluster of old houses and churches protected by a ramshackle medieval fort.

Military and religious architecture are scattered throughout this quiet mountain town: a 15th-century gate, a medieval church and a ruined citadel are the main points of interest.

Annot stands in unspoilt countryside in the Vaire valley. Many houses are built into the giant sandstone glacial boulders, known as the grès d’Annot – some have 17th- and 18th-century carved façades.

La-Palud stands on the north side of the Grand Canyon du Verdon, making it a popular base for exploring the region (see Grand Canyon du Verdon).

Castellane is a lively market town surrounded by steep mountains. The Verdon flows through it on its way to the Grand Canyon. It is also a centre for adventure sports (see Castellane).

Allemagne en Provence stands between the rugged canyon country of the Verdon and the lavender fields of the Valensole plateau. It is dominated by the palatial Château d’Allemagne, founded in the 12th century, which is now a luxury guesthouse (see Château d’Allemagne, Allemagne-en-Provence).

This little village bustles in summer. Built where the Verdon and Isolde rivers flow into the manmade Lac de Castillon, it is a popular watersports centre, with dinghies, windsurfers and canoes for hire.

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.

Provence’s northernmost town stands in the rugged Ubaye valley. High in the Alps, its cobbled streets are ringed by peaks that have a scattering of snow until June.