Saumur is a small historical town in the French region of Pays de la Loire, site of a dramatically situated château and the heart of its own world-renowned wine district. Population 30,000.
Villefranche-sur-Mer is a small beach resort and residential town (popn 30,000) on the French Riviera. The deep water harbour is home to Mediterranean cruise boats, whose tenders routinely disgorge several thousand passengers on organised trips to nearby Eze Village and Monaco. It sports excellent restaurants and a coarse sandy beach much favoured over Nice's stony bay. Convenient harbour car parking attracts visitors from Monaco and along the Riviera. The Citadelle st Elme dates back to antiquity and the town offers easy access to the millionaires peninsula of St Jean Cap Ferrat.
Although known as the capital of the Cevennes, you may have a hard time getting to Alès, partly because it's off the well-trod tourist track, and partly because everyone will assume you want to go to nearby, and bigger, Arles.
Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne International Airport is about 4km from the town centre. [www.biarritz.aeroport.fr/ Website]. Tel: 33 (0)5 59 43 83 83. Regular bus service for Euro 1.20 single fare.