www.tourisme-sens.com. Once the ecclesiastical centre of France, Sens can still lay claim to the country’s first, and possibly one of its finest Gothic cathedrals, the model for Canterbury.

On the banks of the River Yonne, the Old Town is encircled by tree-lined boulevards with scattered sections of the medieval ramparts and an archway opening on to the main street, rue de la République. Half-way up the street, on a small square, the Cathédrale de Saint-Etienne reveals its magnificent west front and a portal topped with a fine statue of St Stephen. On three sides of the gardens, south of the cathedral, the 13thC Palais Synodal gives entry to the town museum, with some interesting Gallo-Roman remains and the cathedral treasury, one of the richest in France.

An easy drive from Paris, Sens is a popular Parisian weekend retreat.