Forcalquier

Once the capital of a flourishing county in medieval Haute-Provence, Forcalquier is a tiny town in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence sitting between the Lure and Luberon mountain ranges, with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size. Its motto — "higher than the Alps" — reflects the commanding views from the 1875 chapel of Notre-Dame de Provence, built on the site of the old citadel. The 13th-century co-cathedral of Notre-Dame du Bourguet and the Cordeliers convent of the same era add to a compact historic centre worth exploring on foot.

• Population4,729
• Nearest water from center 0.6 km0.4 mi
• Nearest mountain from center 11 km6.7 mi