The Tarn-et-Garonne département is set in the heart of Gascony, and its hills lead up to the mountains of the Pyrenees; on a clear day the snow-covered peaks can be seen in the distance. It has traditionally been a hat-manufacting area (boaters are still made here), notably at Septfonds, which also has an alignment of standing stones.

Founded in 1144, its capital Montauban is known as the 'Rose City'. Montauban was the model for the bastide towns of the south-west of France, and it was probably at a bastide in the coteaux du Quercy that the tinder of the Hundred Years' War was first lit.

Unsurprisingly, wine is a popular crop here, but Moissac, famous for growing the chasselas grape, grows other types of fruit too — in fact, 80% of the fruit produced in the Midi-Pyrénées is grown in the département, including peaches, kiwi fruit and melons. Moissac is also renowned for its abbey church and cloister, which is a masterpiece of Romanesque art. It was founded in the 7th century, and by the 12th century had become the pre-eminent monastery in south-western France.

Between St-Antonin-Noble-Val (the setting for the 2002 film Charlotte Gray) and Montricoux, the River Aveyron has worn into the limestone and sculpted deep, steep-sided gorges. Man has lived there since prehistoric times, and the villages of picturesque Penne, Bruniquel and Montricoux are well worth visiting.

In the south-east of the département stands the bastide of Beaumont-de-Lomagne, founded in 1276. It has a 13th-century church and hosts a lively garlic market in season. Visits in the area include the castle of Gramont and the ramparts of Maubec, both of which have been restored.

A charming feature of Tarn-et-Garonne is the hundreds of dovecotes peppering the landscape.

Local gastronomy is enriched with a variety of specialities that reflect the region: shad fish, Lomagne confits and foie gras, truffles and croustade, a puff-pastry delicacy.